What is advanced prostate cancer? Prostate cancer experts Drs. Jeri Kim and Sumit K. Subudhi, from MD Anderson Cancer Center, explain what it means to have advanced disease and how—and where in the body–the disease typically progresses. Sponsored by the Patient Empowerment Network through an educational grant from Sanofi and an...
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In a nutshell This study investigated various remission parameters in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients treated with abatacept (Orencia) plus methotrexate (Trexall). Some background In RA, the immune system begins attacking healthy tissues the way it normally attacks viruses or bacteria. This can cause inflammation, leading to chronic pain....
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In a nutshell The authors determined the factors that predict response to melphalan (Alkeran) delivered through isolated limb infusion (a technique to apply drugs at the tumor sites in melanoma). Some background Melanoma is sensitive to chemotherapy drugs, resulting in higher occurrences of adverse events. But the disease requires higher dose...
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In a nutshell The authors analyzed the effect of tofacitinib (Xeljanz) in controlling inflammation of the synovium (joint lining) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Some background In RA, the immune system begins attacking healthy tissue the way it normally attacks viruses or bacteria. This can cause inflammation, leading to chronic...
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In a nutshell This study examined whether treatment with biological therapy can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Some background Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). CVD is the narrowing or blockage of blood vessels and can lead...
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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 the United States aims to determine whether patients with rectal cancer have better outcomes with chemotherapy before chemoradiation (chemotherapy plus radiation) or after chemoradiation. The outcome to be measured is the number of patients who survive without cancer. The details In...
Read MoreIn a nutshell The authors analyzed the 5-year survival rate in advanced melanoma patients treated with a combination of ipilimumab (Yervoy) and dacarbazine (DTIC, DTIC-Dome) in a phase III clinical trial. Some background In advanced melanoma (stage III/IV), cancer spreads from the skin to other parts of the...
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In a nutshell This study looked at the safety and effectiveness of a type of chemoradiotherapy following surgery for rectal cancer. Some background Radiation therapy uses high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells by damaging their DNA. Advanced radiation treatments such as three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) and...
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In a nutshell The authors aimed to determine whether psychological therapy could relieve patients with fatigue (extreme tiredness) who are undergoing breast cancer radiation (uses high energy radiation to kill cancer cells by damaging their DNA) treatment. Some background Radiation is a treatment that has been proven to increase a patient’s...
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In a nutshell The authors analyzed the effect of mechanical stress on the progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the hands. Some background In RA, high levels of immune system proteins are generated. This causes inflammation, leading to chronic pain and structural damage in the joints. An X-ray based imaging technique called...
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In a nutshell The authors determined how positive surgical margins increased the risk of prostate cancer return in patients following prostate surgery. Some background Prostate surgery is a common treatment in prostate cancer that involves surgically removing the prostate gland. Surgical margin refers to the visible normal tissue...
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