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BOSTON-Accelerated partial breast irradiation using balloon brachytherapy drastically shortens treatment duration without aff ecting mortality and ipsilateral recurrence rates, according to three- and four-year follow-up data presented at ASTRO 2008.

Endocrine therapy plays a critical role in the management of early-stage hormone receptor–positive breast cancer, providing a nearly 50% reduction in the risk of distant and local recurrence.

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, Canada- Previous studies have shown that 20% to 40% of survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia will have some form of neuropsychological impairment. “However, we do not fully understand why some children are so strongly affected by therapy, and would like to develop a model to determine which children are most at risk for these negative late effects,” said Kala Y. Kamdar, MD, of the department of pediatric hematology/oncology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston.

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, Canada- Retinoblastoma is a rare form of pediatric cancer, affecting approximately 300 new patients in the United States each year. The two variants of this cancer, hereditary and nonhereditary, have excellent survival rates, but there is a tremendous risk of secondary malignant cancers in those with the hereditary form, especially if they are treated with radiotherapy.

Here are some simple things that can be done to keep the billing related to skilled nursing facilities in order. Here’s a scenario that most likely plays out in oncology practices on a routine basis: A Medicare beneficiary arrives at a community offi ce for treatment. She has a blood draw followed by a 2-hour chemotherapy infusion. Th e oncology practice’s offi ce submits a reimbursement claim through Medicare Part B. Two weeks later a notice from Medicare arrives-claim denied!

About 80% of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, and 89% of those who undergo radiation therapy, experience fatigue during their treatment. But about 30% of cancer patients continue to feel fatigued for years aft er treatment. A phase III study demonstrated that the eugeroic agent modafinil (Provigil) reduces severe fatigue and sleepiness among cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

The psychological challenges of cancer can become more evident when treatment is complete. The focus on survival and acute symptom management fades and is supplanted by a re-focus on living with the after-effects of diagnosis and treatment. As well described by Drs. Recklitis, Varela and Bober, worry, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and sexual difficulties are some of the most common and yet sometimes intangible issues faced by survivors.

Enticing monetary donations out of homeowners in exchange for address labels remains a staple in philanthropic fundraising. But the Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) organization has taken a more modern approach to recruiting support through online social networking.

Helping cancer patients to recover and heal goes beyond managing physical consequences of treatment. Mental scars from the cancer experience can run deep. Patients often face profound psychological, spiritual, and emotional challenges as they navigate difficult treatments-and then, if all goes well, move into long-term follow-up.

Men over 70 years of age with early-stage prostate cancer have a 20% higher mortality if they are treated first with hormone therapy before being treated with radiation seed implants (brachytherapy), compared to men who are treated with brachytherapy alone, according to the largest cohort study of its kind presented September 23, 2008, at the 50th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology in Boston.

With the race for the presidency in full swing, the American Cancer Society (ACS) is taking a leading role in increasing the nation’s focus on the country’s ailing health care system.

SAN FRANCISCO-New patient visits to oncologists increased by 22% over the past 3 years; however, oncologists’ average profit per patient fell by 91%. These were among the key findings of Onmark’s 2008 “Office-Based Oncology Benchmarking Survey,” which measures m operational and financial benchmarks among community-based oncology practices.

DES PLAINES, Illinois-Fully 87% of U.S. radiation oncology sites have adopted intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), according to the “2007 Radiation Oncology Market Summary Report.”

SCIENTIFIC NAMES: Silybum marianum, Carduus marianum

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will devote $70 million to accelerate the development of small molecule probes at 9 US centers, including the Burnham Center for Chemical Genomics in La Jolla, California (John Reed, MD, PhD, principal investigator); Johns Hopkins Ion Channel Center in Baltimore (Min Li, PhD); and the University of Kansas Specialized Chemistry Center in Lawrence (Jeffrey Aube, PhD).

BOSTON-A multicenter trial that tested intensity-modulated radiation therapy for patients with early-stage oropharyngeal cancer showed a reduction in long-term salivary toxicity while achieving good tumor control, according to research presented at ASTRO 2008.

Hard-working community doctors may lose valuable cash flow if they undercode for services. But that is just what many oncologists do, generally out of fear of penalties for overcoding.

ROCHESTER, Minnesota-On September 7 in Madison, cheered on by family and friends, I completed the Ford Ironman Wisconsin Triathlon (2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of cycling, and a marathon of 26.2 miles) in 14 hours and 34 minutes.

Electronic health records can help oncology practices save money and work smarter. Then why has the adoption of e-technology been so frustratingly slow? A recent survey in the New England Journal of Medicine found that only 4% of physicians reported having a fully functional electronic health record (EHR) system; only 13% reported having a basic system (NEJM 359: 50-60, 2008).

The person diagnosed with cancer typically is confronted with a variety of difficult challenges. Treatment for cancer can be physically arduous, it generally disrupts patients’ social and work life, and it may even limit their ability to care for themselves or live independently for some period of time. In addition to these physical and functional burdens, cancer patients often face fears of death or disability, and may be prone to feelings of isolation or depression.

Diagnosis and treatment of cancer are potential traumatic stressors.[1,2] Others may include but are not limited to interpersonal violence, military combat, natural and man-made disasters, and displacement.[2] In response to the intense fear, helplessness, terror, and uncertainty that traumatic stressors can provoke, post-trauma symptoms (PTS) classically develop in three clusters: re-experiencing, avoidance/numbing, and hyperarousal.[2]

ProStrakan Group announced the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of granisetron transdermal system (Sancuso), the first and only patch to provide up to 5 consecutive days of control of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV).

When you remodel an old bank building, you may wind up with your office in a vault, as did two staff members at the Bendheim Integrative Medicine Center, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center’s outpatient facility for complementary services and therapies.

STANFORD, California-In a bid to become free of commercial influence, Stanford University School of Medicine has cut off funding from pharmaceutical and medical device companies for some continuing medical education (CME) programs. As of last month, educational offerings will be held at Stanford facilities rather than resorts and hotels, whenever possible.

SAN FRANCISCO-In a recent debate, both speakers agreed that IMRT with concurrent chemotherapy is toxic in patients with head and neck cancer, but disagreed on whether the risk/benefit ratio justifies its use. The event was held at the 2008 International Conference on Head and Neck Cancer, sponsored by the American Head & Neck Society.

Fully 88% of older adults with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma have at least a very good partial response when treated with low-dose autologous stem cell transplantation that is preceded by bortezomib-containing induction therapy and followed by lenalidomide-containing consolidation and maintenance therapy, according to trial results from the University of Turin in Italy.

The combination of intravenous calcium and magnesium salts (CaMg) is associated with a nearly one-half reduction in the rate of chronic oxaliplatin (Eloxatin)-induced sensory neurotoxicity among patients receiving adjuvant FOLFOX therapy for colon cancer, compared with placebo.

BOSTON-It’s no secret that quality assurance is essential for ensuring the accuracy of clinical trials. But the potential for real-time intervention also gives modern-era QA an unprecedented ability to improve outcomes, according to research presented at the ASTRO 2008 meeting (abstract 2576).