Thursday, December 11, 2014
Endometriosis and ovarian cancer - World Journal of Clinical Oncology
open access
..........In addition, we know about the possible links between endometriosis and cancer for almost 100 years. Despite clear evidence revealing that endometriosis increases ovarian cancer risks, it is possible that it may not affect disease progression after the appearance of ovarian cancer. However, despite clear evidence revealing that endometriosis increases ovarian cancer risk, our knowledge of the risk factors is far from established. In our review, we focused on the most recent approaches including possible biomarkers and genetic approaches....
Enteroenterostomy - emedicine
emedicine
Background
Tuesday, December 09, 2014
New Downloadable Slides: Adding Precision and Power to Progress in Ovarian Cancer Management
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Longwoods eLetter December 9, 2014 | If We Had a Magic Wand
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Saturday, November 29, 2014
Estrogen Biosynthesis and Action in Ovarian Cancer | Experimental Endocrinology
open access
The review explains the role of estrogen in ovarian cancer and it gives an overview on ovarian cancer subtypes. Furthermore, enzymes active to synthesize and metabolize estrogens as well as estrogen signaling pathways are described. Strategies to target these pathways are discussed.
Training randomized trial recruiters to facilitate recruitment and informed consent by exploring patients' treatment preferences
Full text
........Several previous studies have tended to assume that patients’ treatment preferences are simple and static entities that can be easily defined and measured [4,10]. However, there is also a small body of research that shows that preferences are complex, multifaceted, and changeable entities that can be based on incomplete or inaccurate information [11-16]. .....
Friday, November 28, 2014
Up-to-dateness of reviews is often neglected in overviews: a systematic review
open access
1. Introduction
Key findings
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- The mean publication lag per review was more than 5 years.
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- Only one in four overviews considered up-to-dateness.
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- No overview systematically investigated whether an update was necessary.
What this adds to what was known?
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- This is the first systematic analysis of up-to-dateness in overviews.
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- We developed recommendations to produce up-to-date overviews.
What is the implication and what should change now?
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- Authors should analyze whether the underlying evidence of systematic reviews (SRs) is still up-to-date when conducting overviews.
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- Authors should search for primary studies not included in SRs, if needed
New concepts of biomarkers and clinical outcomes for therapeutic cancer vaccines in clinical trials, Immunotherapy
abstract
Aim: This study aimed to derive meaningful parameters for immune monitoring during cancer vaccine development by analysis of the literature.
Methods: This retrospective study was based on analysis of clinical trials registered at ClinicalTrials.gov and published data available on PubMed.
Results: The most common sample evaluated in immune monitoring was peripheral blood. All trials employed ELISA for detecting a humoral immune response; however, cellular immune assays were not used across trials. Most cellular immune assays failed to correlate with clinical outcome, although results of other methods did. Conclusion: Standardization of the cellular immune assays across trials is important for predicting the effects of therapeutic cancer vaccines when considering the reliability and characteristics of the methods. Currently, assays mostly target detection of T-cell function, such as proliferation and cytokine release; however, T-cell phenotype analysis in peripheral blood and/or tumor sites may also be considered in the future.
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Prognostic Significance of Sugarbaker's Peritoneal Cancer Index for the operability of ovarian carcinoma
abstract
INTRODUCTION:
This study aimed to investigate Sugarbaker's peritoneal cancer index (PCI) as a prognostic indicator for the resectability of ovarian carcinoma (OC), as depicted in the study using the completeness of cytoreduction score (CCS).Currently, the intraoperative assessment of operability in OC surgery is primarily a subjective measurement that is dependent on the surgeon.METHODS:
The retrospective data from 98 patients with OC International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) III to IV who had received surgery between January 2010 and December 2011 were analyzed. The PCI and the CCS were determined retrospectively using surgical reports, histological findings, and intraoperative photographic documentation. Receiver operating characteristic curves and ordinal regression were applied to evaluate the predictability of CCS using the PCI.RESULTS:
Of 98 patients, 80 (81.6%) were staged FIGO III and 18 (18.4%) FIGO IV. A statistically significant correlation was demonstrated between the PCI and CCS (P < 0.01).......CONCLUSIONS:
The PCI more precisely defined the heterogeneous group of patients with OC FIGO III. The PCI provided objectivity and reproducibility, and it seems to be a possible prognostic indicator for OC resectability.worth reading: Looking For Light in a Dark Room - note references to YAC/clinical trials/Canada....
Cancer Knowledge Network
.....The AIDS movement, which changed the fates of thousands of dying people was not built from positive thinking. Change happened because people were angry. Access to drugs came about because people stood up and said “this is not acceptable”. It is not acceptable that those of us with advanced disease cannot access the drugs we need because of bureaucracy and the screwed up drug trial system. It is not acceptable that many provinces do not cover drugs like oral chemo. It is not acceptable that as an act to save our lives some of us have to go out of country to access up and coming drug trials. It is not acceptable that we are dying. Empowerment and positive thinking is important but so is addressing the dark side of cancer. Young adult organizations need to decide whether or not they will take a stand with those of us who are dying and living chronically. They need to explore how they can contribute to the empowerment of those of us who cannot get past our cancer experience. They need to help end isolation and take affirmative action towards change.
Genetics of Skin Cancer (references to BRCA (BAP1) and BRCA2
National Cancer Institute
BRCA-Associated Protein 1 (BAP1) BRCA-associated protein 1 (BAP1) has recently emerged as a gene implicated both in sporadic and hereditary melanomas......
BRCA2
Google and Women's Health-Related Issues: What Does the Search Engine Data Reveal?
abstract
pdf (requires registration - free - to view full text)
OBJECTIVES:
Identifying the gaps in public knowledge of women's health related issues has always been difficult. With the increasing number of Internet users in the United States, we sought to use the Internet as a tool to help us identify such gaps and to estimate women's most prevalent health concerns by examining commonly searched health-related keywords in Google search engine.METHODS:
We collected a large pool of possible search keywords from two independent practicing obstetrician/gynecologists and classified them into five main categories (obstetrics, gynecology, infertility, urogynecology/menopause and oncology), and measured the monthly average search volume within the United States for each keyword with all its possible combinations using Google AdWords tool.RESULTS:
We found that pregnancy related keywords were less frequently searched in general compared to other categories with an average of 145,400 hits per month for the top twenty keywords. Among the most common pregnancy-related keywords was "pregnancy and sex' while pregnancy-related diseases were uncommonly searched. HPV alone was searched 305,400 times per month. Of the cancers affecting women, breast cancer was the most commonly searched with an average of 247,190 times per month, followed by cervical cancer then ovarian cancer.CONCLUSION:
The commonly searched keywords are often issues that are not discussed in our daily practice as well as in public health messages. The search volume is relatively related to disease prevalence with the exception of ovarian cancer which could signify a public fear.Amgen Ends Gastric Cancer Drug Studies on Safety Review - Amgen/Trebananib/ovarian
Analyst Blog
....We note that Amgen stumbled with its oncology pipeline earlier this month as well when its experimental ovarian cancer treatment, trebananib, failed to meet the secondary endpoint of overall survival in a late-stage study. Although trebananib had achieved the primary endpoint of the study, overall survival is an important criterion for gaining FDA approval. Moreover, the rate of discontinuation due to adverse events was much higher in the trebananib arm compared to the control arm (20% versus 7%).....
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
On vitamin D, the so-called experts have it wrong, U.K. researcher says (re: the Lancet)
media
.....However, The Lancet, the world’s best-known medical journal, recently suggested in an editorial that most of the benefits of vitamin D advanced by scientific studies are a “myth.” It says people tend to have low vitamin D when they are ill because they do not go outdoors very much.
Most of The Lancet’s trials have used low doses of vitamin DThis was also the view presented in papers published in The Lancet by two teams, Philippe Autier of the International Prevention Research Institute, Lyon, and Mark Bolland of the Department of Medicine, University of Auckland.
They argue that clinical trials of vitamin D have failed to show any clear benefit. However, most of the trials have used low doses of the vitamin. Professor Michael Holick, pioneer of vitamin D research at Boston University, says 4,000 units per day is required to give an optimum level of the vitamin in the blood, enough to prevent disease. A number of clinical trials relied on by The Lancet editorial and its authors used a daily dose of just 400 units.....
Blurring of boundaries in the doctor–patient relationship : The Lancet Oncology
Note: too bad open access is not available on this one
extract only
Prognostic role and predictors of complete pathologic response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in primary unresectable ovarian cancer
abstract
Objective
Outcomes from ultrasound follow-up of small complex adnexal masses in women over 50
abstract
Objective
Comparison of clinical features between suspected familial colorectal cancer type X and Lynch syndrome in Japanese patients (extracolonic cancers)
abstract
Conclusion A significant difference in extracolonic Lynch syndrome-associated cancer was evident between suspected familial colorectal cancer type X and Lynch syndrome.
(Lynch Syndrome patients) Clinical and prognostic factors for renal parenchymal, pelvis, and ureter cancers in SEER registries: Collaborative stage data collection system, version 2 - Altekruse - 2014 - Cancer - Wiley Online Library
Note: not specific to genetics (eg. Lynch Syndrome)
SEER registries: Collaborative stage data collection system, version 2 (open access)
Renal pelvis and ureter
With respect to renal pelvis and ureter cancer, a high WHO/ISUP grade (SSF1) is independently associated with worse outcomes in surgical cases.[42] WHO/ISUP grade was known for 85% of cases with resection. SSF2 (depth of renal parenchymal invasion as a marker of recurrence) also has been validated[43]; however, most values for this variable were unknown. Additional SSFs for renal pelvis and ureter cancer might be considered based on prognostic value. Promising markers for these understudied cancers include tumor architecture,[44, 45] multifocality,[46] and the presence of concomitant carcinoma in situ.[47] In some studies,[48] tumor location (ie, ureter, renal pelvis, or both) has also been suggested to have prognostic value.
#ovariancancers
Screening for Vitamin D Deficiency: A Systematic Review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task ForceScreening for Vitamin D Deficiency | Annals of Internal Medicine
open access
Background: Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with adverse health outcomes.
Purpose: To systematically review benefits and harms of vitamin D screening in asymptomatic adults.
Data Sources: Ovid MEDLINE (through the third week of August 2014), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
Study Selection: Randomized trials of screening for and treatment of vitamin D deficiency and case–control studies nested within the Women's Health Initiative.
Conclusion: Treatment of vitamin D deficiency in asymptomatic persons might reduce mortality risk in institutionalized elderly persons and risk for falls but not fractures.
Monday, November 24, 2014
Genetic Testing Fact Sheet - National Cancer Institute
NCI
3. What genetic tests are available for cancer risk?
More than 50 hereditary cancer syndromes have been described. The majority of these are caused by highly penetrant mutations that are inherited in a dominant fashion. The list below includes some of the more common inherited cancer syndromes for which genetic testing is available, the gene(s) that are mutated in each syndrome, and the cancer types most often associated with these syndromes.
Hereditary breast cancer and ovarian cancer syndrome
- Genes: BRCA1, BRCA2
- Related cancer types: Female breast, ovarian, and other cancers, including prostate, pancreatic, and male breast cancer
- Gene: TP53
- Related cancer types: Breast cancer, soft tissue sarcoma, osteosarcoma (bone cancer), leukemia, brain tumors, adrenocortical carcinoma (cancer of the adrenal glands), and other cancers
- Gene: PTEN
- Related cancer types: Breast, thyroid, endometrial (uterine lining), and other cancers
- Genes: MSH2, MLH1, MSH6, PMS2, EPCAM
- Related cancer types: Colorectal, endometrial, ovarian, renal pelvis, pancreatic, small intestine, liver and biliary tract, stomach, brain, and breast cancers
- Gene: APC
- Related cancer types: Colorectal cancer, multiple non-malignant colon polyps, and both non-cancerous (benign) and cancerous tumors in the small intestine, brain, stomach, bone, skin, and other tissues
- Gene: RB1
- Related cancer types: Eye cancer (cancer of the retina), pinealoma (cancer of the pineal gland), osteosarcoma, melanoma, and soft tissue sarcoma
- Gene: MEN1
- Related cancer types: Pancreatic endocrine tumors and (usually benign) parathyroid and pituitary gland tumors
- Gene: RET
- Related cancer types: Medullary thyroid cancer and pheochromocytoma (benign adrenal gland tumor)
- Gene: VHL
- Related cancer types: Kidney cancer and multiple noncancerous tumors, including pheochromocytoma
HealthNewsReview.org - Independent Expert Reviews of News Stories
Independent Expert Reviews of News Stories
OUR CRITERIA FOR WHAT USERS NEED IN STORIES
Visit each link to hear from patients and doctors about why these matter, and to see Thumbs up and Down story examples.
11 country survey: International Survey of Older Adults Finds Shortcomings in Access, Coordination, and Patient-Centered Care
The Commonwealth Fund
About the Study
The 2014 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Survey of Older Adults was conducted by phone from March through May 2014. More than 15,000 people age 65 or older took part in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States......Nurturing Empathy: An Oncologist Looks at Medicine and Himself
The Oncologist (pdf)
Empathy in medicine matters. I should know—I have been
a practicing oncologist for 35 years—but it was only when, in
a matter of seconds, I went from doctor to patient that I
grasped its true significance.......
Friday, November 21, 2014
Recent progress in the treatment and prevention of cancer-related lymphedema - Shaitelman - 2014 - CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians - Wiley Online Library
open access
Lymphedema Beyond Patients With Breast Cancer
One recent systematic review highlighted several areas in the delivery and cost of lymphedema treatment that might benefit from changes in health policy. Stout et al[239] identified 8 articles about health care delivery models and 6 articles about economic and cost analyses. They found that although evidence-based care for the diagnosis and treatment of lymphedema is limited, much of the burden to facilitate diagnosis and referral for effective care is placed on the patient. The authors also found that, compared with patients who do not have lymphedema, patients with lymphedema have significantly higher hospitalization rates, higher rates of medical services use, lower QOL, and significantly higher indirect costs. However, the study had a low level of evidence and yielded only speculative findings.
Circulating tumor cells and circulating tumor DNA for precision medicine: dream or reality?
open access
Abstract
Next-generation sequencing studies have provided further evidence to support the notion that cancer is a disease characterized by Darwinian evolution. Today, we often fail to capture this evolution and treatment decisions, even in the metastatic setting, are often based on analysis of primary tumor diagnosed years ago. Currently, this is considered a major reason for treatment failures in cancer care. Recent technological advances in the detection and characterization of circulating tumor cells and circulating tumor DNA might address this and allow for treatment tailoring based on real-time monitoring of tumor evolution. In this review, we summarize the most important recent findings in the field, focusing on challenges and opportunities in moving these tools forward in clinical practice......
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Ann Oncol (2014) 25 (12): 2304-2313. doi: 10.1093/annonc/mdu480 First published online: October 21, 2014
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Prioritizing targets for precision cancer medicine
open access (technical)
Abstract
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Ann Oncol (2014) 25 (12): 2295-2303. doi: 10.1093/annonc/mdu478 First published online: October 24, 2014
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