In a nutshell The authors looked at the long-term outcomes for patients with advanced follicular lymphoma when treated with fludaranine, cyclophosphamide, and mitoxantrone (FCM). The authors concluded that FCM leads to long-lasting response with low rates of negative effects. Some background Follicular lymphoma (FL) is effectively treated with...
Read MoreCurrent treatment status-Undergoing active treatment Posts on Medivizor
Imatinib is safe and effective for long-term CML treatment
In a nutshell This study examined the results of a 10 year imatinib (Gleevec) clinical trial. The study concluded that imatinib is a safe and effective treatment for CML. Some background Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a disease in which the bone marrow makes too many mature and immature white blood cells. CML is a slowly progressing blood and...
Read MoreUpdate on guidelines for the use of adjuvant chemotherapy and targeted therapy in breast cancer patients.
In a nutshell This report summarized updates made to the guidelines for treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer with adjuvant chemotherapy and targeted therapy. Some background Adjuvant chemotherapy (treatment after surgery) is often used to prevent cancer recurrence. Chemotherapy involves agents that work to kill cancer cells in the body....
Read MoreThe use of bone scans in patients with hormone-naive prostate cancer with evidence of bone tumors
In a nutshell The authors aimed to determine the use of pre-treatment bone scan index (BSI) as a prognostic (predictive) factor in hormone-naïve men with prostate cancer who have bone tumors. The authors concluded that pre-treatment BSI and patients age were independent prognostic factors for men with hormone-naïve prostate cancer with bone...
Read MoreComparing treatment options for CML and ALL patients with the T315I mutation
In a nutshell This paper compared ponatinib (Iclusib) and stem cell transplantation in leukemia patients with an abnormality on the T315I gene. Patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) positive for the Philadelphia chromosome and patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) were studied. Authors reported improved survival with...
Read MoreAdding pioglitazone to imatinib in chronic myeloid leukemia
In a nutshell This paper studied the use of pioglitazone (Actos) with imatinib (Gleevec) in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). The authors concluded that the addition of pioglitazone improved response. Some background Chronic myeloid leukemia is a cancer of the bone marrow, where there is an excess of...
Read MoreWhat are the side effects of non-hormonal drugs for hot flashes?
In a nutshell This study aimed to investigate the frequency and severity of the adverse events associated with non-hormonal drugs (NHD) used to treat hot flashes in breast cancer survivor patients. This study concluded that the use of high-dose NHD led to increased rates of adverse events when compared to patients not using NHD. Some...
Read MoreCan neoadjuvant therapy influence other treatments for breast cancer?
In a nutshell This study aimed to investigate whether neoadjuvant systemic therapy (NST) influenced the eligibility of HER2 positive breast cancer patients to undergo breast conserving therapy (BCT). This study concluded the use of NST can result in patients who are non-eligible for BCT converting to patients that are eligible for BCT. Some...
Read MoreLong-term remission rates after treatment with second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors
In a nutshell This study examined long-term remission rates after treatment with second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Researchers reported that second-generation TKIs can achieve lasting remission rates up to 48 months after the end of treatment. Some background Targeted therapy is the standard...
Read MoreProteins in the prostate gland can help predict disease recurrence after surgery
In a nutshell This study examined if the collections of proteins in the prostate can predict prostate surgery outcomes. Authors found that protein analysis was a significant predictor of disease recurrence and metastasis (cancer spread) after surgery. Some background Prostate surgery is a first-line treatment option for prostate cancer. It has...
Read MoreAdding rituximab to escalated BEACOPP therapy in Hodgkin Lymphoma patients with a positive PET scan
In a nutshell This study assessed the effectiveness of using escalated BEACOPP plus rituximab chemotherapy in patients with advanced stage Hodgkin Lymphoma. The study concluded that adding rituximab to the standard escalated BEACOPP regimen did not significantly improve time to disease progression. Some background Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) is...
Read MoreHormone therapy and the risk of heart problems in men with prostate cancer
In a nutshell The authors aimed to review the different types of hormone therapy and their effect on cardiovascular morbidity and death rates in men with prostate cancer. The authors concluded that it was difficult to determine which type of hormone therapy affected the risk for cardiovascular morbidity and that further detailed research was...
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