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The House Rules Committee took the somewhat unusual step of blocking a key physician-backed bill from coming to the House floor for a vote. Late at night on May 24, the Committee voted to keep H.R. 1304 from coming to a vote on the House

ASCO-Response rates were 100% among 15 patients with advanced head and neck malignancies treated with a combination of radiation therapy and C225 (cetuximab). Complete responses occurred in 13 of the 15 evaluable patients, James Bonner, MD, reported at the 36th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in New Orleans.

The article entitled “The Current Surgical Management of Metastatic Spinal Disease,” by Drs. Peter C. Gerszten and William C. Welch, is a timely, comprehensive review of the current state of the art in the diagnosis and surgical management of spinal

WASHINGTON-A new study indicates that amorphous breast calcifications, unless clearly benign, should be considered suspicious lesions and should be stereotactically biopsied, said Wendie Berg, MD, PhD, associate professor of radiology and director of the Division of Breast Imaging, University of Maryland.

The US Food and Drug Administration recently approved gemtuzumab ozogamicin (Mylotarg) for the treatment of patients 60 years of age and older who are in first relapse with CD33-positive acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and are not considered

BETHESDA, Md-A major restructuring of the National Cancer Institute’s communications has combined and expanded the activities of four of the institute’s former offices. Susan Sieber, PhD, recently named the institute’s deputy director for communications, will head the new Office of Communications.

BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom-The first definitive data supporting the use of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibitors in treating gastric cancer were presented by John Fielding at the ASCO annual meeting

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama-Combining the monoclonal antibody C225, which targets epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFr), with radiation dramatically increased response rate and durability in patients with advanced, unresectable, head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

SAN DIEGO-A longer surveillance interval of 6 years or more may be appropriate for low-risk postpolypectomy patients, said Ann G. Zauber, PhD, of the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Zauber presented the study findings at the American Gastroenterology Association (AGA) meeting held during the Digestive Disease Week conference.

ASCO-Cytoreductive nephrectomy prior to interferon-alfa-2b (Intron A) therapy increased survival by 50% in patients with previously untreated metastatic renal cell cancer, compared with interferon alone, Robert Flanigan, MD, reported at the plenary session of the 36th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in New Orleans.

ASCO-Updated findings on thalidomide (Thalomid) for the treatment of refractory myeloma show “striking results,” Bart Barlogie, MD, PhD, director of the Arkansas Cancer Research Center, Little Rock, said at the 36th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), in New Orleans.

BALTIMORE-The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) announced at a press conference that it will fund development of an innovative, oral AIDS vaccine by the University of Maryland Institute of Human Virology (IHV), a center of the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute founded by Robert Gallo, MD, co-discover of HIV.

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) recently launched a new online education resource-ASCO Grand Rounds- for cancer professionals, featuring biweekly CME-accredited lectures on current topics in cancer. The lectures will

At the outset of their article, Drs. Gerszten and Welch state that their primary goal is to review factors that affect surgical intervention in patients with metastatic spinal disease. On their way to achieving this goal, the authors touch on some of the

Dr. Potters has provided an excellent and timely overview of transperineal interstitial permanent prostate brachytherapy (TIPPB). The historical context, as the title suggests, nicely illustrates the lessons already learned and those still to be learned. There are a few points I would like to discuss in further detail.

The article by Drs. Gerszten and Welch is a broad, general, and philosophic review of the surgical options that are currently available for the care of our unfortunate patients with metastatic spinal disease. The authors document the poor outcomes of

The article, “Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma,” by Drs. Nakakura and Choti, is an excellent, comprehensive overview of the treatment modalities used for one of the most challenging cancers. The thoroughness of this review underscores the current frustration of the clinician in the management of this disease and the inadequacies of available therapies. The authors list more than 17 treatments for the various stages of this disease. However, if any one of the therapies mentioned offered cure to a majority of patients, there would be little need for more review articles or randomized controlled trials. There are few cancers that command such a vast array of differing therapies from so many different specialties.

Platinum compounds, either cisplatin (Platinol) or carboplatin (Paraplatin), in combination with a number of new chemotherapeutic agents, have demonstrated improved response or survival compared to cisplatin alone or older

Despite advances in the treatment of many malignancies, a large number of cancer patients will require evaluation and possible surgical intervention for lesions that have metastasized or directly invaded the spinal column. The need for heightened awareness of and aggressive early intervention for spinal metastases is underscored by many studies that have reported a relationship between pretreatment and posttreatment neurologic function in these patients. Recommendations for operative intervention should be made following an evaluation of the patient by multiple specialties, both medical and surgical. In the last decade, advances in surgical techniques for tumor decompression and spine stabilization, neurophysiologic monitoring, and anesthetic expertise have allowed surgeons to perform more extensive procedures with improved outcomes and reduced morbidity. This article will review the factors favoring an operative recommendation in patients with metastatic spinal disease, preoperative evaluation, and available surgical options. Patients with symptomatic spinal metastases should receive early surgical consultation as part of a multidisciplinary approach to their disease process. [ONCOLOGY 14(7):1013-1024, 2000]

Current techniques for permanent prostate brachytherapy are associated with excellent biochemical control in patients with localized prostate cancer. Data now available confirm 5- to 10-year results with this treatment

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is responsible for a significant amount of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. In many countries, including the United States, a definite increase in the incidence of HCC has been

As Drs. Nakakura and Choti point out, the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is rising in many countries including the United States, mainly as the result of a steady increase in hepatitis C infections. Unfortunately, it now seems that the hepatitis C virus is more carcinogenic than the hepatitis B virus, judging from the frequency with which HCC develops among patients with hepatitis C- vs hepatitis B-induced cirrhosis.[1] Numerous studies have demonstrated changes in various oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, but no consistent sequence of genetic changes has emerged similar to the adenoma-carcinoma sequence in colon cancer.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common solid organ tumor worldwide. In recent decades, diagnosis and treatment of this cancer has evolved significantly. The article by Drs. Nakakura and Choti summarizes many of the advances in this field, delineates the current evidence-based treatment options, and defines promising areas for future study.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla-Despite the prevalence of fatigue in cancer patients and survivors, a number of obstacles have stood in the way of its successful treatment, said Barbara F. Piper, DNSc, RN, associate professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing. Patients have been reluctant to bring the symptom to their doctor’s attention out of a concern that they may look like “complainers” or that attending to the symptom will somehow interfere with their cancer treatment.

This article details both the contribution of the purine nucleoside analogs to the current management of relapsed indolent non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) and the role of pentostatin (Nipent) in that management. Of the three

Cross-sectional imaging of the abdomen in oncology patients presents unique challenges and opportunities. A close working relationship between the oncologist and radiologist is essential for the exchange of the clinical and

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO-Genentech Inc. has issued a “Dear Doctor” letter to alert physicians to 62 postmarketing reports of serious adverse events related to the use of trastuzumab (Herceptin), the company’s anti-HER-2 monoclonal antibody for use in treating HER-2-positive breast cancer. To date, about 25,000 women have been treated with Herceptin worldwide.

WASHINGTON-Eric S. Berger, vice president of planning and public policy, US Oncology, Inc., Houston, has a word of advice for cancer care providers seeking to influence legislators: “Speak from the heart.”

WASHINGTON-Four members of Congress received the Paul E. Tsongas Award from the Lymphoma Research Foundation of America during a Capitol Hill ceremony. The award is presented annually “to recognize outstanding legislative leadership and commitment in support of the health care issues that result in improving the quality of life for all Americans.”

WASHINGTON-In an effort to better understand and deal with the unequal burden of cancer among various subgroups of US residents, the National Cancer Institute has launched a program to engage members of these minority and underserved populations in community-based cancer control, prevention, research, and training projects.