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Red clover is a perennial herb traditionally used to treat skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis, whooping cough, and respiratory problems. The isoflavones present in red clover have estrogen-like effects and have been the subject of intense research over the last decade. Data on red clover’s potential for reducing the symptoms of menopause and for decreasing the risk of breast cancer are inconclusive. Overuse of isoflavone supplements can increase the risk of hormone-sensitive cancer.

It appeared that the controversy surrounding the pros­tate cancer immunotherapy Provenge ended with FDA approval in April. But now Medicare is questioning whether the government should pay for the new therapy. The CMS decision is just as important to the biopharmaceutical indus­try as it is to Dendreon.

On average, 11% of cancer patients drop out of hospice care, according to research conducted at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Many of these patients are in for rough sledding.

Mr. Paivanas is the President and Founding Director of Thomas A. Paivanas & Associates (TAP&A) and has over 25 years of experience in the health care field.  The firm specializes in assisting clients in realizing particularly difficult oncology and health care opportunities and challenges.  Areas of interest and expertise include oncology program integration across multi-institutional venues, strategic business planning for stem cell transplantation, academic and community hospital partnering, primary market research for pharmaceutical industry, strategic planning for private and faculty physician's practices, practice mediation, strategic business planning for biotech companies, and comprehensive community cancer program development.

As reported in a recent study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, cancer patients who die at home do so more peacefully, and their caregivers end up doing better emotionally, too.

Studies have shown that underutilization of hospice care increases end-of-life costs; more aggressive use of hospice could lead to significant savings and better care. Medicare seems to understand that promoting hospice care is not a "Death Panel."

In today’s heated healthcare debate, nuance matters, so does public perception. The term comparative effectiveness research, once the darling of policy wonks, had perception problems right out of the gate. So, the research stays, but the term goes.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA, ObamaCare) purports to control healthcare spending. Is starting a pilot program the answer?

Patients are beating cancer only to fall prey to sexual dysfunction, body pain, and chronic disease. The physical symptoms of their success increase the emotional burden, leading to anxiety, depression, and even suicide, as they are reminded daily of the chance that the cancer they had might return or a new one might occur.

Report finds that the new healthcare law will decrease access to quality care for the elderly.

If Republicans take control of one or both houses of Congress this fall, many will have been elected with a promise to “repeal and replace” ObamaCare. But what are their options, really?

The Department of Health and Human Services recently released rules for creating electronic health records. These rules came days after HHS issued regulations to safeguard the privacy of medical records.

Practical Radiation Oncology, a quarterly journal from ASTRO, is now accepting manuscripts.

ASTRO bestows multiple awards in time for its 2010 meeting. Learn more about the latest appointments and accolades in the cancer community.

Drugs that target the insulin-like growth factor receptor may be backfiring because another receptor steps up to take over

by Robert Lederer, MD | April 15, 2011Might be good to include some comments on the use of Abiraterone which is in phase III clinical trials. Many lay people are hearing about it on the internet and most have been very positive reports. REPLY HERE

As the Health Information Technology Policy Committee (HITPC) prepares the stage two definition of “meaningful use” of EHRs, there is ongoing debate over the perceived long-term benefits versus the immediate expenses-both in terms of money and time. This week we discuss the current status of EHR implementation and incentives.

Stephen Lutz, MD, talks about the evolution of the ASTRO guideline and how it answers vital questions for radiation oncologists.

More than 700,000 biopsies are performed in the U.S. every year, but the technology has not always kept pace with cancer diagnosis and therapy. A new technique allows rapid and easy access to the marrow space.

There are two fundamentally different ways of thinking about complex social systems: the economic approach and the engineering approach.

Published trial results fail to offer information that oncologists need for clinical translation.