Oncology Business Management | Specialty

Aggressive Goals Fuel Research, Growth at 'The James'

May 20th 2010

The Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute opened on July 9, 1990,as the adult patient-care component of The Ohio State University (OSU) Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC).Today, "The James," as it is referred to, is the only dedicated cancer hospital in the Midwest.

Onyx Pharmaceuticals Steps Up Its Game

May 20th 2010

The motto for Onyx Pharmaceuticals is "Changing the Way Cancer is Treated." With a successful 2009 behind it and a busy 2010 ahead, Onyx is staying true to its word.

ASCO Updates Guidelines for Genetic Testing

May 20th 2010

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) updated its 2003 recommendations for genetic testing to keep pace with exponential progress in genetic science.

2008 Healthcare Spending Massive Despite Decline in Growth Rate

May 20th 2010

The United States spent $2.3 trillion ($7681 per person) on healthcare in 2008, with costs continuing to outstrip available resources.

New FDA Website Updates Medical Device Report Codes

May 20th 2010

The FDA Center for Devices and Radiological Health, in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute Enterprise Vocabulary Service, launched a Website (http://tinyurl.com/mlptu7) updating its coding system for reporting adverse events related to medical devices.

NCCN Issues New Practice Guidelines for Prostate Cancer

May 20th 2010

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has issued new practice guidelines for managing certain patients with prostate cancer.

By The Numbers: Haiti: From Bad to Worse

May 20th 2010

On January 12, 2010, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake rocked Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, for 35 to 40 seconds.The island country's capital of Port-au-Prince was hardest hit, with heavy damage to buildings and infrastructure and major loss of life.

FDA Says Simvastatin & Ezetimibe Unlikely to Cause Cancer

May 20th 2010

The FDA concludes that the cholesterol-lowering drugs simvastatin (Zocor),ezetimibe (Zetia), and Vytorin (ezetimibe/simvastatin) are not likely to increase cancer risk.

Maintenance Therapy Prolongs Disease Control in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

May 20th 2010

According to data from a French study, patients with unresectable metastatic colorectal cancer who experience a chemotherapy-free interval (CFI) following first-line chemotherapy have shorter durations of disease control(DDC)and progression-free survival (PFS) compared with patients who begin maintenance therapy immediately.

Spiritual Support Improves Quality of Life for Oncology Patients Near Death

May 20th 2010

According to a multi-institutional study, terminally ill cancer patients are more likely to seek hospice care and less likely to pursue aggressive end-of-life (EOL) treatment if the medical team supports their spiritual needs.

Genetic Link to Aggressive Prostate Cancer Identified

May 20th 2010

Jianfeng Xu, MD, professor of epidemiology and cancer biology, Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, North Carolina, and colleagues discovered a variant predictive of aggressive prostate cancer.

Star Wars Strikes Back: Microwave Technology from Reagan-era Program Reduces Mastectomies

May 20th 2010

Researchers at the University of Oklahoma (OU) have been investigating focused microwave thermotherapy (FMT), a microwave treatment capable of destroying large cancer tumors in patients with breast cancer.

Aromatase Inhibitors: Updates from Major Trials

May 20th 2010

In 2009, we covered several long-term studies investigating the use of aromatase inhibitors (AIs) alone or sequenced with tamoxifen. This includes the Intergroup Exemestane Study (IES), the TEAM trial, and the BIG 1-98 trial, all of which presented new or updated data at the 2009 SABCS in December.

Some Lifestyle Choices Raise Risk of Breast Cancer Recurrence

May 20th 2010

For women with breast cancer, alcohol consumption and obesity herald a poorer prognosis. In one of only a few studies to evaluate the role of alcohol in breast cancer outcomes, researchers found that imbibing just half a drink per day���¢�¯�¿�½�¯�¿�½or 2 to 3 per week���¢�¯�¿�½�¯�¿�½raised the risk of breast cancer recurrence by 39%. In a second study involving ~19,000 women, body mass index (BMI) ���¢�¯�¿�½���¥25 increased the risk of distant metastasis by approximately 45%, study involving ~19,000 women, body mass index (BMI) ���¢�¯�¿�½���¥25 increased the risk of distant metastasis by approximately 45%.

Bisphosphonates Effects on Bone Health & Cancer

May 20th 2010

Bisphosphonates have been a hot topic at the past several SABCS meetings. This year was no exception. In addition to bisphosphonates' protective effects on bone, researchers have been looking at whether they have anticancer effects.

Screening High-Risk Women with MRI

May 20th 2010

As part of our ongoing coast-to-coast oncology coverage, our writers were live in Texas at the 32nd Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS). Our special SABCS wrap-up delivers all the major breast cancer news�including data on MRI screening, bisphosphonates, and aromatase inhibitors�to oncologists unable to attend the event.

Medical Marijuana: Smoke & Mirrors?

May 20th 2010

When our home state of New Jersey became the 14th state in the nation to legalize medical marijuana, OBTN decided to take a closer look at the herbal remedy. With help from oncologists on our advisory board, we sought to filter through the smoke and examine the ealities of medical marijuana.

FDA Updates: May 20, 2010

May 20th 2010

New Gene Signature in Breast Tumors Predicts Resistance to Anthracyclines

May 20th 2010

In another discovery that may help tailor the treatment of women with breast cancer, researchers from the Dana-Farber Women's Cancers Program determined that overexpression of the LAPTM4B and YWHAZ genes on chromosome 8q22, combined with amplification of other genes, conveys resistance to anthracyclines and increases the likelihood of metastatic recurrence.

Can Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 Protect Against Chemo Brain?

May 20th 2010

Chemotherapy recipients have long complained of decreased mental function during and after treatment, yet the medical community has only recently acknowledged the reality of chemo brain, the term for chemotherapy's degenerative effect on normal cognitive function.