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In patients undergoing treatment for follicular lymphoma, (FL) maintenance rituximab (Rituxan) after a cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisone (CVP) regimen appears to confer a survival benefit, Sandra Horning, MD, professor of medicine, Stanford University, said at the 47th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (abstract 349).

This case study illustrates some of the off-treatment issues your patients may face and provides some practical solutions to help patients overcome them whether you see them for regular follow-up or just receive an occasional phone call requesting assistance.

The Medicare program needs to be restructured if it is to remain solvent for the generation of baby boomers now reaching age 60. Since many cancer patients are Medicare beneficiaries, the health of the program is vital to the oncology community.

Part 1 of this two-part article describes in detail the distinct types of thyroid cancer, as well as risk factors, outcomes, and prognostic factors, with a focus on thyroid cancers of follicular cell origin.

Approximately 6% of colorectal cancers can be attributed to recognizable heritable germline mutations. Familial adenomatous polyposis is an autosomal dominant syndrome classically presenting with hundreds to thousands of adenomatous colorectal polyps that are caused by mutations in the APC gene.

Approximately 6% of colorectal cancers can be attributed to recognizable heritable germline mutations. Familial adenomatous polyposis is an autosomal dominant syndrome classically presenting with hundreds to thousands of adenomatous colorectal polyps that are caused by mutations in the APC gene.

Approximately 6% of colorectal cancers can be attributed to recognizable heritable germline mutations. Familial adenomatous polyposis is an autosomal dominant syndrome classically presenting with hundreds to thousands of adenomatous colorectal polyps that are caused by mutations in the APC gene.

The authors of abstract #2396 conducted a 6-week trial of thalidomide (Thalomid), 100 and 200 mg at bedtime, in 15 cachectic patients. The main findings of this uncontrolled study were cessation of weight loss, increased body fat percentage,

Thalidomide (Thalomid) has been commercially available in the United States since October 1998. The use of thalidomide in the treatment of malignancies is growing as its potential utility for treating multiple myeloma, renal-cell cancer, and AIDS-

Neovascularization has been shown to be a critical step in the progression of metastatic disease. Most tumors in humans do not grow beyond 2 to 3 mm³ without neovascularization. Angiogenesis increases tumor growth via perfusion and paracrine

Thalidomide (Thalomid) is a derivative of glutamic acid that was introduced as a nonbarbiturate hypnotic in 1956 by a West German company. It was used widely as an over-the-counter sedative and antiemetic drug in countries other than the United States. Because of its presumed safety and antinausea effect, it was given to pregnant women suffering from morning sickness and to influenza patients experiencing nausea. Subsequently, over 12,000 malformed babies were born as the result of fetal exposure to thalidomide early in pregnancy. When its teratogenic effects-notably flipperlike limbs-became known, thalidomide was withdrawn from the market in 1961. In the mid-1960s, after it was given as a sedative to a small number of leprosy patients in Israel afflicted with erythema nodosum leprosum, it was noted that the patients’ symptoms rapidly and markedly improved.

Ventura and Roberts (abstract #2268) made an interesting observation of a disease response in a patient with angiosarcoma. This patient initially received radiation to a large mass in the neck and had a minor response-less than 10% shrinkage of the

The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) will begin with a $100 million pilot project aimed at determining the feasibility of undertaking a full-scale, comprehensive effort to systematically identify and characterize the genetic mutations and other genomic changes associated with cancer.

Research on angiogenesis is revealing the role this phenomenon plays in the response of cancers to radiation and, in the process, providing some important lessons for clinicians, according to a keynote address given by Judah Folkman, MD, professor of cell biology, Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, at the 47th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.

An antibody to transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) attenuates the inflammatory and fibrotic response that occurs in normal lung tissue after radiation, investigators reported at the 47th annual meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (abstract 137).

Researchers have developed a new approach to drug discovery that takes advantage of the gene expression signatures of tumors to generate potential drug matches. A proof-of-principle of this technique revealed a potential new combination therapy for children with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL).

A combination regimen of rituximab (Rituxan) plus granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) appears to induce objective responses in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), particularly in elderly untreated patients, according to a study presented at the 47th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (abstract 721).

The FDA has approved Merck & Co.'s Emend (aprepitant) for use with other antiemetic medicines for the prevention of nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses of moderately emetogenic chemotherapy.

ode Gray policies exist at several bureaucratic levels, with Chancellors Memo 51 (CM-51) being the highest policy level. CM-51 states that all LSUHSC personnel, except "approved and emergency personnel," must evacuate LSUHSC when emergency status is declared. Having participated in prior hurricane coverages and debriefings by my department, I performed in a manner consistent with past experience and current policy.

The novel alkylating agent bendamustine appears to induce responses in patients with refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), Jonathan W. Friedberg, MD, of the James P. Wilmont Cancer Center, Rochester, New York, said at the 47th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (abstract 229). The study was sponsored by Cephalon, Inc., which is developing the new agent as Treanda.

In the wake of the Hurricane Katrina crisis, untold numbers of medical records may have been lost. Many evacuees forgot or misplaced their medications, and some do not remember the names of all their medications. With no access to previous medical records, the evacuees’ doctors have no way of confirming medications, immunizations, test results, and other past history. The storm has led to increased demands for electronic hospital records.

As an oncologist, I am always on the lookout for good patient education material. This book, which is based on the experience of the Stanford Integrative Medicine Clinic Cancer Supportive Care Program, is a good choice for a highly literate, print-oriented patient or family member. The book is divided into five parts: (1) Cancer: Diagnosis, Information, and Treatment, (2) The Role of the Mind, (3) The Care of the Body, (4) Supportive and Social Services for Life and Death Issues, (5) Planning for the Future, and (6) Resources. These five parts are divided into 50 individual chapters covering specific topics, and the chapters are focused, concise, and practical.

Last year, I had the opportunity to spend a week at a cancer institute in equatorial Africa. A colleague of mine, Waafa El-Sadr, MD, heads a Columbia University program establishing health-care units in African nations to treat HIV-infected people with antiretro-viral drugs. Waafa was initiating one such unit at the Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI) in Dar el Salaam, Tanzania. When doctors there expressed a need for a visiting oncologist to update them on issues relevant to HIV-infected patients with cancer, Wafaa thought of me. She felt that my experience treating AIDS patients in the days prior to the elaborate regimens we now have would be particularly instructive in the ORCI setting.

With the aging of the Western population, cancer in the older person is becoming increasingly common. After considering the relatively brief history of geriatric oncology, this article explores the causes and clinical implications of the association between cancer and aging. Age is a risk factor for cancer due to the duration of carcinogenesis, the vulnerability of aging tissues to environmental carcinogens, and other bodily changes that favor the development and the growth of cancer. Age may also influence cancer biology: Some tumors become more aggressive (ovarian cancer) and others, more indolent (breast cancer) with aging. Aging implies a reduced life expectancy and limited tolerance to stress. A comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) indicates which patients are more likely to benefit from cytotoxic treatment. Some physiologic changes (including reduced glomerular filtration rate, increased susceptibility to myelotoxicity, mucositis, and cardiac and neurotoxicity) are common in persons aged 65 years and older. The administration of chemotherapy to older cancer patients involves adjustment of the dose to renal function, prophylactic use of myelopoietic growth factors, maintenance of hemoglobin levels around 12 g/dL, and proper drug selection. Age is not a contraindication to cancer treatment: With appropriate caution, older individuals may benefit from cytotoxic chemotherapy to the same extent as the youngest patients.

With the aging of the Western population, cancer in the older person is becoming increasingly common. After considering the relatively brief history of geriatric oncology, this article explores the causes and clinical implications of the association between cancer and aging. Age is a risk factor for cancer due to the duration of carcinogenesis, the vulnerability of aging tissues to environmental carcinogens, and other bodily changes that favor the development and the growth of cancer. Age may also influence cancer biology: Some tumors become more aggressive (ovarian cancer) and others, more indolent (breast cancer) with aging. Aging implies a reduced life expectancy and limited tolerance to stress. A comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) indicates which patients are more likely to benefit from cytotoxic treatment. Some physiologic changes (including reduced glomerular filtration rate, increased susceptibility to myelotoxicity, mucositis, and cardiac and neurotoxicity) are common in persons aged 65 years and older. The administration of chemotherapy to older cancer patients involves adjustment of the dose to renal function, prophylactic use of myelopoietic growth factors, maintenance of hemoglobin levels around 12 g/dL, and proper drug selection. Age is not a contraindication to cancer treatment: With appropriate caution, older individuals may benefit from cytotoxic chemotherapy to the same extent as the youngest patients.

With the aging of the Western population, cancer in the older person is becoming increasingly common. After considering the relatively brief history of geriatric oncology, this article explores the causes and clinical implications of the association between cancer and aging. Age is a risk factor for cancer due to the duration of carcinogenesis, the vulnerability of aging tissues to environmental carcinogens, and other bodily changes that favor the development and the growth of cancer. Age may also influence cancer biology: Some tumors become more aggressive (ovarian cancer) and others, more indolent (breast cancer) with aging. Aging implies a reduced life expectancy and limited tolerance to stress. A comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) indicates which patients are more likely to benefit from cytotoxic treatment. Some physiologic changes (including reduced glomerular filtration rate, increased susceptibility to myelotoxicity, mucositis, and cardiac and neurotoxicity) are common in persons aged 65 years and older. The administration of chemotherapy to older cancer patients involves adjustment of the dose to renal function, prophylactic use of myelopoietic growth factors, maintenance of hemoglobin levels around 12 g/dL, and proper drug selection. Age is not a contraindication to cancer treatment: With appropriate caution, older individuals may benefit from cytotoxic chemotherapy to the same extent as the youngest patients.

THOUSAND OAKS, California—Amgen and Abgenix, Inc. (Fremont, California) have signed a definitive merger agreement under which Amgen will acquire Abgenix for approximately $2.2 billion in cash plus the assumption of debt. The acquisition of Abgenix provides Amgen with full ownership of one of its most important advanced pipeline products, panitumumab. The agent, which inhibits the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), has shown significant improvement in progression-free survival for metastatic colorectal cancer patients who have failed standard chemotherapy (see ONI December 2005, page 14). Abgenix also brings to the merger its proprietary fully human monoclonal antibody technology, XenoMouse.

Once again, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) faces the likelihood of an annual operating budget lower in actual dollars than the previous year. In the waning days of December 2005, Congress passed the budget for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for fiscal year (FY) 2006, which began October 1, 2005.

Amooranin (AMR), derived from the Amoora rohituka stem bark, shows clinical potential in treating human cancers, Steven Melnick, MD, PhD, said at the Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO) annual meeting (abstract 57). Dr. Melnick, chief, Department of Pathology and Clinical Laboratories, Miami Children's Hospital, said that the Amoora rohituka stem bark is one of the components of a natural preparation used for the treatment of human malignancies in the Ayurvedic system of medicine in India. Derived from stem bark that grows wild in Asia, the preparation contains parts of three medicinal plants: Amoora rohituka stem bark, Glycyrrhiza glabra roots, and Semicarpus anacardium fruits.

For transplant patients with severe acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), a novel treatment option may be in the form of another transplant, this time with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), according to research presented at the American Society of Hematology annual meeting