In a nutshell This study compared the predictive ability of lymph node density and the absolute number of positive lymph nodes in patients with prostate cancer and lymph node invasion. Some background Radical prostatectomy is the surgical removal of the prostate gland in prostate cancer. Chemotherapy may be used following surgery to...
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In a nutshell This analysis compared previous research to determine the most effective treatment for hormone receptor positive breast cancer patients whose disease has progressed despite initial treatment. Some background Hormone receptor positive breast cancer depends on the hormones estrogen or progesterone for growth. The principle...
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In a nutshell The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of primary tumor removal and lymph node dissection on disease outcome in metastatic colorectal cancer. Some background Approximately 15-20% of patients with colorectal cancer are diagnosed with distant metastasis (spread of the cancer) despite widespread screening. While in some...
Read MoreIn a nutshell This study compared the effects of vemurafenib (Zelboraf) and dacarbazine on clinical outcomes in patients with BRAF-v600E or BRAF-v600K mutation-positive melanoma. Some background A mutated BRAF protein, important in directing cell growth, is believed to be responsible for 40% to 60% of all melanomas. Mutations in genes...
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In a nutshell This article examined quality of life of patients treated with proton therapy compared with intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) among patients with localized (confined) prostate cancer. Some background This article deals with two treatment choices for localized prostate cancer. The first is proton...
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In a nutshell This study examined the impact of emergency presentation on the outcomes of patients with node-negative colorectal cancer undergoing curative surgery. Some background Node-negative colorectal cancer is cancer that has not spread to the nearby lymph nodes. Curative surgery (surgical removal of all of the cancer cells)...
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In a nutshell This phase II trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of selumetinib in combination with docetaxel (Taxotere) as first-line treatment for patients diagnosed with advanced melanoma. Some background Despite recent advances in targeted biological agents for the treatment of BRAF-mutated melanoma, treatment options for wild-type BRAF...
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In a nutshell This article reviews recent news regarding two new lung cancer drugs: nivolumab and MK-3475. Some background Nivolumab and MK-3475 are new drugs that belong to a class referred to as PD-1 inhibitors. PD-1 inhibitors work by blocking a specific protein (PD-1 or programmed cell death protein 1) found on many cells of the immune...
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In a nutshell This study evaluated the effect of overexpression of integrin αv subunits in colorectal cancer prognosis (outcome). Some background Colorectal cancer is a form of cancer that affects the cells of the colon or the rectum. Cancer cells need an adequate supply of oxygen, nutrients and removal of waste products to...
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In a nutshell This study evaluated epiregulin gene expression as a potential predictive marker of benefit from cetuximab therapy in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer. Some background Colorectal cancer is cancer that affects the colon and the rectum, two components of the digestive system. Treatment depends on many things,...
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In a nutshell This review analyzed a number of studies that evaluated the efficacy and safety of high dose rate brachytherapy in combination with external beam radiation therapy for the treatment of localized prostate cancer. Some background Radiation therapy is used for treatment of localized prostate cancer (confined to the...
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In a nutshell This study evaluated the efficacy of Acetyl-Coenzyme A acetyltransferase 1 (ACAT1) as a biomarker of prostate cancer progression. Some background Biomarkers or biological molecules used as clinical indicators have continued to impact prostate cancer management in terms of disease diagnosis and prognosis. Prostate cancer...
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