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In a prospective analysis, healthy women known to be carriers of BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations chose either bilateral mastectomy or active surveillance. Ascribing to careful methodological detail, the investigators found that those who chose surgery had lower risk for breast cancer occurrence and better survival. Nonetheless, the authors note that longer follow-up and a larger sample size are needed to confirm statistical significance of their observations.
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Evidence-based updates in primary care medicine By Louis Kuritzky, MD
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In a single institutional study (M.D. Anderson), 60 older patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia were treated with lenalidomide. Thirty-five of the 60 patients had a response lasting > 36 months, and compared with those who did not have such a durable response, those who did had lower pretreatment ß-2 microglobulin levels and were more likely to have favorable cytogenetics. Lenalidomide treatment was associated with improvement in circulating immunoglobulin levels and T-lymphocyte numbers.
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LAP2 was a randomized, Phase 3 trial to evaluate and compare the modality of surgical staging (laparoscopy vs laparotomy) in endometrial cancer.
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Early pivotal trials demonstrating the efficacy of sorafenib for patients with advanced hepatocellular cancer included primarily those with minimal liver dysfunction (Child-Pugh [CP] class A).
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In a six-site Italian retrospective analysis, treatment of elderly patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma with sunitinib was shown to be effective but associated with significant toxicity. Although only applied to a subset, pretreatment comprehensive geriatric assessment did not offer predictive value with regard to severe toxicity or efficacy.
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Denosumab is more effective than zoledronic acid at preventing pain in women with advanced breast cancer and bone metastases.
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In this Phase 2 trial, 105 older patients with acute myeloid leukemia who were either treatment-naïve or at first relapse were treated with one of three schedules of oral sapacitabine: 200 mg twice daily for 7 days (group A), 300 mg twice daily for 7 days (group B), or 400 mg twice daily for 3 days each week for 2 weeks (group C).
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Calcium supplementation in women; type 2 diabetes treatments and pancreatitis risk; treating chronic idiopathic urticaria; rivaroxaban and VTE; and FDA actions.