Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Hematology & Oncology for August 2016. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Biomarker Score May Help Predict Response to Cancer Treatment
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 31, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Fourteen genes have been identified that may help determine whether a cancer treatment could help a patient, according to a study published online Aug. 31 in Nature Communications.
Retinoic Acid May Help Prevent, Treat Colorectal Cancer
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 31, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Retinoic acid might have a role in suppressing colorectal cancer (CRC), according to experimental research published online Aug. 30 in Immunity.
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ACA Is Helping More Americans Afford Prescriptions
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 31, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Though a growing number of Americans are able to afford prescription medications, millions still have difficulty, according to a study published online Aug. 23 in the American Journal of Public Health.
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Some Radiologists Can Detect Breast Cancer at First Glance
TUESDAY, Aug. 30, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Trained radiologists can identify abnormal mammograms in a half-second, according to a study published online Aug. 29 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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Caregiver Well-Being Linked to Quality of Cancer Patient Care
TUESDAY, Aug. 30, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Informal caregiver well-being is associated with patient-perceived quality of care (QOC), according to a study published online Aug. 29 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Many NCCN Guideline Authors Report Conflicts of Interest
MONDAY, Aug. 29, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Many National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guideline authors report financial conflicts of interest (FCOIs), according to a study published online Aug. 25 in JAMA Oncology.
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Acneiform Eruptions Observed After Vemurafenib Treatment
MONDAY, Aug. 29, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Acneiform eruptions due to the BRAF kinase inhibitor (BRAFi) vemurafenib in a patient with multiple metastatic melanoma lesions are described in a case report published online Aug. 11 in the Journal of Dermatology.
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IARC: Absence of Excess Body Fat Lowers Risk of Many Cancers
THURSDAY, Aug. 25, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Excess weight is linked to risk of developing at least eight types of cancer, according to a report published in the Aug. 25 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Cancer Replaces CVD As Leading Cause of Death in 22 States
THURSDAY, Aug. 25, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The gap between heart disease and the second-leading cause of death, cancer, has been narrowing since 1968, according to an August data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
Survival Up With Daratumumab in Relapsed Multiple Myeloma
TUESDAY, Aug. 24, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Daratumumab with bortezomib and dexamethasone is associated with longer progression-free survival in patients with relapsed or relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma, according to a study published in the Aug. 25 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Steep Rise in U.S. Drug Prices Tied to Patent Monopolies
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 24, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Prescription drug prices are skyrocketing in the United States due in large part to government regulations, according to a study published in the Aug. 23/30 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
CDC Urges Prevention, Early Recognition of Sepsis
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 24, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Many cases of life-threatening sepsis could be recognized and treated long before they cause severe illness or death, according to an Aug. 23 Vital Signs report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Favorable Outcomes for Vitiligo in Nivolumab-Treated Melanoma
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 24, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with advanced melanoma, vitiligo occurrence is associated with favorable clinical outcome during nivolumab treatment, according to a study published online Aug. 11 in the Journal of Dermatology.
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ACOG Addresses Thrombocytopenia in Pregnancy
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 24, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Thrombocytopenia is common in pregnancy and can have causes that are serious medical disorders, with potential for maternal and fetal morbidity, according to a Practice Bulletin published in the September issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Electric Power Morcellation Use Down Following FDA Warning
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 24, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The use of power morcellators has dropped significantly for hysterectomies since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned against their use two years ago, according to a research letter published in the Aug. 23/30 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Children Shouldn’t Consume More Than 6 Tsp of Added Sugars a Day
TUESDAY, Aug. 23, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Children and teens should consume no more than 6 teaspoons of added sugars a day, a new American Heart Association (AHA) statement advises. The statement, published online Aug. 22 in Circulation, is based on a review of available scientific research on how sugar affects children’s health.
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Elective Neck Dissection Cost-Effective in Oral Cavity Cancer
TUESDAY, Aug. 23, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with clinically node-negative oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma, the addition of elective neck dissection to primary surgery is associated with a reduction in overall costs, according to a study published online Aug. 22 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Benefits, Harms of Breast Cancer Screening Vary With Risk, Density
TUESDAY, Aug. 23, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For women aged 50 years and older, benefits and harms of breast cancer screening vary with risk and breast density for all screening intervals, according to a study published online Aug. 23 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Opt-Out Provisions Up Parent Support for HPV Requirement
MONDAY, Aug. 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Opt-out provisions increase parental support for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine school-entry requirements, according to a study published online Aug. 19 in Cancer, Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
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ACA Has Increased Rx Drug Use, Cut Out-of-Pocket Spending
MONDAY, Aug. 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has increased prescription use and reduced out-of-pocket spending, according to a report published online Aug. 17 in Health Affairs.
Decision Regret Uncommon After Radical Prostatectomy, IMRT
MONDAY, Aug. 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with prostate cancer treated with radical prostatectomy (RP) and post-prostatectomy image-guided intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IG-IMRT), decision regret (DR) is uncommon and occurs more often after RP, according to research published online Aug. 16 in the Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology.
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USPSTF Ruling Followed by Fall in Early Prostate Cancer Diagnoses
FRIDAY, Aug. 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Diagnoses of early prostate cancer continue to decline in the United States, following the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation against routine screening, according to a research letter published online Aug. 18 in JAMA Oncology.
F12, STC2 Genes May Help Predict Breast Cancer Survival
THURSDAY, Aug. 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The activity of two genes may help predict certain breast cancer patients’ odds of survival and guide their treatment, according to research published online Aug. 17 in Oncotarget.
Anemia Tied to Increased Mortality Risk Following Stroke
THURSDAY, Aug. 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Anemia may increase mortality risk for older stroke patients, according to research published online Aug. 17 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Diabetes Linked to Increased CVD, Cancer, Other Mortality
THURSDAY, Aug. 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Diabetes is associated with increased mortality from cardiovascular disease, cancer, and noncardiovascular noncancer causes, according to a study published online Aug. 4 in Diabetes Care.
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Legal Issues Impact Delivery of Telehealth
THURSDAY, Aug. 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Telehealth technologies can allow delivery of high-quality care at a lower cost, especially in underserved areas, but there is currently no uniform legal approach to telehealth, hampering its provision, according to a Health Policy Brief published online Aug. 15 in Health Affairs.
Sociodemographic Factors Affect Prostate CA Treatment Initiation
THURSDAY, Aug. 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For men with low-risk prostate cancer undergoing active surveillance, sociodemographic factors are associated with initiation of active treatment, according to a study published in the September issue of The Journal of Urology.
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Residents Often Order Perceived Unnecessary Lab Tests
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 17, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Residents frequently order perceived unnecessary inpatient laboratory tests, according to a study published online Aug. 13 in the Journal of Hospital Medicine.
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Duration of Adult Obesity Affects Cancer Risk in Women
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 17, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The longer a woman is overweight, the higher her risk of several cancers, according to a study published online Aug. 16 in PLOS Medicine.
U.S. Female Doctors Reimbursed Significantly Less Than Males
TUESDAY, Aug. 16, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Female doctors in the United States make much less than their male colleagues, according to a study published online Aug. 15 in the Postgraduate Medical Journal.
More Evidence Paying Smokers to Quit May Work
TUESDAY, Aug. 16, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Financial incentives may boost smoking cessation rates, according to a study published in the Aug. 23 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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New Guidelines Set Safe Surgery Margins for DCIS
TUESDAY, Aug. 16, 2016 (HealthDay News) — New surgery guidelines for treatment of women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) who undergo breast-conserving surgery with whole breast radiation could reduce both unnecessary surgeries and recurrence rates, three U.S. cancer groups say. The consensus guideline was published in the three groups’ journals, the Annals of Surgical Oncology, Practical Radiation Oncology, and the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Cancer Now Leading Cause of Death in Some European Nations
MONDAY, Aug. 15, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Cancer has overtaken cardiovascular disease (CVD) as the leading cause of death in 12 European countries, according to a study published online Aug. 14 in the European Heart Journal.
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Vaginal Brachytherapy Cuts Mortality in Early Uterine Cancer
MONDAY, Aug. 15, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For women with surgically staged IA or IB endometrial adenocarcinoma, use of vaginal brachytherapy (VB) is associated with a reduction in mortality, according to a study published online Aug. 10 in Cancer.
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Female Oncologists Report More Grief Responses, Burnout
MONDAY, Aug. 15, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Female oncologists report more grief responses to patient death, more emotional distress, and more burnout than male oncologists, according to a study published online Aug. 10 in Cancer.
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Venetoclax Monotherapy Active in AML With Adverse Features
FRIDAY, Aug. 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — In patients with high-risk relapsed/refractory acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) or untreated AML unfit for intensive chemotherapy, the highly selective, oral small-molecule B-cell leukemia/lymphoma-2 (BCL2) inhibitor venetoclax is active, according to a study published online Aug. 12 in Cancer Discovery.
ESR1 Mutations Tied to Worse Survival in Metastatic Breast CA
THURSDAY, Aug. 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC), estrogen receptor α (ESR1) mutations are prevalent and associated with shorter overall survival, according to a study published online Aug. 11 in JAMA Oncology.
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Tx Response No Different for Migalastat, Placebo in Fabry’s
THURSDAY, Aug. 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with Fabry’s disease, the percentage of patients with response at six months does not differ for those treated with the oral pharmacologic chaperone migalastat or with placebo, according to a study published in the Aug. 11 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Risk of Post-Op Opioid Abuse Deemed Low for Elderly Patients
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 10, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Opioid abuse arises in only a very small fraction — less than half of 1 percent — of cases involving surgical patients aged 65 or older, according to a research letter published online Aug. 10 in JAMA Surgery.
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Many U.S. Hospitals Offer Language Services
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 10, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Overall, 68.8 percent of hospitals offer language services, with the proportion increasing with level of need, according to research published in the August issue of Health Affairs.
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Many Americans Exposed to Toxic Chemicals in Drinking Water
TUESDAY, Aug. 9, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The levels of polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in drinking water exceed government-recommended safety levels for at least six million people in the United States, according to a report published online Aug. 9 in Environmental Science & Technology Letters.
Western Diet May Contribute to Dense Breasts
TUESDAY, Aug. 9, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Overweight and obese women who eat a Western diet may develop more dense breast tissue, possibly increasing their risk for breast cancer, according to research published in the September issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
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Recs Developed for Neoadjuvant Chemo in Ovarian Cancer
TUESDAY, Aug. 9, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Guidelines have been developed for neoadjuvant chemotherapy use for newly diagnosed, advanced ovarian cancer. The clinical practice guideline was published online Aug. 8 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Guidance Needed for Frail Elderly With Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer
MONDAY, Aug. 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — More attention should be given to frailty-related items in clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC), according to a study published online Aug. 3 in the British Journal of Dermatology.
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Active Surveillance Prior to Systemic Tx Feasible in Renal CA
FRIDAY, Aug. 5, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For certain patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma, active surveillance is feasible before starting systemic therapy, according to a study published online Aug. 3 in The Lancet Oncology.
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Metabolic Factors May Contribute to Tx Resistance in Renal Cancer
THURSDAY, Aug. 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Tumor cell-intrinsic metabolic factors may contribute to anti-programmed death 1 (PD-1)/PD-L1 treatment resistance in renal cell carcinoma (RCC), according to a study published online Aug. 4 in Cancer Immunology Research.
Sickle Cell Trait Doesn’t Up Mortality Risk in U.S. Soldiers
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 3, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Sickle cell trait is not associated with a higher risk of death than absence of the trait, but it is associated with a significantly increased risk of exertional rhabdomyolysis, according to a study published in the Aug. 4 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Opioid-Related Insurance Claims Rise 3,000 Percent
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 3, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The number of private health insurance claims for Americans addicted to opioids and heroin rose 3,203 percent from 2007 to 2014, according to a Fair Health report.
Targeted Therapies Beneficial in KRAS-Mutated NSCLC
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 3, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Targeted therapies that do not contain erlotinib can be beneficial for patients with KRAS-mutated (KRAS mut+) advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to a study published online Aug. 1 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Predictors ID’d for Switching to Active Tx in Prostate Cancer
TUESDAY, Aug. 2, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For men with low-risk prostate cancer, factors such as ethnicity influence patient decision to pursue active treatment during active surveillance, according to a study published online in The Journal of Urology.
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ASBS: Contralateral Prophylactic Mastectomy Discouraged
MONDAY, Aug. 1, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Contralateral prophylactic mastectomy should generally be discouraged in average-risk women, whose chances of developing breast cancer in the healthy breast are only 0.1 to 0.6 percent a year, according to a new American Society of Breast Surgeons position statement published online July 28 in the Annals of Surgical Oncology.
Increasing Prevalence of Obesity in Cancer Survivors
MONDAY, Aug. 1, 2016 (HealthDay News) — From 1997 to 2014 the estimated rate of annual increase in obesity prevalence was higher for adults with a history of cancer, according to a study published online July 25 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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European Countries Implementing Cost-Sharing
MONDAY, Aug. 1, 2016 (HealthDay News) — European health systems are requiring an increase in cost-sharing measures for patients 50 years of age and older, according to research published in the July issue of Health Affairs.
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