In a nutshell The authors determined the association between perineural invasion (cancer on the nerves inside the prostate) and disease progression in men with prostate cancer on active surveillance (watchful waiting). Some background Active surveillance is common in early stage (stage I or II) prostate cancer. It involves actively...
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Zoledronic acid and hormone therapy in prostate cancer with bone tumors
In a nutshell The authors determined the factors that affected survival in prostate cancer patients with bone tumors when treated with zoledronic acid (Zometa, INN, Reclast). Some background Hormone therapy is commonly used to treat prostate cancer. It involves targeting the male sex hormones active in prostate cancer, such as...
Read MoreTreating recurrent prostate cancer with lymph node surgery
In a nutshell The authors aimed to determine the long-term outcomes of lymph node surgery in patients who experienced prostate cancer recurrence after prostate surgery. Some background Prostate surgery involves surgically removing the prostate gland in patients with prostate cancer. In some cases, following surgery, some patients may experience...
Read MoreGleason score – predicting the future in metastatic prostate cancer
In a nutshell The authors aimed to evaluate the use of Gleason scores in predicting the outlook of metastatic prostate cancer. Some background The Gleason grading system is from 2-10. It describes how different the cancer cells look from normal cells and predicts the likelihood of the tumor spreading. The lower the score, the less likely it...
Read MorePhase 3 clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of adding everolimus to exemestane therapy in patients with hormone receptor-positive advanced breast cancer
In a nutshell This phase 3 clinical trial tested whether everolimus (a non-hormonal treatment) added to hormone therapy with exemestane improved survival in patients with advanced breast cancer (BCa). Some background Some BCa are fueled by female sex hormones (estrogen or progesterone) that help them grow. These types of cancer are called...
Read MoreEvaluating the benefits of laparoscopy in determining the extent of peritoneal carcinomatosis for patients with colorectal cancer
In a nutshell This article evaluated whether the use of a minimally invasive diagnostic technique called laparoscopy before surgery to treat peritoneal carcinomatosis improves the selection of patients who can benefit the most from treatment. The authors of the study found that laparoscopy can be used to select patients for whom surgery may be a...
Read MoreAbiraterone shows increased survival in patients with metastatic prostate cancer
In a nutshell The present study evaluated the effect of Abiraterone acetate (AbAc) on survival and disease progression, when given to patients with metastatic prostate cancer (mPC) that is resistant to hormone therapy (castration-resistant). Some background Prostate cancer (PCa) growth is fueled by male hormones like...
Read MorePhase I trial to determine the safety of a new anti-cancer drug: PD 0332991
In a nutshell This article presents the results from the first human trial of PD 0332991, a new anti-cancer drug. The main objective of the study was to determine the safety and recommended dose for further testing. Results warrant further studies and revealed that neutropenia (low white cell count) was the main side effect. Some background Cells...
Read MoreEribulin (Halaven) versus other treatment options in women with stage IV breast cancer
In a nutshell This study compared the efficacy of Eribulin (Halaven) versus other treatments in women with previously treated stage IV breast cancer. Eribulin extended overall survival more than the other treatment options. Some background Late stage breast cancer offers limited treatment options. At this point in the disease,...
Read MoreRegorafenib is a new drug for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer after failure of previous therapies
In a nutshell The present study evaluated the efficacy of a new drug, Regorafenib, for the treatment of refractory (progressing despite several lines of treatment) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Some background Many of the patients with colorectal cancer do not present any symptoms in the early stages of the disease so the cancer...
Read MoreComparison of two surgical techniques for the treatment of pseudomyxoma peritonei
In a nutshell The present study compared the efficacy of two surgical techniques to treat pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP): debulking and cytoreduction. Cytoreductive surgery achieved better surgical results and yielded higher 3- and 5-year survival rates, compared with debulking. Some background PMP is a rare condition caused by the production of...
Read MoreCombined safety results of 4 clinical trials using sipuleucel-T in patients with prostate cancer
In a nutshell The present study summarized the outcomes of four clinical trials assessing the side-effects reported with sipuleucel-T treatment in patients with prostate cancer. The combined results indicated that this drug is relatively safe with mostly mild to moderate, short-term, and reversible side-effects. Some background As of...
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