Some Squamous Cell Skin Cancers Are Deadly (06-19-2013)

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma is usually easily treated with surgery; however, a subsection of patients with specific disease risk factors are more likely to develop metastases and die from the disease, according to the results of a study published... Continue Reading

ASTRO and AUA Issue Joint Guideline for Radiation After Prostate Surgery (06-19-2013)

The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) and the American Urological Association (AUA) have issued a joint guideline regarding the use of radiation therapy after prostatectomy. It marks the first time the two medical organizations—most responsible... Continue Reading

Oncotype DX® Predicts Recurrence in Patients with DCIS (06-18-2013)

The Oncotype DX® DCIS Score predicts the 10-year risk of local recurrence, defined as recurrence of DCIS or invasive breast cancer in the same breast, and can help guide radiation treatment decision-making for women with DCIS who are treated with breast-conserving... Continue Reading

FDA Approves Xofigo for Advanced Prostate Cancer (06-17-2013)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Xofigo® (radium Ra 223 dichloride) to treat men with metastatic, hormone-refractory prostate cancer that has spread to bones but not to other organs. It is intended for men whose cancer has spread... Continue Reading

Genomic Testing May Reduce Medical Costs for Colon Cancer (06-14-2013)

Use of the Oncotype DX® colon cancer test to guide treatment decisions may reduce medical costs and improve patient well-being. These results were presented at the 2013 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). The Oncotype... Continue Reading

Immunotherapy Combination Promising for Metastatic Melanoma (06-14-2013)

For people with metastatic melanoma, treatment with a combination of Yervoy® (ipilimumab) and Leukine® (sargramostim; GM-CSF) may result in better overall survival than treatment with Yervoy alone. These results, from a Phase II clinical trial, were... Continue Reading

Maintenance Therapy with Votrient Provides Benefit in Advanced Ovarian Cancer (06-13-2013)

In a Phase III clinical trial, treatment with Votrient® (pazopanib) after initial chemotherapy improved outcomes among women with advanced ovarian cancer. These results were presented at the 2013 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology... Continue Reading

Study Compares Genomic Testing of Normal and Cancerous Prostate Tissue (06-12-2013)

The Oncotype DX® prostate cancer test—which predicts the aggressiveness of early-stage prostate cancer and may help guide treatment decisions—is more predictive of outcome when used on tumor tissue than when used on adjacent, normal prostate tissue.... Continue Reading

Standard Dose of Radiation Therapy Outperforms Higher Dose for Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (06-12-2013)

In a phase III clinical trial, a standard dose of radiation therapy was more effective than a higher dose for the treatment of stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). These results will be presented at the 49th Annual Meeting of the American Society... Continue Reading

SERMs Reduce Risk of Breast Cancer (06-12-2013)

Women who take selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) have a 38 percent reduced risk of breast cancer for up to 10 years after diagnosis and treatment, according to the results of a meta-analysis published in The Lancet. A majority of breast cancers... Continue Reading

Avastin Improves Outcomes for Women with Advanced Cervical Cancer (06-11-2013)

In a Phase III clinical trial, adding Avastin® (bevacizumab) to chemotherapy prolonged overall survival among women with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer. These results were presented at the 2013 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical... Continue Reading

Gene Mutations Common In African American Women with Triple-Negative or Early Onset Breast Cancer (06-11-2013)

Among African-American women with breast cancer referred for genetic counseling, one in five had an inherited mutation in at least one of the 18 genes that are linked with breast cancer susceptibility. The frequency of gene mutations was even higher in... Continue Reading