FDA has approved Sanofi-Aventis' Taxotere (docetaxel) for use in combination with cisplatin and fluorouracil (TPF) for the induction treatment of patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN)
Cetuximab (Erbitux) added to standard first-line chemotherapy with cisplatin or carboplatin plus fluorouracil (5-FU) yielded a statistically and clinically significant 35% survival advantage over these regimens without cetuximab in patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN)
Axitinib (AG-013736), an oral small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), yielded a 30% response rate in a phase II study of patients with metastatic or unresectable thyroid cancer unresponsive to or not suitable for standard treatment with radioactive iodine.
A simple oral rinse could detect head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) by showing elevations in CD44, a protein that is a potential biomarker for HNSCC, and also CD44 hypermethylation
In contrast to other radiosensitizers, cetuximab (Erbitux) improves radiotherapy efficacy in patients with locoregionally advanced head and neck cancer without increasing mucositis or dysphagia, and this may translate into fewer treatment breaks and longer survival
Combining chemiluminescent examination with toluidine blue staining greatly improves the accuracy of visual screening for oral cancer and could reduce the number of noninformative biopsies
ImClone Systems Incorporated and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company announced that a first-line phase III study of cetuximab (Erbitux) combined with platinum-based chemotherapy met the primary endpoint of increasing overall survival in patients with recurrent and/or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
Cetuximab (Erbitux) plus concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) appears to be feasible and effective in many patients with locally advanced squamous-cell head and neck cancer, and may improve local-regional control
A head and neck cancer slide show including a laryngectomy specimen, and poorly and moderately differentiated verrucous and keratinizing squamous cell... More »
PET with F-18- fluorothymidine on patients with head and neck cancer prior to and during radiation therapy allows physicians assess early outcomes. More »
Combining targeted radiation and chemo is shown to allow substantial numbers of patients to survive without serious adverse effects that interfere... More »
Five Steps to Improving Patient Access Judy Capko, May 21, 2013 Patient access is getting increased attention through reform initiatives. Here are five steps you can take to make sure patients get appropriate access to care in your office.
Growing HIPAA Threat – Ignore Windows XP at Your Own Peril Marion K. Jenkins, May 21, 2013 Chances are good that you have some major ticking software time bombs lurking in your medical practice's computer environment, namely Windows XP and Server 2003.
Three Areas to Reduce Costs at Your Medical Practice Greg Mertz, May 19, 2013 By taking a hard look at reducing costs for staffing, overhead, and technology at your medical practice, you may see increased physician compensation.
Dos and Don’ts for Starting a Physician Blog Michael Woo-Ming, MD, May 18, 2013 Starting a physician blog can provide your medical practice with marketing benefits, but it's important to do it right.
