In a nutshell This study wanted to find out how well a treatment for lung cancer called stereotactic body radiation therapy works in patients with lung cancer that cannot be surgically removed. The study found that this treatment is effective in patients with lung cancer, and a higher dose of radiation is not any better than a lower dose. Some...
Read MorePerformance status-2 – Symptomatic, 50 in bed Posts on Medivizor
The socioeconomic impact of cachexia in elderly patients with advanced lung cancer
In a nutshell This study looked at the impact of cachexia (weakness or wasting of the body) in elderly patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer on disability, hospitalization and medical costs. The authors concluded that patients with cachexia had a higher risk of disability, longer hospital stays and higher medical costs, while being treated...
Read MoreAltering drug dosage during chemotherapy can decrease toxic side effects for patients with NSCLC
In a nutshell This trial examined whether altering the recommended dose of chemotherapy drugs during treatment was beneficial to patients. This trial concluded that altering doses of paclitaxel (Taxol) during chemotherapy could be beneficial to reduce neuropathy in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. Some...
Read MorePhysical exercise after surgery is associated with improved recovery from colorectal cancer
In a nutshell This study investigated the effects of exercise on recovery from colorectal cancer surgery. Researchers reported that exercise was associated with an improved recovery. Some background Recovery after surgery is only complete when the patient is able to return to normal day-to-day life. Not all colorectal cancer patients recover their...
Read MoreComparing axillary lymph node ultrasound and fine needle aspiration in breast cancer
In a nutshell This study investigated whether patients with a suspicious axillary lymph node (ALN) but negative fine-needle aspiration result (FNA) can be considered as having node-negative disease (AUN). The study concluded that patients with suspicious ALN on ultrasound but negative FNA results can be treated as having node-negative disease. Some...
Read MoreUsing aggressive treatment after first line treatment for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer
In a nutshell The authors examined the use of local consolidative therapy to treat patients with advanced NSCLC with few metastases after first line treatment. They concluded that this is more effective than maintenance therapy alone for this specific group of patients. Some background Previous studies that examined treatment failure after first...
Read MoreThe use of MR imaging to predict invasive breast cancer prognosis
In a nutshell This study investigated the use of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging as a prognostic tool in primary breast cancer (BC) patients. The study concluded that MR imaging can identify features which can be used to help predict the risk of distant metastasis (cancer spread to other areas) in patients. Some background Between 20-30%...
Read MoreDealing with cancer pain: Low-dose morphine examined
In a nutshell This study compared weak opioids and low-dose morphine in providing pain relief for moderate cancer pain. Researchers concluded that low-dose morphine is more suitable as pain management for moderate cancer pain than weaker pain relievers. Some background The guidelines for cancer pain relief developed by the World Health...
Read MoreDealing with cancer pain: Low-dose morphine examined
In a nutshell This study compared weak opioids and low-dose morphine in providing pain relief for moderate cancer pain. Researchers concluded that low-dose morphine is more suitable as pain management for moderate cancer pain than weaker pain relievers. Some background The guidelines for cancer pain relief developed by the World Health...
Read MoreDealing with cancer pain: Low-dose morphine examined
In a nutshell This study compared weak opioids and low-dose morphine in providing pain relief for moderate cancer pain. Researchers concluded that low-dose morphine is more suitable as pain management for moderate cancer pain than weaker pain relievers. Some background The guidelines for cancer pain relief developed by the World Health...
Read MorePaclitaxel-based chemo-radiotherapy in NSCLC patients with tumor following surgery
In a nutshell The authors assessed the effectiveness of paclitaxel (Taxol)-based chemo-radiotherapy (combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy) in non-small cell lung cancer patients (NSCLC) with presence of tumor after surgery. Some background The primary treatment for NSCLC is the surgical removal of the affected lobe of...
Read MoreBenefits of preventive radiation therapy to the head in stage III-N2 non-small cell lung cancer
In a nutshell The authors evaluated the benefits of preventive radiation therapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have high risk of developing brain metastases (spreading of cancer from the lungs to the brain). Some background NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for 85% of all lung cancers. In...
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