BioMed Central Blog : Journal of Negative Results in Biomedicine

“Journal of Negative Results in Biomedicine's immediate goal is to provide scientists and physicians with responsible and balanced information in order to improve experimental designs and clinical decisions”, comments Prof Bjorn Olsen, Editor-in-Chief of this journal.
The importance and usefulness of negative results is something that is arguably overlooked in the scientific arena; they are often perceived as less important due to the fact that they fail to confirm various hypotheses. This view however is gradually changing, with a growing awareness of how constructive and useful they can actually be to science.
Journal of Negative Results in Biomedicine promotes the publication of negative results and data, and supports the idea that scientists should be provided with balanced information which can offer a more complete scientific record, thereby reducing the risk of publication bias or later rebuttal of research. Prof Olsen and JNRBM co-founder, Dr Christian Pfeffer, also strongly believe that “such "negative" observations and conclusions, based on rigorous experimentation and thorough documentation, ought to be published in order to be discussed, confirmed or refuted by others”.

Women Feel Pain More Intensely Than Men: Scientific American

"...But the study was large, and the findings are backed up by previous work, Fillingim said.
"I think the most [simple] explanation is that women are indeed experiencing higher levels of pain than men," Fillingim said.
The reason for this is not known, Fillingim said. Past research suggests a number of factors contribute to perceptions of pain level, including hormones, genetics and psychological factors, which may vary between men and women, Fillingim said. It's also possible the pain systems work differently in men and women, or women experience more severe forms of disease than men, he said."

Study examines research on overuse of health care services | e! Science News

"....However, the authors note the limited literature on overuse is understandable because of the challenges of developing standards to measure overuse.
"Expanding the evidence base and establishing appropriateness criteria for a broader range of services could help target and eliminate overuse in health care services, which could reduce health care spending without adversely affecting the health of the public," the authors conclude."

The Naked Doctor: profiling overdiagnosis and overtreatment

The Naked Doctor (blog): profiling overdiagnosis and overtreatment 

(eg. "Introducing the Naked Doctor: When is ‘no action’ the best action?")

Posted by Gary Schwitzer in Disease mongering, overtesting, overtreatment

Hot flash remedies: Estrogen may be the best answer - Health News Review

Hot flash remedies: Estrogen may be the best answer

Reviewed by Christine Norton, MA; Karen Carlson, MD; and Gary Schwitzer

Managing adult cancer pain: The latest NCCN guidelines - Chemotherapy Advisor

"Pain is common in cancer — one-third of patients undergoing treatment and three-fourths of those with advanced disease experience it — and pain is among the symptoms patients fear the most."

Integrating spiritual care as part of comprehensive cancer treatment - Chemotherapy Advisor

Benefits and risks of parenteral nutrition in patients with cancer - Chemotherapy Advisor

Using ESAs (erythropoietin-stimulating agents ) in patients with cancer-related anemia - Chemotherapy Advisor

Cancer Drug Monographs - Gynecologic Cancer Resource Center - Chemotherapy Advisor

Gynecological Cancer Drug Monographs

Gynecologic cancers
Adriamycin	Adriamycin Solution	Alkeran
Alkeran for Injection	Cosmegen	Doxil
Gemzar	Hexalen	Hycamtin
Hycamtin Capsules	Hydrea	Megace
Methotrexate for Injection	Methotrexate Injection	Paraplatin
Taxol	Trexall	Vinblastine for Injection
Vinblastine Injection
Data provided by the Monthly Prescribing Reference (MPR) Hematology/Oncology Edition.

FDA-Approved Ovarian Cancer Drug Treatments - Chemotherapy Advisor

Blogger's Note: webpage dated 2009

FDA-Approved Ovarian Cancer Drug Treatments - Chemotherapy Advisor

new website: Chemotherapy Advisor

Welcome to Chemotherapy Advisor, a new website that provides oncology professionals with practical resources such as cancer treatment regimens, concise drug monographs, updated oncology news, clinical charts and calculators, and much more.

open access: Jan 2012 Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Online - The Practice of Pathology in Canada: Decreasing Pathologist Supply and Uncertain Outcomes

Abstract (and full text):  

Context.—

Pathology organizations in the United States are preparing for a new era of health care reform. Trends in the supply of pathologists in Canada's managed care system may provide some useful insights in any analysis and projection of future pathologist needs in the United States.

Objective.—In this study, population-based Canadian databases were used to devise a parameter for physician supply, cancer cases per physician. The trend in this supply parameter for pathologists was compared to that for radiation oncologists.


Results.—
The annual number of new cancer cases increased from 129 300 to 171 000 from 1999 to 2009. The absolute numbers of both pathologists and oncologists also increased in this time period. However, while the increase in the number of radiation oncologists led to an 8.2% decrease in cancer cases per radiation oncologist, the modest increase in the number of pathologists led to an increase of 17.1% in cancer cases per pathologist.

Conclusions.—

There is a trend toward a decreasing supply of Canadian pathologists relative to that of cancer demands. This finding confirms an earlier population-based study showing a decreased supply relative to population and number of clinical physicians. It is uncertain whether this decreased supply is a result of appropriate application of new, efficient methods or whether health care has been rationed or adversely impacted. Outcome measures to monitor Canadian pathology practice quality are clearly needed.

open access: Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Online - Squamous Lesions of the Ovary

Defining:
Coelomic metaplasia is defined as some of the cells of the peritoneum (also known as the abdominal wall) developing into endometrial cells instead of normal peritoneal cells. Studies of pelvic peritoneal tissue from women undergoing laparotomy suggests that before endometriosis has become established in the peritoneum, there might be a metaplastic change by peritoneal mesothelial cells into endometrial glandular cells. In this article, we will discuss how coelomic metaplasia causes endometriosis.

Defining: Metaplasia:
....When cells are faced with physiological or pathological stresses, they respond by adapting in any of several ways, one of which is metaplasia......

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Article:

"When encountered in the ovary, a diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma can pose a challenging differential diagnosis. Although squamous cell carcinoma is a frequent entity encountered in the female genital tract, it is rare in primary form in the ovary and, hence, when identified therein, it is incumbent on the pathologist to explore other potential entities or primary sites. Primary squamous cell carcinoma has been identified in the ovary, however, and as such, demonstrates the vast histologic heterogeneity that may be seen in ovarian lesions. This is a review of the literature pertaining to ovarian squamous lesions, including a number of diagnostic pearls."

"COMMENT

Although squamous elements in the ovary are relatively common, squamous cell carcinoma is distinctly rare, especially in pure form. Debate continues on the pathogenesis of primary squamous cell carcinoma without an associated dermoid. Most authors suggest squamous cell carcinoma in association with endometriosis arises from neoplastic transformation of preexisting endometrial epithelium.7,11 This may be in keeping with the varied metaplasia and neoplasia that may be seen within endometrial glands. Cases of pure primary squamous cell carcinoma of the ovary are an even greater etiologic conundrum; some authors suggest that these lesions may arise because of seeding from occult premalignant or fully malignant squamous lesions located outside the ovary.7,11 These lesions may also serve as examples of the broad potential of coelomic metaplasia."

abstract: Interviews with patients with advanced cancer—another step towards an international cancer pain classification system - European Palliative

Conclusions

Previously identified pain domains were confirmed to be relevant to the patients; however, the ranking differed from the experts’ ranking. Sleep disturbances may be added as a domain in a future classification system.

media: Elderly and ill patients connect to their doctors via broadband: Pilot Australian project

abstract: The clinical effect of the dual-targeting strategy involving PI3K/AKT/mTOR and RAS/MEK/ERK pathways in patients with advanced cancer (phase 1)

Purpose: This study evaluated the clinical relevance of the dual-targeting strategy involving PI3K/AKT/mTOR and RAF/MEK/ERK pathways.

 P

Experimental Design: We investigated safety, efficacy and correlations between tumor genetic alterations and clinical benefit in 236 patients with advanced cancers treated with phase I study drugs targeting PI3K and/or MAPK pathways in our Phase I Clinical Trials Program.

abstract: Different perspectives on communication quality and emotional functioning during routine oncology consultations

Results

The patients’ ratings of communication quality differed significantly from those of both the physician and observer. Observer and physician scores did not differ significantly. Physicians rated emotional functioning as discussed more often than was reported from patient and observer perspectives.

Conclusion

The patients’ view of the quality of communication differed from that of the physician and observer. Whether emotional functioning was discussed or not was also perceived differently by patients, physicians, and observer.