Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Oncology for May 2007. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Congruency Rule Questioned in Homonymous Hemianopia
THURSDAY, May 31 (HealthDay News) -- The rule of congruency should be used cautiously in patients with homonymous hemianopia, because patients may or may not have occipital lesions or other types of lesions, researchers report in the May issue of the American Journal of Ophthalmology. The occipital lobe is affected in patients with congruent visual field defects, particularly due to stroke, but 50 percent of lesions in other locations also cause congruent defects.
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FDA Approves Temsirolimus for Advanced Kidney Cancer
THURSDAY, May 31 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved Torisel (temsirolimus) for the treatment of patients with renal cell carcinoma.
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New Risk Assessment System Devised for Oncology
THURSDAY, May 31 (HealthDay News) -- With existing safety assessment systems aimed at low-risk non-cancer treatments, a new rating system called TAME may be better-suited to compare oncology treatment risks, according to a report published online May 31 in The Lancet Oncology.
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Temsirolimus Improves Renal Cell Carcinoma Survival
WEDNESDAY, May 30 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma, temsirolimus improves overall survival compared to interferon alfa alone or in combination with temsirolimus, according to study findings published in the May 31 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Obesity Linked to Negative Pediatric Leukemia Outcomes
TUESDAY, May 29 (HealthDay News) -- Obesity reduces survival and increases the risk of relapse in children and adolescents with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, particularly in those aged 10 years or older, according to a report in the May 20 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Lymph Dysfunction May Occur After Mammoplasty
TUESDAY, May 29 (HealthDay News) -- Some patients may develop an erysipelas-like inflammation after breast reduction or reconstruction surgery that is not due to a defined bacterial infection but may be due to lymphatic dysfunction induced by surgery, according to five cases reported in the May issue of the Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery.
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Calcium, Vitamin D Linked to Lower Breast Cancer Risk
TUESDAY, May 29 (HealthDay News) -- Premenopausal women who consume high amounts of calcium and vitamin D may be less likely to develop breast cancer and aggressive breast tumors than women who do not, according to a study in the May 28 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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New Breast Cancer Susceptibility Genes Identified
MONDAY, May 28 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers have identified at least four new genes involved in breast cancer susceptibility, according to study findings published online May 27 in Nature and two reports published online the same day in Nature Genetics. Unlike most breast cancer susceptibility genes that are involved in DNA repair and sex hormone synthesis, many of these genes are involved in cell growth or signaling.
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Oncologists Prefer Longer Follow-Up Times
FRIDAY, May 25 (HealthDay News) -- Most breast cancer specialists in the United Kingdom are not adhering to the current three-year guideline regarding when to discharge breast cancer patients into follow-up care by primary care doctors, according to a study published online May 24 in the Annals of Oncology.
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High Prostate-Specific Antigen Velocity Predicts Death
FRIDAY, May 25 (HealthDay News) -- Men who undergo radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy for prostate cancer are at higher risk of death if their pre-treatment prostate-specific antigen (PSA) velocity is greater than 2 ng/mL per year, according to study findings published online May 25 in Cancer.
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Study Shows Epidemiology of Pediatric Cancer Drug Errors
FRIDAY, May 25 (HealthDay News) -- Most pediatric chemotherapy errors reach the patient, occur during administration or drug dispensation, and are more common in outpatient clinics, according to the results of a study published online May 25 in Cancer.
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Studies Shed Light on BRCA1 and DNA Damage Response
THURSDAY, May 24 (HealthDay News) -- BRCA1 is a known tumor suppressor and three new studies suggest that it forms complexes with specific proteins and is recruited to sites of DNA damage, according to reports published in the May 25 issue of Science. A fourth study in the same issue of the journal suggests that such DNA response networks are larger and more complicated than previously thought.
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Satisfaction Varies with Breast Reconstruction Techniques
THURSDAY, May 24 (HealthDay News) -- Among women who undergo breast reconstruction surgery, satisfaction may be higher with transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap than with latissimus dorsi plus implant reconstruction or tissue expander/implant, according to a report published in the May issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
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Aspirin Reduces COX-2 Expression in Colon Cancer
WEDNESDAY, May 23 (HealthDay News) -- Among colon cancer patients, regular aspirin use reduces the risk of having tumors that overproduce cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), an enzyme that promotes inflammation and cell proliferation, according to the results of a study in the May 24 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Depression May Be Lower with Breast Reconstruction
WEDNESDAY, May 23 (HealthDay News) -- Breast cancer patients who undergo immediate breast reconstruction may have lower depression levels a year later than those who undergo mastectomy only, researchers report in the May issue of the Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery.
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Head, Neck Cancer Survivors May Quit Work Due to Fatigue
WEDNESDAY, May 23 (HealthDay News) -- Patients who have been treated for head and neck cancer often subsequently quit work due to fatigue, pain and problems eating and speaking, although some of those patients may eventually return to the workforce, according to a report published in the May issue of the Archives of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery.
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DNA Loss Predicts Better Chemo Response in Glioma
TUESDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with low-grade glioma and loss of heterozygosity at 1p/19q have a more favorable outcome after treatment with chemotherapy than patients who do not, according to a report in the May 22 issue of Neurology.
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MRI Helpful Tool in Planning Breast Cancer Surgery
TUESDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a useful additional tool for the identification of suspicious lesions prior to breast cancer surgery among women newly diagnosed with the disease, researchers report in the May issue of the Archives of Surgery.
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Prostate Cancer Patients Report 'Information Gap'
TUESDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- Men with early-stage prostate cancer often receive incomplete and inconsistent information about their treatment options, according to the results of a study published in the May issue of Urology.
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Chronic Periodontitis Associated with Tongue Cancer Risk
MONDAY, May 21 (HealthDay News) -- Men with chronic periodontitis are at increased risk of developing cancer of the tongue, regardless of smoking status, researchers report in the May issue of the Archives of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery.
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Lycopene Does Not Appear to Prevent Prostate Cancer
MONDAY, May 21 (HealthDay News) -- The carotenoid pigment lycopene that is found in tomatoes does not appear to prevent prostate cancer, according to a report in the May issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
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Transurethral Therapy Helps Benign Prostate Hyperplasia
MONDAY, May 21 (HealthDay News) -- In most men with benign prostatic hyperplasia, treatment with transurethral microwave therapy leads to durable improvements. But patients with urinary retention may be more likely to require additional treatment, according to study findings published in the May issue of Urology.
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Finasteride Improves Sensitivity of Digital Rectal Exam
FRIDAY, May 18 (HealthDay News) -- Finasteride improves the sensitivity of the digital rectal exam in detecting prostate cancer, according to study findings published in the May issue of the Journal of Urology. A previous study showed that the drug improved the sensitivity of prostate-specific antigen tests in detecting prostate cancer.
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HPV Vaccine Protects Against Vulval and Vaginal Cancers
FRIDAY, May 18 (HealthDay News) -- In addition to offering protection against cervical cancer, the quadrivalent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine also offers women protection against vulval and vaginal cancers, researchers report in the May 19 issue of The Lancet.
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Hormone Agonists Helpful in Premenopausal Breast Cancer
FRIDAY, May 18 (HealthDay News) -- When used in combination with chemotherapy and tamoxifen, luteinizing-hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists are effective in treating hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer in premenopausal women, according to a meta-analysis published in the May 19 issue of The Lancet.
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Study Finds No Cancer Risk from Blood Transfusions
FRIDAY, May 18 (HealthDay News) -- There is no evidence that blood from donors with undiagnosed cancer can increase the risk of cancer in recipients, according to the results of a study published in the May 19 issue of The Lancet.
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Fatalistic Beliefs About Cancer May Increase Cancer Risk
FRIDAY, May 18 (HealthDay News) -- Having fatalistic beliefs about cancer prevention may increase one's risk for cancer because those who feel this way are less likely to engage in cancer prevention behaviors, according to a report in the May issue of Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention.
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Intermittent Hormone Therapy Safe for Prostate Cancer
THURSDAY, May 17 (HealthDay News) -- Treating prostate cancer with intermittent hormone therapy is safe and can reduce morbidity, but prospective trials are needed to identify the best way to use the treatment, according to a review of phase II trials published in the May issue of BJU International.
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About One in Four Cancer Survivors Use Support Groups
THURSDAY, May 17 (HealthDay News) -- About one-quarter of cancer survivors have used a health-related support group, with use varying by cancer type, according to the results of a California study published online May 14 in Cancer.
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Alcohol Drinkers May Have Reduced Kidney Cancer Risk
THURSDAY, May 17 (HealthDay News) -- A moderate alcohol intake may significantly decrease the risk of kidney cancer compared to no alcohol intake, according to the results of a study published in the May 16 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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New Gastritis Staging System Reflects Prognosis, Options
THURSDAY, May 17 (HealthDay News) -- A new histological staging system for gastritis correlates with status of the gastric mucosa and its prognosis, according to a report published in the May issue of the journal Gut.
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Tobacco, Alcohol Each Boost Risk of Head and Neck Cancer
THURSDAY, May 17 (HealthDay News) -- Although tobacco and alcohol use independently increase the risk of head and neck cancer, the association is strongest for tobacco, according to study findings published in the May 16 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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Multivitamin Overuse Linked to Aggressive Prostate Cancer
WEDNESDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- Men who take excessive amounts of multivitamins may have an increased risk of advanced and fatal prostate cancer, according to the results of a study published in the May 16 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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Coffee Drinking Associated with Lower Liver Cancer Risk
WEDNESDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- Consumption of two cups of coffee per day is associated with a lower risk of liver cancer, according to a report in the May issue of Gastroenterology.
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DNA Changes in Stromal Cells Linked to Breast Tumor Grade
TUESDAY, May 15 (HealthDay News) -- Genetic markers found in the stromal and epithelial cells surrounding primary sporadic breast cancers are associated with tumor grade, metastases and other clinicopathological features, such as the presence of progesterone receptors, according to a report in the May 16 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Better Depression Care Cuts Mortality Risk in Elderly
TUESDAY, May 15 (HealthDay News) -- Older patients with depression who are enrolled in a primary care program to improve depression management may live longer than their counterparts who do not take part in such a program, according to a report in the May 15 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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U.S. Mammography Rates Have Dropped Since 2000
MONDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- After steadily increasing since 1987, mammography rates in the United States dropped from 70 percent in 2000 to 66 percent in 2005, according to study findings published online May 14 in Cancer.
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Company to Pay Over $600 Million for Promoting OxyContin
MONDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- The Purdue Frederick Company, Inc., of Norwalk, Conn., has agreed to pay over $600 million to settle charges from a U.S. Food and Drug Administration investigation into the company's sales tactics regarding the prescription pain relief drug OxyContin.
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Relatives of Blacks with Early Lung Cancer Also at Risk
FRIDAY, May 11 (HealthDay News) -- First-degree relatives of black Americans diagnosed with early-onset lung cancer are more likely to develop head and neck, lung and other tobacco-related cancers themselves compared with relatives of white Americans with lung cancer, according to a report in the May issue of Chest.
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Daily Aspirin May Reduce Risk of Colorectal Cancer
FRIDAY, May 11 (HealthDay News) -- Taking at least 300 mg/day of aspirin for five years confers protection against colorectal cancer, but the risks of taking the drug outweigh the benefits in the population as a whole, according to a report published in the May 12 issue of The Lancet.
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Good News, Bad News for Oral Smokeless Tobacco
FRIDAY, May 11 (HealthDay News) -- Snus, a smokeless, moist oral tobacco sold in Scandinavia, can double the risk of pancreatic cancer in men who use the product compared to those who have never used tobacco, according to a report published online May 10 in The Lancet. However, a second report suggests that smokers may gain some benefits by switching from cigarettes to snus in an effort to quit tobacco altogether.
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Statin Use May Cut Lung Cancer Risk by 55 Percent
THURSDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- Statins may cut the risk of lung cancer by as much as 55 percent, according to the results of a study of U.S. veterans published in the May issue of Chest.
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Euthanasia Rates Fell in Netherlands After Legalization
WEDNESDAY, May 9 (HealthDay News) -- The rates of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide have fallen in the Netherlands since euthanasia was legalized in 2002, possibly due to wider use of interventions such as palliative sedation, according to study findings published in the May 10 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Oral HPV Infection Increases Risk of Oropharyngeal Cancer
WEDNESDAY, May 9 (HealthDay News) -- Oral infection with human papillomavirus (HPV), particularly HPV-16, increases the risk of developing oropharyngeal cancer, researchers report in the May 10 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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HPV Vaccine Protects Against Anogenital, Cervical Lesions
WEDNESDAY, May 9 (HealthDay News) -- The vaccine against four subtypes of human papillomavirus (HPV) is highly effective in preventing anogenital diseases and high-grade cervical lesions in teenage girls and young women, according to two studies published in the May 10 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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DNA Repair Gene Variants Linked to Leukemia Outcomes
WEDNESDAY, May 9 (HealthDay News) -- Variants in DNA repair genes are associated with response to treatment and toxicity in elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia, researchers report in the May 1 issue of Blood.
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Age and Location Can Help Distinguish Skin Tumors
WEDNESDAY, May 9 (HealthDay News) -- Spitz nevi and malignant melanoma may be differentiated in part based on patient age and their location on the thighs or trunk, researchers report in the May issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
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Hepatitis C Raises Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Risk
TUESDAY, May 8 (HealthDay News) -- Infection with hepatitis C raises the risk of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma by 20 to 30 percent, and also triples the risk of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia, researchers report in the May 9 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Malignant Melanoma Often Asymptomatic
TUESDAY, May 8 (HealthDay News) -- Malignant melanoma is often asymptomatic, while tenderness is typical of squamous cell carcinomas and bleeding is more likely to be found with basal cell carcinomas, according to a report in the May issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
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Preeclampsia Associated with Lower Breast Cancer Risk
TUESDAY, May 8 (HealthDay News) -- Women who have experienced preeclampsia and other pregnancy-related complications may have a lower breast cancer risk than other women, according to a report in the May 1 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology.
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Tamoxifen May Cut Breast Cancer Risk After Hysterectomy
MONDAY, May 7 (HealthDay News) -- Tamoxifen appears to lower breast cancer risk in women who have undergone hysterectomy, and the benefit is most pronounced in women at high risk of cancer, researchers report in the May 2 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. However, tamoxifen users may also be more likely to experience hot flashes, thrombi and cardiac arrhythmias or atrial fibrillation.
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Testosterone Fails to Restore Cancer Survivors' Libido
FRIDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- Testosterone cream does not restore diminished libido in women who have survived cancer, according to a report in the May 2 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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Two Patterns Account for Drop in U.S. Breast Cancer Rates
FRIDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- Mammography saturation and a decrease in the use of hormone replacement therapy may be two factors that account for the decline in U.S. breast cancer rates observed since 1999, according to study findings published online May 3 in Breast Cancer Research.
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Assessment Tool Modestly Predicts Lung Cancer Risk
FRIDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- A risk assessment model based on smoking status, exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and dust, prior respiratory disease and other variables predicts lung cancer risk with modest accuracy, researchers report in the May 2 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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Less Sun Exposure Is Key to Skin Cancer Prevention
FRIDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- Avoiding direct sunlight and wearing clothes that prevent harmful ultraviolet rays from reaching the skin are more effective strategies than sunscreen application to reduce the risk of photoaging and skin cancer, according to a review article published online May 3 in The Lancet.
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Drug Combination Improves Lymphoma Survival
THURSDAY, May 3 (HealthDay News) -- Chemotherapy plus rituximab improves overall survival better than chemotherapy alone in patients with follicular, mantle cell or other indolent lymphomas, according to a meta-analysis published in the May 2 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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Early Surgery for Undescended Testicle Reduces Cancer Risk
WEDNESDAY, May 2 (HealthDay News) -- Early surgery for undescended testis reduces the risk of developing testicular cancer, with the risk reduced by about half if done before 13 years of age, according to study findings published in the May 3 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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GI Symptoms May Indicate Late-Stage Ovarian Cancer
WEDNESDAY, May 2 (HealthDay News) -- Unresolved gastrointestinal symptoms may be indicators of late-stage ovarian cancer, researchers report in the May issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology. Women over 65 who present with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting or constipation generally experience longer waits to definitive diagnostic tests and surgery than women with gynecological symptoms.
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Drug Combination Causes Breast Tumor Regression in Mice
WEDNESDAY, May 2 (HealthDay News) -- Combined treatment with pertuzumab, trastuzumab and gefitinib can cause human breast tumors overproducing HER2 to completely disappear in mice, researchers report in the May 2 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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MicroRNA Expression May Identify Pancreatic Cancer
TUESDAY, May 1 (HealthDay News) -- Distinct microRNA expression patterns in tissue samples may help distinguish pancreatic cancer from chronic pancreatitis and predict which cancer patients are likely to be long- or short-term survivors, researchers report in the May 2 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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White Blood Cell Count Linked to Cardiovascular Mortality
TUESDAY, May 1 (HealthDay News) -- White blood cells counts have fallen since the late 1950s in parallel with a decrease in overall mortality, according to a report published in the May 8 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The researchers found an almost linear association between white blood cell count and cardiovascular mortality, but no association with cancer mortality.
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Colorectal Cancer Drugs Cause Magnesium Loss
TUESDAY, May 1 (HealthDay News) -- Almost all colorectal cancer patients treated with epidermal growth factor receptor-targeting antibodies such as cetuximab (Erbitux) experience magnesium loss, according to study findings published in the May issue of The Lancet Oncology.
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