In a nutshell This study aimed to assess use of dacomitinib in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who had previously failed to respond to chemotherapy and erlotinib (Tarceva). Some background NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer. Erlotinib and gefitinib (Iressa) are used to treat NSCLC. They...
Read MoreIn a nutshell The authors aimed to review existing evidence on the safety and effectiveness of hypofractionation in prostate cancer. Some background Radiation involves directing a beam of radiation at the site of the tumor with the aim of killing cancer cells present. Hypofractionation is a type of radiation therapy that involves receiving large,...
Read MoreIn a nutshell The authors aimed to determine the long-term effects of early prostate cancer treatment. Some background Early prostate cancer is usually treated with active surveillance, radiation therapy, androgen deprivation therapy or surgery. Active surveillance involves the monitoring of cancer progression in a patient without administering...
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In a nutshell The authors aimed to determine whether patients who received androgen deprivation therapy were more at risk of experiencing cardiovascular events. Some background Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is a hormone treatment that targets male sex hormones involved in prostate cancer development, such as testosterone, in early stage...
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In a nutshell This study looked at whether stent length affects clinical outcomes after drug-releasing (eluting) stent implantation. Some background Stenting (balloon angioplasty or percutaneous coronary intervention) is a surgery carried out on patients with coronary artery disease. Coronary artery disease refers to a condition...
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In a nutshell This study evaluated how common climacturia (urine leakage during orgasm) is in patients treated for prostate cancer. It also investigated the causes of climacturia and if it impacts on sexual satisfaction. Some background Patients with prostate cancer are commonly treated with surgery and/or radiotherapy. The success of...
Read MoreIn a nutshell The authors evaluated the short term effectiveness and safety of capecitabine and oxaliplatin administered prior to and then alongside radiotherapy for high-risk locally advanced rectal cancer. Some background Although neoadjuvant (before surgery) chemoradiotherapy has signifcantly reduced the risk of local...
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In a nutshell This study examined whether conception associated with in vitro egg maturation led to any differences in height and weight development in children compared to those conceived through traditional in vitro fertilization. Some background Assisted reproductive techniques, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), often involve the use...
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In a nutshell This review summarizes the common adverse effects of everolimus (afinitor) treatment and covers the recommend management of each of these. Some background Everolimus is a drug sometimes used to treat hormone receptor positive (HR+) breast cancer patients in addition to standard hormonal treatment. Everolimus inhibits the immune...
Read MoreIn a nutshell This study compared the effects of vildagliptin (Zomelis) and glimepiride (Amaryl) on the rise and fall of blood glucose levels (glucose fluctuations) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Some background Patients with T2DM do not produce enough insulin (or are resistant to insulin) necessary to properly use the...
Read MoreIn a nutshell This article looked at the effects of radiation therapy on bowel and urinary function in patients with prostate cancer. Three different methods of radiation therapy were compared:intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), proton beam therapy (PBT) and 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT). Some background Radiation therapy...
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In a nutshell This review analyzed the effect of tamoxifen (Nolvadex) on survival and risk of recurrence (return of the cancer) in patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Some background DCIS is a type of early-stage breast cancer. The cancer begins in the milk ducts of the breast breast and stays in its original place (in situ). This...
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