The HCPLive conference coverage page features articles, videos, and expert-led live coverage from major medical meetings throughout the year.
Small Study Identifies Eight Genes that Predict Response in Metastatic Melanoma
June 1st 2009Dr. Hussein Tawbi and colleagues decided to look for biomarkers that might predict response to alkylator-based chemotherapy used to treat metastatic melanoma. They identified eight genes that they believe may form a profile useful in distinguishing responders from nonresponders.
Antidepressants Often Prescribed with Tamoxifen can Double Risk of Breast Cancer Recurrence
June 1st 2009A new retrospective study shows that use of three widely prescribed selective serotinin reuptake inhibitors—Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft—more than double the risk of breast cancer recurrence in women treated with tamoxifen.
Trastuzumab (Herceptin) Increases Overall Survival in HER2-Positive Gastric Cancer
May 31st 2009More than 1 million new cases of gastric cancer are diagnosed annually worldwide. The prognosis for patients with this disease is poor, and new treatments with the potential to offer even small improvements in survival can be practice-changing.
Novel Therapeutic Agent Shows Promise for Treating Triple Negative Breast Cancer
May 31st 2009Approximately 15% of breast cancers are triple negative, with a higher incidence of this cancer subtype found in black and Hispanic women and those younger than 40 years. Triple-negative breast cancers are aggressive and difficult to treat, leading to higher rates of metastases and poorer survival than for other breast cancers.
Fertility Issues Must be Addressed by Oncologists
May 31st 2009A national survey found that oncologists do not address fertility issues as adequately as they should with discussions, provision of educational materials, and referrals to reproductive specialists despite 30% to 80% of all patients with cancer being at risk for infertility.
Failure in Bevacizumab (Avastin) Early Stage Colon Cancer NSABP Trial May Not Be Absolute
May 30th 2009Last month the news that Roche�s drug bevacizumab (Avastin) failed to improve disease-free survival in a trial of patients with early stage colon cancer made a big media splash. Norman Wolmark, MD, Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, addressed the study�s full results in a press conference the day before a scheduled plenary presentation at ASCO.
Stimulus Funds Provide a Temporary Boon to Cancer Research
May 30th 2009Although the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was very contentious in Congress, Richard L. Schilsky, MD, professor of medicine at the University of Chicago in Illinois and president of ASCO; and John Niederhuber, MD, director of the National Cancer Institute, were in complete agreement that it was a boon to cancer research.
High Death Rate from NSCLC in Postmenopausal Women Who Smoke and Use Combination Hormonal Therapy
May 30th 2009In the past several years, enough studies have identified negative consequences associated with hormonal therapy in postmenopausal women that what was once standard therapy is becoming ancient practice.
Discoveries in Prostate Cancer that may Eventually Help Personalize Care
May 30th 2009Two important prostate cancer studies conducted at Fox Chase Cancer Center were released at ASCO: 1) a long-term study that showed low oxygen levels in prostate tumors can predict recurrence; and 2) the finding of a genetic marker that may predict early onset of prostate cancer.
Patients with Addictive Disease: Responsible Use of Opioids
May 4th 2009Patients with cancer who experience moderate to severe pain may be prescribed opioids and could become addicted to them; thus, it is important for oncology nurses to understand addiction and how to assess and manage pain in this patient population.
Relieving Symptoms in Women Undergoing Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy with Cryoreductive Surgery
May 2nd 2009Peritoneal carcinomatosis is the metastatic spread of cancer within the peritoneal cavity by seeding from a primary malignancy, such as colon, ovarian, gastric, or breast cancer; it may also occur as a primary disease, as in the case of peritoneal mesothelioma.
Using Technology to Administer Radiation
May 1st 2009Marilyn Haas, PhD, RN, Mountain Radiation Oncology, Asheville, North Carolina, and Stephen Hahn, MD, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelpia, introduced the audience to several relatively new types of sophisticated machinery that allow radiation to be distributed more accurately, resulting in less toxicity to surrounding tissue.