In a nutshell The authors aimed to determine whether long-term hormone treatment was superior to short-term treatment when used with radiation therapy. Some background Radiotherapy and hormone therapy are common treatments used in prostate cancer patients. Radiotherapy involves directing a beam of radiation at the tumor site in order to kill...
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In a nutshell The authors aimed to determine the effects of dalotuzumab in treating small-cell lung cancer when combined with cisplatin and etoposide. Some background Extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (SCLC – cancer has spread outside of the chest) represents 15% of all lung cancer cases. Though numerous treatments have been used over...
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In a nutshell The authors aimed to determine whether levels of YAP protein could predict the success of treatment in patients with lung cancer. Some background YAP protein is a protein active in many cancers that can have a positive or negative effect depending on the location. When YAP protein is present in the nucleus (brain of the cancer...
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In a nutshell This study investigated the effects of hormone therapy given before brachytherapy (a form of radiation therapy) on the survival of prostate cancer patients with at least one risk factor for coronary artery disease compared to those with no risk factors. Some background Quite often, hormone therapy such as anti-androgen therapy...
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In a nutshell The authors aimed to determine whether a specific hormone could predict patients who would experience complications after lung cancer surgery. Some background B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a hormone produced by the heart when it is under pressure or over-worked and is commonly used to determine the risk of heart failure....
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In a nutshell The authors aimed to determine patient outcomes using the standard classification systems in uveal melanoma patients. Some background Uveal melanoma is a rare form of cancer that occurs in the eye. The TNM classification system can be used to determine the extent of melanoma present and can help identify the most effective...
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In a nutshell This paper gave recommendations for treating patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2- positive (presence of HER2 on cancer cells) breast cancer that has spread to the brain. Some background Some patients have breast cancer where human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2, a protein) is present. With...
Read MoreIn a nutshell The authors aimed to determine long-term outcomes in prostate cancer patients following treatment with watchful waiting or prostate surgery. Some background In early prostate cancer, watchful waiting is a form of treatment that involves closely monitoring a patient to determine any signs of cancer progression, but does not involve...
Read MoreIn a nutshell The authors aimed to determine the quality-of-life benefits for metastatic melanoma patients treated with dabrafenib compared to dacarbazine. Some background Metastatic melanoma is melanoma that has spread out to other parts of the body from the primary tumor site. Dabrafenib (Tafinlar) and dacarbazine (DTIC) are drugs used to treat...
Read MoreIn a nutshell The authors studied the efficacy of taxanes (class of drugs including paclitaxel [Taxol] and docetaxel [Taxotere]) plus bevacizumab (Avastin) with or without capecitabine (Xeloda) in treating metastatic breast cancer. Some background Bevacizumab has been studied for the treatment of breast cancer that is metastatic (that...
Read MoreIn a nutshell The authors aimed to determine the effectiveness of video tools in improving patient knowledge of common prostate terminology. Some background Prostate cancer treatment can result in side-effects that patients may not be fully aware of or fully understand before receiving treatment, leading to regret of their decision when...
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In a nutshell This study investigated the impact of anastomotic leakage, a major surgical complication, on the risk for rectal cancer returning. Some background The main treatment option for patients with rectal cancer is surgery. One major complication that can occur after surgery is anastomotic leakage. Generally this involves the leakage of...
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