In a nutshell The authors aimed to determine the 10-year outcome in patients treated with brachytherapy for localized prostate cancer. Some background Localized prostate cancer is cancer that is confined within the prostate gland. It can often be treated with brachytherapy, a form of radiation that places radioactive seeds...
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In a nutshell The authors aimed to determine the effects of focal therapy on prostate cancer patient outcome. Some background Index lesion focal therapy is a form of non-invasive treatment that uses energy to target a specific region of the prostate that contains cancer, causing minimal damage to healthy tissue and less-severe side-effects...
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In a nutshell This study evaluated whether lymph node size is useful for predicting lymph node invasion in rectal cancer patients. Some background Locally advanced rectal cancer indicates that the cancer has spread beyond the lining of the rectum or has spread to the nearby lymph nodes. Patients with locally advanced rectal cancer are often...
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In a nutshell This paper studied whether goserelin (Zoladex) can protect the ovaries from damage caused by chemotherapy. Some background Chemotherapy is used in the treatment of breast cancer but it can damage to the ovaries. This can lead to infertility. Goserelin is a gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist and works to suppress production...
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In a nutshell This study investigated whether delayed chemotherapy treatment can affect stage II colon cancer patient survival. Some background Stage II colon cancer indicates that the cancer has invaded the outer layers of the colon, but it has not spread to the lymph nodes or to distant organs. Current treatment guidelines suggest that patients...
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In a nutshell This study assessed the safety and efficacy of intensity-modulated radiotherapy plus capecitabine (Xeloda) before rectal surgery. Some background Locally advanced rectal cancer indicates that the cancer has spread beyond the lining of the rectum or has spread to the nearby lymph nodes. Patients with locally advanced rectal cancer are...
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In a nutshell The authors aimed to determine patient and cancer outcome following treatment with pelvic lymph node dissection and robot-assisted prostate surgery. Some background In some prostate cancer patients tumors can spread into the lymph nodes (sites that hold cells used to fight infection). A pelvic lymph node dissection is used to...
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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 whether reducing surgery margins would increase cancer recurrence in melanoma patients. Some background Wide local excision is a common form of treatment in patients with melanoma. It involves surgically removing the cancerous tissue and a layer of healthy tissue surrounding the melanoma. Margins are...
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In a nutshell This study investigated whether statins (such as Lipitor, Livalo) can improve survival for colorectal cancer patients. Some background Statins are a class of drug used to lower cholesterol. They are used to prevent heart disease in patients who are at high risk. Recent evidence suggests that statins also slow cell growth, stop new...
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In a nutshell The authors aimed to determine the effects of sildenafil citrate in improving sexual function after radiotherapy. Some background Radiotherapy is the use of high-energy rays to target and cure cancer with minimal damage to normal cells and is a common treatment option in prostate cancer. It can be given from outside the body or from...
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In a nutshell The authors aimed to determine the impact of obesity on long-term cancer outcomes in patients after prostate surgery. Some background Prostate surgery is the standard treatment in patients with prostate cancer confined within the prostate gland. This involves surgically removing the prostate. Obesity is classified as having a body...
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