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BETHESDA, Md-The National Cancer Institute has strongly challenged the notion, initiated at an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conference and widely dispersed by a newspaper article, that the United States is in the midst of an epidemic of childhood cancers.

WASHINGTON-The Clinton administration has decided not to extend Medicaid coverage to all low-income people infected with HIV. Currently, HIV-positive patients who have developed AIDS can receive Medicaid benefits even if they are not poor enough to qualify under normal Medicaid guidelines.

CHICAGO-A consistent worry in the managed care era has been that the purchasers of oncology services (the payers) would be held accountable only for the cost of care because good measures of quality were not available. Now, new sets of quality measures are being developed that cover all parties involved in the provision of health services, said Linda L. Emanuel, MD, PhD, vice president of Ethics Standards for the American Medical Association (AMA).

WASHINGTON-Congress should increase funding for research to find more effective ways to counter the symptoms of cancer and its treatments, including the common debilitating problems of pain and nausea and vomiting.

WASHINGTON-Those were not your ordinary pop bands playing away at the DC Science Writers Association’s annual holiday bash at the National Academy of Sciences building.

Researchers presented new strategies to protect patients from life-threatening infections caused by dose-intensive anticancer therapy at a symposium held in conjunction with the 39th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH).

CHICAGO-A new radiological study suggests that protease inhibitors can not only halt the progression of HIV-related brain disease but, in some cases, may be able to reverse it, Christopher G. Filippi, MD, said at the Radiological Society of North America annual meeting.

WASHINGTON-The federal government wants a share of the $368.5 billion settlement worked out between the attorneys general of 40 states and the tobacco industry. The states say no. And the ultimate decision may rest with the Congress of the United States, adding another complicating factor to cementing the settlement agreement into law.

Geron Corporation announced in Nature Genetics that it has, for the first time, produced telomerase activity in normal, mortal human cells using the recently cloned gene for the human telomerase catalytic protein.

ASH-Researchers at the American Society of Hematology meeting in San Diego presented studies of three new growth factors under development by Amgen: megakaryocyte growth and development factor (MGDF); novel erythropoiesis stimulating protein (NESP); and keratinocyte growth factor (KGF).

Dr. Hoffman and colleagues have persisted in their efforts to provide a safe, reliable pelvic prosthesis to protect the small bowel during high-dose radiation therapy. I started using this type of plastic device in the early 1980s as part of the management of advanced primary and recurrent rectal cancer.[1,2] Similar to data reported by Drs. Hoffman, Sigurdson, and Eisenberg in this issue, my colleagues and I at the National Cancer Institute also noted a learning curve that accompanied our experience. We reported our experience with two iliac artery fistulas that occurred after extensive radiation therapy, possibly due to the prosthesis.[3] Sepsis within the irradiated field and surrounding the prosthesis led to a prosthesis-related death in one patient. A second patient who had multiple postoperative complications died of a pulmonary embolus.

Dr. Hicks and his associates have written an excellent article that summarizes current knowledge about the biologic behavior of differentiated carcinoma of the thyroid gland and explores current controversies related to its management. Their review is reasonably complete, citing most of the important recent references on the subject. Regarding treatment con- troversies, the authors discuss the differing philosophies of various investigators and place into perspective the data supporting these opposing viewpoints.

The article by Hoffman, Sigurdson, and Eisenberg updates their experience in the use of temporary saline-filled tissue expanders (TEs) for small bowel exclusion. In their initial prospective study of 34 patients with a median time of patient surveillance after TE placement of 18 months, the authors demonstrated that small bowel was displaced from more than 95% of the radiation therapy treatment volume in 70% of 27 evaluable patients and from more than 75% of the treatment volume in 89% of patients.[1]

A pilot study conducted at the National Cancer Institute in Milan, Italy assessed the efficacy of six or eight cycles of paclitaxel (Taxol) 200 mg/m² q3wks plus doxorubicin (Adriamycin) (60 mg/m² q3wks) in 49 women with

BETHESDA, Md-National Cancer Institute officials have pledged to quickly correct deficiencies found in the infrastructure of its intramural clinical research program. A committee formed to evaluate the operations of NCI’s Division of Clinical Sciences (DCS) found that the NCI “had made progress in recent months [in correcting problems with the infrastructure] but still must implement several organizational changes to fully match the quality of the best research centers in the country.”

ASH-Rituximab (Rituxan), a chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, recently received FDA approval for use in patients with relapsed or refractory follicular or low-grade, CD20-positive, B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas . Poster presentations at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology in San Diego suggest that:

The Sidney Kimmel Foundation for Cancer Research is seeking accomplished young investigators to apply for Kimmel Scholar Awards. The Kimmel Scholar Award, established in 1997, will be presented every year to up to 10 investigators who

NORWALK, Conn-A new team-based program instituted by Oxford Health Plans, Inc. is returning clinical autonomy to the specialists delivering care. Oxford has recently formed a subsidiary company-Oxford Specialty Management-through which integrated medical teams will deliver specialized patient care. To date, these teams have been established in 10 medical specialties, and more than 700 specialists have joined the program.

HOUSTON-For 24 years, young cancer patients at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center have celebrated the holiday season through their original creations of greeting cards and other gift items . Proceeds from 1996 sales totaled $891,000, which funds programs that benefit M.D. Anderson patients.

A second study shows that lycopene from tomato paste is better absorbed by the body than lycopene from fresh tomatoes, suggesting that processed tomato products-such as tomato paste, tomato sauce and ketchup-are a better source of this antioxidant.

BETHESDA, Md-The National Cancer Institute’s Office of Cancer Survivorship (OCS) has allocated $4 million ($2 million a year for 2 years) for the study of cancer survivorship issues in cancer-free individuals who have survived their disease at least 5 years. An additional $350,000 annually for 2 years from the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and its Baltimore affiliate will help fund the research.

CHICAGO-Laparoscopic colec-tomy increasingly is being performed for colorectal cancer, and, despite concerns about wound tumor implantation, it may be only a matter of time before this type of minimally invasive surgery is shown to be equivalent to open surgical resection, said Heidi Nelson, MD, associate professor of surgery, Mayo Clinic, at the annual scientific meeting of the American College of Surgeons.

NEW ORLEANS-It may be easier to develop a bone marrow transplant protocol than to design a perfect reimbursement system for these services under managed care.

NEW ORLEANS-In the treatment of cancer pain, physicians often withhold adequate analgesia out of fears that are largely unfounded in this population. As a result, cancer pain often robs patients of the opportunity “to see life as good” in their final days, Dr. Daniel Brookoff said at a cancer update, sponsored by the Ochsner Medical Foundation and the American Cancer Society.

SANTA MONICA, Calif-It can be especially difficult for physicians and managed care organizations to defend against patient lawsuits that include legal causes of action other than medical malpractice or negligence, said Michael Gonzalez, Esq, a defense attorney and partner in the Los Angeles firm of Kern, Streeter & Gonzalez.

1998-1999 Research Fellowship in Basic Research: This Fellowship, sponsored by the AACR, will provide a 2-year grant of $30,000 per year to a young scientist in North, Central, or South America engaged in meritorious basic cancer research.

NEW YORK-Two breast cancer survivors-one an oncologist from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, the other, the head of the National Alliance of Breast Cancer Organizations (NABCO)-were among those offering special perspectives at a public meeting on clinical and public policy issues related to breast cancer, sponsored by NABCO and held at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

HAYWARD, Calif-Aradigm Corporation is working with SmithKline Beecham to develop a self-administered pulmonary drug delivery system to provide rapid pain relief. The new product is being developed for the treatment of cancer-related pain, especially breakthrough pain, as well as postoperative pain.

NEW ORLEANS-Although a good examination for oral cancer takes less than a minute to perform, most physicians do inadequate exams or fail to screen for oral cancer at all, according to the professor and head of oral pathology at Louisiana State University School of Medicine, New Orleans.

ORLANDO-Permanent trans-peritoneal ultrasound-guided radioactive implants (brachytherapy) get high marks for quality of life (QOL) in men with clinically localized prostate cancer, V. Elayne Arterbery, MD, reported in a poster session at the annual meeting of the American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO).