In a nutshell This study examined the timing and effectiveness of G-CSF treatments during chemotherapy in breast cancer patients at risk for febrile neutropenia. Some background A common side effect of chemotherapy is neutropenia, a reduction in the number of neutrophils (the most common type of white blood cells). Neutrophils are a crucial part...
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In a nutshell This study evaluated which factors can help determine the prognosis of melanoma patients with skin metastases. Some background Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that originates in the pigmented cells of the skin called melanocytes. The 5-year survival rates of patients with melanoma can vary widely, and the prognosis of the disease...
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In a nutshell This study examined the impact of smoking on the results of colorectal surgery. Some background Surgery for the removal of colorectal cancer, like any surgical intervention, carries the risk of serious complications. Smoking has been found to be a risk factor for complications in several types of major surgery. This is presumably due...
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In a nutshell This phase III clinical trial compared the efficacy of pemetrexed (Alimta) chemotherapy alone, versus the combination of carboplatin plus pemetrexed, as first treatment for patients with advanced non small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) Some background NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer and often requires chemotherapy....
Read MoreIn a nutshell This study evaluated how changes in the quality of life (QoL) score influence survival in prostate cancer patients. Some background Previous studies have demonstrated that a high quality of life (QoL) at the time of diagnosis significantly decreases the risk of mortality. Thus, scales scoring patients QoL provide information about...
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In a nutshell In this study, researchers examined the safety of surgery for patients with metastatic melanoma who recently received treatment with ipilimumab (Yervoy). Some background Ipilimumab is a drug that uses the patients’ own immune systems to fight cancer cells. It is FDA-approved for the treatment of patients with metastatic...
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In a nutshell This review outlines the diagnosis, types, and treatments of breast cancer in male patients. Some background Male breast cancer (MBC) is a fairly rare condition, which accounts for 0.1% of all cancers in men and very little research has been done on the disease. Much of what is known about treatments and prognosis is based...
Read MoreIn a nutshell This study looked at whether patients who receive statins and develop primary inflammatory breast cancer enjoy a better outcome. Some background Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a disease in which breast cells grow in an uncontrolled manner, and inflammation develops in part of the breast. Recently, researchers investigated the...
Read MoreIn a nutshell In this study researchers reviewed the adverse effects of the chemotherapy drug ixabepilone for patients with metastatic breast cancer and how these can be managed by reducing the dosage. Some background Ixabepilone (Ixempra) is a chemotherapy drug approved by the U.S. FDA as treatment for metastatic breast cancer (breast cancer that...
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In a nutshell This study assessed the efficiency of bevacizumab (avastin) treatment in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. The association between the effectiveness of treatment and the location of the primary tumor was examined. Some background Colorectal cancer can originate from different sections of the large intestines. The origin of...
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In a nutshell This meta-analysis (an analysis of data combined from several similar trials) examined the impact of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI's) on progression-free survival (PFS) and the overall survival (OS) of advanced non small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Some background Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells may contain...
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In a nutshell This phase 2 clinical trial investigated the safety and efficacy dacarbazine and selumetinib for the treatment of patients who had advanced melanoma with a BRAF mutation. Some background The BRAF gene makes a protein called B-Raf which is involved in cell growth processes. Approximately 50% of patients with metastatic (cancer...
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