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Oncology and Hematology
Journal Watch condenses summaries of key research across specialties from more than 250 medical journals into concise yet comprehensive articles, incorporating clinical commentary from prominent physician-editors in the field.
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SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Bevacizumab for Breast Cancer: What's Next?
- January 25, 2012
- William J. Gradishar, MD
Adding bevacizumab to neoadjuvant chemotherapy raised pathologic complete response rates, but questions remain.
- Reviewing:
- von Minckwitz G et al. N Engl J Med 2012 Jan 26; 366:299
Recent Oncology and Hematology Articles
MEETING REPORT
The 2011 San Antonio Breast Cancer SymposiumFree
- January 24, 2012
- William J. Gradishar, MD
Highlights include adjuvant bisphosphonates, endocrine therapy, treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer, and genomic scores for predicting risk for recurrence of ductal carcinoma in situ.
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Dual Antibodies Reap Benefits Against HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer
- January 24, 2012
- William J. Gradishar, MD
Adding pertuzumab to trastuzumab plus docetaxel prolonged progression-free survival without raising risk for cardiac events.
- Reviewing:
- Baselga J et al. N Engl J Med 2012 Jan 12; 366:109
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Adjuvant Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer Affects Coronary Arteries
- January 24, 2012
- William J. Gradishar, MD
Stenosis occurred in certain regions of the arterial tree, but contemporary RT has evolved to minimize this risk.
- Reviewing:
- Nilsson G et al. J Clin Oncol 2011 Dec 27
MEETING REPORT
Report from the 53rd American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition — Part 1: Benign Hematology
- January 17, 2012
- David Green, MD, PhD
The latest research in benign hematology
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Is Anticoagulation Therapy Safe for Children with Ischemic Stroke?
- January 17, 2012
- David Green, MD, PhD
Results from a small observational study suggest that the risk for ACT-associated intracranial hemorrhage is low.
- Reviewing:
- Schechter T et al. Blood 2011 Dec 7
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Adjuvant Therapy Improves Overall Survival in Gastric Cancer
- January 17, 2012
- David H. Ilson, MD, PhD
The 5-year OS rate was significantly higher in patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy than in those who underwent surgery only.
- Reviewing:
- Sasako M et al. J Clin Oncol 2011 Nov 20; 29:4387
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Everolimus Improves Progression-Free Survival in Carcinoid Tumors
- January 17, 2012
- David H. Ilson, MD, PhD
This mTOR inhibitor plus octreotide demonstrated activity against a spectrum of neuroendocrine cancers.
- Reviewing:
- Pavel ME et al. Lancet 2011 Dec 10; 378:2005
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Biopsy of Recurrent Breast Cancer Can Tell an Important Story
- January 10, 2012
- William J. Gradishar, MD
Marker discordance between primary and metastatic tumors affects management decisions and patients' outcomes.
- Reviewing:
- Amir E et al. J Clin Oncol 2011 Nov 28
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Breast Cancer Prognosis and Management: Role of Gene Expression Profiling
- January 10, 2012
- Virginia Kaklamani, MD, DSc
Molecular signatures are increasingly important for guiding treatment recommendations.
- Reviewing:
- Reis-Filho JS and Pusztai L. Lancet 2011 Nov 19; 378:1812
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Gene Therapy for Christmas Disease
- January 10, 2012
- David Green, MD, PhD
A single infusion of a liver-targeted adenovirus vector expressing the human factor IX transgene produces a sustained increase in factor IX levels with few adverse effects.
- Reviewing:
- Nathwani AC et al. N Engl J Med 2011 Dec 22; 365:2357
Editor's Picks from across Journal Watch
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Detection Rates Are Similar for Digital and Film MammographyFree
- November 17, 2011
- By Jamaluddin Moloo, MD, MPH
- General Medicine
Digital mammography had better sensitivity when breast tissue was dense.
- Reviewing:
- Ann Intern Med 2011 Oct 18; 155:493
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Solid Organ Transplant Recipients Have Doubled Risk for Cancer
- November 17, 2011
- By Thomas L. Schwenk, MD
- General Medicine
Lymphoma and lung cancer were most common.
- Reviewing:
- JAMA 2011 Nov 2; 306:1891
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Clopidogrel Dosing Based on Genotype: What Difference Does It Make?
- November 16, 2011
- By Joel M. Gore, MD
- Cardiology
In patients heterozygous for the CYP2C19*2 allele, higher doses significantly reduced platelet reactivity, but whether genotype-guided dosing improves outcomes remains unknown.
- Reviewing:
- JAMA 2011 Nov 23/30; 306:2221
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Once Again, Bivalirudin Alone Bests Heparin plus a GPIFree
- November 13, 2011
- By Howard C. Herrmann, MD
- Cardiology
Efficacy was similar and bleeding rates were lower with bivalirudin in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for myocardial infarction without ST-segment elevation.
- Reviewing:
- N Engl J Med 2011 Nov 13
Journal Watch Oncology and Hematology summarizes important medical journal articles about a wide variety of oncology and hematology topics, including leukemia, anemia, lymphoma, thrombosis, and hemochromatosis.
