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BOSTON-Patients diagnosed with orbital lymphoma should have a complete staging workup before radiation therapy, according to a Rare Cancer Network presentation at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) annual meeting.

WASHINGTON-“Without even waiting for the research of tomorrow, we could save tens or hundreds of thousand of lives if we could apply 100% of what we know now about breast cancer diagnosis and treatment,” said Gabriel Hortobagyi, MD, chairman of Breast Medical Oncology, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. “There is still a persistent gap between what we have learned and its application into clinical practice, simply because the translation of research into clinical practice is very slow.”

BETHESDA, Md-The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has launched its new antismoking initiative, Research in State and Community Tobacco Control Interventions, by awarding 12 grants totaling $13 million. The money will support the first year of 4-year research projects on local, state, and multistate tobacco prevention and control programs.

The book Progress in Anti-Cancer Chemotherapy, Volume II is the second of a series of three books edited by Drs. Hortobagyi and Khayat, and published by different publishing houses between 1998 and 1999. Volume II is a collection of

PHILADELPHIA-The Society for Nutritional Oncology Adjuvant Therapy (NOAT) is an interdisciplinary professional organization that addresses the role of nutrition and metabolism in oncology. Founded in 1994, NOAT is the first organization devoted solely to studying the role of nutrition in cancer (see box).

CHICAGO-The diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) usually is straightforward from a pathologic point of view. However, microinvasion and histologically ambiguous lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) lesions may be difficult to distinguish from DCIS, Stuart Schnitt, MD, said at the Second Annual Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Symposium, sponsored by Northwestern University Medical School.

CHICAGO-Results from two published prospective randomized clinical trials of women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) show that radiotherapy after wide excision reduces local recurrence by 7% to 15%, said Melvin J. Silverstein, MD, who does not believe radiotherapy is suitable for all women with this form of breast disease.

BOSTON-David H. Hussey, MD, president of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO), predicts that increased assessment of physician competence will have a profound and positive effect on medical training for new and practicing physicians in all medical specialties.

People over the age of 65 are a fast-growing segment of the US population, and with the incidence of cancer increasing with age, the challenges of treating older cancer patients are also on the rise. Drs. Lichtman and Skirvin present a comprehensive review of the antineoplastic agents used in elderly cancer patients. They highlight the important factors of chemotherapy pharmacology in elderly cancer patients, with emphasis on the impact of physiologic changes-especially renal clearance-in dosing and toxicity. In addition, descriptions of significant toxicities are provided. The following additional issues should be considered.

The world’s population is aging. Older age is associated with an increase in the incidence of cancer, especially cancer of the breast, lung, prostate, and colon. The management of older patients with cancer is biased by the

People over the age of 65 are a fast-growing segment of the US population, and with the incidence of cancer increasing with age, the challenges of treating older cancer patients are also on the rise. Drs. Lichtman and Skirvin present a comprehensive review of the antineoplastic agents used in elderly cancer patients. They highlight the important factors of chemotherapy pharmacology in elderly cancer patients, with emphasis on the impact of physiologic changes-especially renal clearance-in dosing and toxicity. In addition, descriptions of significant toxicities are provided. The following additional issues should be considered.

CHICAGO-Low literacy remains a formidable stumbling block preventing many Americans from receiving optimal cancer treatment and preventive measures.

Among the serious complications associated with bone marrow transplantation are invasive fungal infections caused by organisms such as Candida and Aspergillus species and end-organ disease caused by

Among the serious complications associated with bone marrow transplantation are invasive fungal infections caused by organisms such as Candida and Aspergillus species and end-organ disease caused by

Drs. Lichtman and Skirvin have written an excellent review on the pharmacology of antineoplastic agents in older cancer patients. However, as in any text (often due to space limitations), one can find shortcomings, some of which will be covered in this commentary.

Oxaliplatin (Eloxatin) is a novel antineoplastic platinum derivative that may exert its cytotoxic effects by blocking DNA replication/transcription, thus resulting in cell death in proliferating cells, as well as apoptosis.

The Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program (CTEP) of the National Cancer Institute(NCI) currently sponsors more than 160 Investigational New Drug applications

A significant number of patients with colorectal cancer will present with hepatic metastases as their only site of metastatic disease. Surgical resection in patients with a limited number of metastases will lead to long-term

Tobacco use, particularly smoking, remains the number 1 cause of preventable disease and death in the United States. This report of the Surgeon General on smoking and health is the first to offer a composite review of the various methods used to

Second-line therapy is a relatively newconcept for gastrointestinal oncologists. Although retreatment with fluorouracil

Among the serious complications associated with bone marrow transplantation are invasive fungal infections caused by organisms such as Candida and Aspergillus species and end-organ disease caused by

Chemotherapy for advanced gastric and gastroesophageal junction carcinomas remains suboptimal. Both irinotecan (Camptosar) and cisplatin (Platinol) are active against this group of malignancies. This article focuses

The new platinum compound oxaliplatin (Eloxatin) appears tohave activity, either alone or in combination, as both first- and second-line

The fastest growing segment of the US population is the group over the age of 65 years. In the next 30 years, this group will comprise over 20% of the population. Because 60% of all cancers occur in this age group, there will be an expected rise in the total cancer burden.

CHICAGO-Despite comprehensive efforts to prevent lung and oral cancers as well as other diseases related to tobacco use around the world, experts in tobacco control do not expect to see a drop in the number of deaths due to smoking in the next 15 years.

Therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhotic patients is challenging. Liver dysfunction, portal hypertension, third spacing, thrombocytopenia, and neutropenia limit the choice of chemotherapeutic agents. However, the abundant vascularity of hepatocellular carcinoma presents an attractive target for antiangiogenic therapy, potentially tolerable even in cirrhotics.

NEW YORK-Response and overall survival were significantly improved with use of irinotecan (Camptosar), fluorouracil, and leucovorin, compared with fluorouracil/leucovorin alone, in a randomized study involving 683 patients with previously untreated metastatic colorectal cancer.

NEW YORK-Many biologic therapeutic manufacturers face “critical choke-points” in the future as they attempt to satisfy market demand, according to William R. Rohn, chief operating officer of IDEC Pharmaceuticals, the San Diego-based company that produces the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab (Rituxan) in the United States.

WASHINGTON-Only five states have allocated the minimum amount of their tobacco settlement funds recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for comprehensive tobacco prevention programs, according to report released at a Senate hearing.

BETHESDA, Md-Members of the National Cancer Institute’s intramural program, NCI’s corps of in-house investigators, have been challenged to reinvent the program into one of the nation’s great cancer research centers.