One out of 10 people will be diagnosed with melanoma over their lifetime. While this used to be a death sentence of only months, research has made great strides over the last decade, extending life and hope by years. Dr. Sapna Patel, assistant professor in the Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson...
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In a nutshell The authors determined how body weight could influence patient outcome following docetaxel (Taxotere) treatment in patients with metastatic cancer (that has spread) prostate cancer. Some background Advanced prostate cancer is cancer that has spread outside the prostate gland to different organs. Many advanced...
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In a nutshell This study investigated the effect of erlotinib (Tarceva) with high dose celecoxib (Celebrex) in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Some background Some non-small cell lung cancers develop and grow due to a mutation (abnormality) in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene. EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors...
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In a nutshell This phase 2 trial located in Maryland, United States, aims to determine whether a combination of gemcitabine (Gemzar) and docetaxel (Taxotere) is effective in patients with metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma with CHFR and/or microsatellite instability. Patient's resposne to treatment will be measured. The details...
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In a nutshell This phase II trial based in Dallas, Texas aims to determine the effect of immunotherapy and stereotactic ablative body radiation as a metastatic hormone-resistant prostate cancer treatment. The main outcome to be investigated is time from treatment until cancer progression. The details Metastatic prostate cancer is cancer that...
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In a nutshell The authors analyzed the adverse effect of combination treatment with radiation and targeted therapy in melanoma. Some background In advanced melanoma (stage III/IV), cancer spreads from the skin to other parts of the body. In the majority of advanced melanoma patients, BRAF genes are mutated...
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In a nutshell This review looked at the effectiveness and safety of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitor, afatinib (Gilotrif) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that has spread from its original site. Some background Many NSCLC patients have a mutated (abnormal) EGFR gene, which can increase...
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In a nutshell This study looked at whether a blood test which measures plasma osteopontin (OPN) levels can predict the likely course of colorectal cancer. Some background The pronosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) following surgery remains poor. This is often due to the cancer spreading. It is hoped that by finding a method of predicting or...
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In a nutshell The authors determined the benefit of combination treatment with gemcitabine (Gemzar) and oxaliplatin (Eloxatin) in hormone resistant (castration-resistant) prostate cancer. Some background Hormone therapy is a common treatment for prostate cancer. It targets the male sex hormones active in prostate cancer, such as testosterone....
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In a nutshell This study looked at a new drug, gefitinib (Iressa), used for treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that has spread from its original site. Some background A common treatment option for non-small cell lung cancer is chemotherapy. Many patients find the side effects of this treatment to be quite severe. The long-term outcomes...
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In a nutshell This study looked at whether measuring a specific enzyme, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), in tissue can help predict the way in which a person’s cancer may progress following treatment. Some background A common treatment option for patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) that has spread to other areas of the body (metastatic...
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In a nutshell This study looked at whether a treatment known as radiofrequency ablation is useful in treating cancer which has spread to a patient’s adrenal glands. Some background The adrenal glands sit on top of the kidneys and make several hormones for the body. Chemotherapy or radiotherapy are often...
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