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CHICAGO--Methylnaltrexone, an agent that blocks the side effects of morphine without interfering with pain relief, has been granted orphan drug status for use in patients with cancer pain.

SAN DIEGO--With more than 200 known hereditary cancers syndromes, there is a clear opportunity for medical centers in this field, said LeeAnne Vandegriff, RN, cancer risk assessment coordinator at Harris Methodist Hospital, Fort Worth.

BETHESDA, Md--The number of Americans infected with HIV is holding steady at about 650,000 to 900,000, according to CDC data. This may be because the number of new HIV infections each year is roughly equal to the annual number of AIDS-related deaths, the report said.

WILMINGTON, Del--Zeneca Inc. has received FDA clearance to market Kadian (morphine sulfate sustained release) capsules, a new single daily dose sustained-release (SR) morphine formulation, for the management of moderate to severe chronic pain when treatment with an opioid analgesic is indicated for more than a few days.

REDMOND, Wash--NeoPath Inc has signed an agreement with Kaiser Permanente to install AutoPap 300 QC Systems at its Northern California facility. Following a successful evaluation, Kaiser Permanente anticipates making the technology available to its nearly 2.5 million Northern California members.

In February 21, I presented testimony on behalf of the Society before the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee during a hearing on Food and Drug

BETHESDA, Md--NCI research from the 1980s, in which scientists used crystallography to study the structure of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), paved the way for development of the current crop of HIV-specific protease inhibitors (see " Early Combination Treatment May Provide HIV Control" for a report on clinical trials of protease inhibitors).

LOS ANGELES, Calif--The Lym-phoma Research Foundation of America is now accepting requests for applications for medical grants for the fiscal year, July 1, 1997 to June 30, 1998.

DALLAS--A new study suggests that RODEO breast MRI can accurately determine the extent of DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ) and identify characteristic patterns that can differentiate DCIS from more malignant breast cancers.

The Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has published a study reporting on patterns of cancer in a variety of racial and ethnic groups in the United States.

PISCATAWAY, NJ--Enzon, Inc. has begun a multidose, multicen-ter clinical trial of its hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier, PEG-hemoglobin, in cancer patients receiving radiation therapy. The agent was developed as a radiosensitizer to increase oxygenation of hypoxic tumors cells that may be resistant to irradiation. Patients will receive once-a-week infusions of PEG-hemoglobin followed by 5 days of radiation therapy, repeated weekly for 3 weeks.

SAN DIEGO--Hospitals are facing tremendous pressures from the insurance industry to standardize treatments by adopting clinical practice guidelines, panel members said at a conference sponsored by the Society for Ambulatory Care Professionals and Health Technology Assessment of the American Hospital Association.

TUSTIN, Ca--AMDL, Inc. has filed a 510(k) Premarket Notification with the FDA for PyloriProbe, its diagnostic test for the detection of Heli-cobacter pylori. This bacterium is associated with chronic gastritis and gastric and duodenal ulcers, and has been classified by WHO as a class I carcinogen that increases the risk of developing stomach cancer. Pylori-Probe is a direct enzyme immunoassay (EIA) that detects the presence of H pylori antibodies in serum samples.

RICHMOND, Ca--Onyx Pharmaceuticals has announced an extension and expansion of its research alliance with Eli Lilly focusing on BRCA1, the gene linked to increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Lilly has exclusive rights to the BRCA1 gene by license from Myriad Genetics, Inc.

SAN DIEGO--If a cancer patient dies because of a medical error, such as an incorrect dosage, it is only human nature to blame the tragedy on one incompetent person. But finger pointing is not a useful approach, says George Demetri, MD, since generally the problem has multiple causes, and a system overhaul may be in order.

Drs. Eulau and Corn comprehensively review the emerging use of combined androgen suppression and local therapies in locally advanced carcinoma of the prostate. These strategies have been developed since the recognition of the inadequacy of

More American men are living longer. An estimated 13,850,000 were over age 65 as of July 1, 1996 [1]. This total represents a 1.01% increase over that in 1995, a 10.3% increase over the 1990 total and more than a 34% increase over the

Locally advanced adenocarcinoma of the prostate (American Urological Association stages B2, C; American Joint Committee on Cancer stages T2c, T3) has been difficult to control by either external-beam irradiation or

BETHESDA, Md--A surprising finding of a smoking cessation study using behavioral therapy is that highly depressed men, but not highly depressed women, must also have nicotine replacement therapy to keep from relapsing, Paul M. Cinciripini, PhD, said at a symposium on tobacco addiction sponsored by ASCO and the NCI.

ASCO--Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University's Massey Cancer Center have launched what is believed to be the first willingness-to-pay study done in a real-life setting. Thomas J. Smith, MD, reported on potential problems created by the innovative study design at a scientific session of the ASCO annual meeting in Philadelphia.

SAN FRANCISCO--Average-risk individuals over age 50 can be effectively screened for colorectal cancer by use of annual fecal occult blood testing and sigmoidoscopy every 5 years, John H. Bond, MD, said at a press conference during Digestive Disease Week (DDW).

Every day thousands of babies are born in hospitals across America. These births offer opportunities to cure patients of leukemia and other life-threatening diseases. The opportunities lie in the routinely disposed placentas and umbilical cords.

SAN DIEGO--Use of two- and three-dimensional helical computed tomographic colography (CTC) appears to be a feasible technique for the detection of colorectal polyps, Mayo Clinic researcher Amy K. Hara, MD, said at the American Roentgen Ray Society annual meeting.

(Name of company), in order to encourage the best business practices in the industry, and to assist sellers of life insurance in assessing viatical options, agrees to abide by the following standards and practices:

BETHESDA, Md--The volume of calls from cancer patients to the FDA's Cancer Liaison Program has increased steadily since the program was established at the end of 1993, Patty Delaney of the FDA said at a meeting of the Oncology Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC)

COLLEGEVILLE, Penn--Intra-immune Therapies, Inc., a new company formed by Dr. Wayne Marasco, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, has joined the Rhône-Poulenc Rorer Gencell network to help accelerate the development of its innovate intrabody, or intracellular antibody, technology.

The full effects of the breast-implant controversy are far-reaching, and will probably not be entirely felt for years. They certainly extend beyond the question of whether breast implants are safe, important though that question is. The narrow

WASHINGTON--In an unusual budgetary maneuver, NCI director Richard Klausner, MD, has asked Congress to give the Institute an added $269.5 million in fiscal year 1998 to fund "extraordinary opportunities for new investments" in the battle against cancer.

ATLANTA--The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a report stating that teenage smoking has increased from 27.5% of all high school students in 1991 to 34.8% in 1995. And smoking among African-American boys has doubled, from 14.1% in 1991 to 27.8% in 1995.

ASCO--The preliminary results of an Intergroup study of patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal cancer show a highly significant improvement in survival with the use of chemoradia-tion, compared with radiation alone, Muhyi Al-Sarraf, MD, said at the ASCO plenary session.