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News, opinions and meeting coverage in oncology/hematology.

Teach Patients How to Communicate Symptoms Better

Patients should learn the eight characteristics of a symptom

Doctors Urged to Practice 'Conservative Diagnosis'

And sharing cell phone numbers is a good idea

Susan G. Komen Founder Steps Out of Spotlight

Nancy Brinker says she won't forget her "promise" to the breast cancer community

Viagra and Melanoma: Is There a Link?

Perry Wilson, MD, gives his take on Viagra, Cialis, and skin cancer

One Proteasome Inhibitor Tops Another in Relapsed Myeloma

Progression-free survival doubled with carfilzomib versus bortezomib

ASCO: Gazyva Doubles Average Remission Time in NHL

Obinutuzumab delays progression in rituximab-refractory indolent disease.

Antitibiotic-Chemo Combo Cuts Infection Risk in AML

Incidence of Streptococcus viridans more than halved with prophylaxis.

Injecting Opioid Tied to Blood Clotting Disorder

Are most clinicians aware of this side effect of oxymorphone drug abuse?

HDAC Inhibitor OK'd for Multiple Myeloma

Panobinostat targets histone deacetylases; first of its kind to win approval in myeloma.

Case Study: Fecal Transplant Clears K. Pneumoniae

Treatment of teenage girl suggests another use for fecal microbiota transplant.

ASCO: Myeloma Study Results Inconclusive

CHICAGO -- A trial comparing two immunomodulatory regimens for myeloma failed to demonstrate noninferiority for the newer drug.

ASCO: Combo Extends PFS in Relapsed Myeloma

CHICAGO -- Progression-free survival in relapsed/refractory myeloma increased significantly in patients treated with a three-drug regimen that included panobinostat versus a two-drug regimen, a randomized trial showed.

OncoBriefs: Myeloma Tx, In Situ Melanoma

Superficial melanoma conferred a risk of recurrent invasive melanoma similar to that of primary invasive melanoma, Australian investigators reported. The study is one of several oncology-related news items summarized in OncoBriefs.

OncoBlog: Driving the CAR to a Cancer Cure?

Is immunotherapy with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-directed T cells the "next big thing" in oncology? Presentations and discussion at a recent conference suggest the technology has considerable promise -- but will it qualify as a breakthrough? OncoBlog is a blog by the Medpage Today staff for readers with an interest in oncology. This post comes from Charles Bankhead.

Gene Therapy Works in SCID With No Risk of Leukemia

NEW ORLEANS -- Genetic therapy appeared to restore the immune system of patients with X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), but without leading to leukemia as a side effect, researchers reported here.

Stem Cells Help ALD Kids Live Longer

AUSTIN, Texas -- Survival in children with cerebral adrenocerebral adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) appeared to be improved with allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplants compared with untreated patients, a researcher said here.

Lab Notes: Meth May Worsen Fungal Infection

Mice injected with methamphetamine and exposed to Cryptococcus fungi showed more extensive and hard-to-eradicate infections. Also this week: an organic pesticide fights parasitic worms.

Sjogren's Carries Heavy Disease Burden

BIRMINGHAM, England -- Patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome are prone to develop serious complications over the long term, despite the presumption that this is a relatively benign autoimmune disease, a 25-year review found.

Fatal Reactions Prompt Omontys Recall

All lots of the new anemia drug peginesatide (Omontys) have been recalled because of severe hypersensitivity reactions -- some fatal -- observed after the drug was approved last March.

Infection High in Myeloma, with High Mortality

ATLANTA -- More than a fifth of patients with multiple myeloma died of infection within a year of diagnosis, Swedish investigators reported here.

Oral Azacitidine Safe, Effective in Low-Risk MDS

ATLANTA -- Oral azacitidine (Vidaza) given for up to 21 days per 4-week cycle for myelodysplastic syndrome appeared safe and effective in patients with lower-risk disease, a researcher said here.

Children OK with Long-Term Exjade

ATLANTA -- Children with thalassemia and treated with the anti-iron overload drug deferasirox (Exjade) appear to tolerate the treatment for at least as long as 3 years while serum iron levels fell, researchers said here.

Extended Apixaban Stops VTE Recurrence

ATLANTA -- Apixaban taken for an additional year after standard venous thromboembolism (VTE) treatment reduced recurrent events in a placebo-controlled trial, researchers said.

Polycythemia Vera Better with Low Hematocrit

ATLANTA -- Maintaining patients with polycythemia vera at hematocrit levels below 45% reduced thrombotic complications without increasing rates of other serious adverse events.

Melanoma Tx Ups Survival, but Very Pricey

LAS VEGAS -- The oral BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib (Zelboraf) increased survival in patients with metastatic melanoma, but the cost may not justify its use in a state Medicaid program, an analysis suggested.

Repeat CT Scans May Up Breast Ca Risk in Young Women

CHICAGO -- A female teenager who undergoes multiple chest or cardiac CT studies may see her 10-year risk for breast cancer double, researchers said here.

Drug Works in AI-Resistant Breast Cancer

SAN FRANCISCO -- A tamoxifen-like drug slowed progression of advanced breast cancer previously treated with a nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor, results of a small Japanese trial suggested.

Afinitor Helps Breast Tx in Older Patients

SAN FRANCISCO -- Older patients with advanced breast cancer had significant improvement in progression-free survival when everolimus was added to exemestane, a new analysis of a randomized trial showed.

Young Women Skip Mammo After USPSTF Recs

SAN FRANCISCO -- Rates of screening mammography among women younger than 50 declined within 2 months of a negative recommendation by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and have remained below baseline rates, according to a study reported here.

Device May Cut Re-Excision Rate in Breast Cancer

SAN FRANCISCO -- Re-excision after breast-conserving surgery occurred 50% less often with intraoperative margin assessment by a device that distinguishes cancer cells from normal tissue, results of a randomized study showed.

Anemia a Risk with Low-Dose IVIG, Too

Even small doses of intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) can cause acute, severe anemia, researchers warned.

Lying Prone for Radiation Best for Breast Tx

Lying face down for radiation therapy lessens the amount of collateral damage to breast cancer patients' heart and lungs, researchers found.

Adult Lungs Can Sprout New Growth

The lungs may have greater capacity for regeneration in adults than thought, according to a case report of new growth after lung cancer resection.

Smokers Have Higher Squamous Cell Skin Ca Risk

Smokers have a more than 50% increase in risk for squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, and the risk remained elevated, even among those who'd kicked the habit, researchers found.

FDA Rejects Merck Sarcoma Drug

WASHINGTON -- The FDA has rejected the approval application for the sarcoma drug ridaforolimus, according to drug developer Merck.

ASCO: Low-Dose Radiation OK in CNS Lymphoma

CHICAGO -- Whole-brain radiation at about half the standard dose is safe and effective after chemotherapy for patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma, researchers are reporting.

FDA: Revlimid Linked to Second Cancers

Treatment of multiple myeloma with lenalidomide (Revlimid) as maintenance therapy is associated with an increased risk of second primary cancers, the FDA warned.

Smoking Cuts Risk of Benign Brain Tumor

The risk of developing an acoustic neuroma was greatly reduced among male smokers, but not among those who take snuff, researchers reported.

Doctors Say 45 Common Tests 'Overused'

Nine specialty groups have listed tests and treatments that are frequently overused, such as antibiotics for sinus attacks and CT scans for low back pain, in the first phase of a long-term project.

Extreme Obesity Adds More Risk in Hysterectomy

AUSTIN, Texas -- Increasingly severe obesity drives up complication rates after hysterectomy, and outcomes continually worsen with rising body mass index, according to results from a study reported here.

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