In a nutshell This study compared the safety and effectiveness of afatinib (Gilotrif) and erlotinib (Tarceva) as second-line treatments for advanced squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Authors reported improved survival and disease progression with afatinib compared to erlotinib. Both treatments were associated with a good safety profile. Some background...
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In a nutshell This study investigated the role of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in patients with positive margins (when the cancer is not totally removed) after chemotherapy, radiation therapy and rectal surgery. Researchers suggested that SBRT is an effective and safe treatment option. Some background Chemotherapy and radiation therapy...
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In a nutshell This study investigated the necessity of re-evaluation of locally advanced tumors (spread to the lymph nodes) after chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Researchers reported that re-evaluation is important to better plan treatment. Some background Chemotherapy and radiation therapy (CTRT) followed by surgery is the standard...
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In a nutshell This study investigated the impact of surgery in patients with stage 4 (spread to other areas of the body) colorectal cancer who were treated with chemotherapy. Researchers reported that surgery increased survival in these patients. Some background Prior studies have reported increased survival in patients with stage 4...
Read MoreIn a nutshell This study investigated the effectiveness and safety of neratinib treatment in patients with early-stage HER2+ breast cancer. The study concluded that neratinib significantly improved 2-year invasive disease-free survival in women with HER2+ breast cancer. Some background HER2 positive (HER2+) breast cancer is dependent on the...
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In a nutshell The authors aimed to determine if palbociclib (Ibrance) could help treat women with metastatic (spread to other areas of the body) breast cancer. The researchers concluded that palbociclib showed good response rates from women with metastatic breast cancer whose cells expressed a protein called retinoblastoma (Rb). Some background...
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In a nutshell This study aimed to determine the efficacy of a combination of the anticancer drugs afatinib (Gilotrif) and paclitaxel (Taxol) to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), compared to chemotherapy alone. The study found that a combination of these drugs significantly improved progression free survival (PFS, time from treatment until...
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In a nutshell The authors aimed to determine whether hormone drugs abiraterone (Zytiga) and enzalutamide (Xtandi) and chemotherapy drug cabazitaxel (Jevtana) improved overall survival (patients who were still alive after treatment) in prostate cancer patients with advanced, hormone-resistant (castration-resistant) prostate...
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Cognitive side effects to chemotherapy, often called “chemobrain” or “chemofog”, are a growing concern among cancer survivors. Symptoms such as a decline in memory, concentration and executive functions (such as organization or attention) are often described. Cognitive changes can cause significant distress and prevent a return to...
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In a nutshell This trial evaluated the safety and effectiveness of the drug lapatinib (Tykerb) when used in combination with other chemotherapeutic drugs to treat women with metastatic HER2 positive breast cancer. This study concluded that lapatinib combined with vinorelbine or gemcitabine were effective in these...
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Cognitive side effects to chemotherapy, often called “chemobrain” or “chemofog”, are a growing concern among cancer survivors. Symptoms such as a decline in memory, concentration and executive functions (such as organization or attention) are often described. Cognitive changes can cause significant distress and prevent a return to...
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In a nutshell This trial examined the effectiveness of combining brachytherapy (a type of radiation) and chemotherapy for the treatment of locally recurrent non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that has already been treated. The trial concluded that the combination of treatments was more effective than chemotherapy alone. Some background Locally...
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