jacquie strax »
20 August 2009 »
In Breast, Cancer, Cancer Treatments, Colorectal »
If you are a cancer patient, whatever your race — whether you are African American, Hispanic or white — in the USA you would be well advised to seek treatment at a hospital that treats mostly white patients.
So finds a newly published study by researchers at University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. At hospitals that treat more black patients than white, all cancer patients are liable to receive less than optimum care.
Hospitals that treat more black cancer patients, these researchers found, have worse survival rates on average for patients with breast and colon cancer, regardless of race,
The research helps explain, the authors say, why African-Americans with breast or colon cancer are less likely than white patients to survive the disease. The study appears in the Aug. 20 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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jacquie strax »
20 August 2009 »
In Cancer, Cancer Treatments, Prostate Cancer »
For a glimpse into what your oncologist can learn about prostate cancer this fall check out the agenda for this October 31, 2009 conference. Unfortunately, for prostate cancer this learning session reflects no rapid advancements in standard of care. But if your oncologist falls beneath this standard, find someone better:
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jacquie strax »
20 August 2009 »
In Cancer, Denosumab, Hormonal-ADT, Osteoporosis, Prostate Cancer, Side Effects, trial results »
Androgen-deprivation therapy is well-established for treating prostate cancer but is associated with bone loss and an increased risk of fracture. Matthew R. Smith and an international team investigated the effects of denosumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody against receptor activator of nuclear factor-{kappa}B ligand, on bone mineral density and fractures in men receiving androgen-deprivation therapy for nonmetastatic prostate cancer. In today’s New England Journal of Medicine, August 20, they report positive results:
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Tags: Denosumab
jacquie strax »
08 July 2009 »
In Beam Radiation, PCa Treatments, Prostate Cancer, Proton, Side Effects »
Proton beam therapy for prostate cancer, a treatment that attracts more than an average numbers of engineers, scientists and pilots, is coming under intense scrutiny from reporters who expect it to be questioned by the Obama adminstration’s health-care reform team.
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jacquie strax »
22 April 2009 »
In Biotech companies, Cancer Treatments, Dendreon, Immunotherapy, Prostate Cancer, Provenge, trial results, Vaccines »
Hyam Levitsky
A four part interview with Hy Levitsky M.D., professor of oncology and tumor immunology at Johns Hopkins Medical School and co-inventor GVAX anti-cancer vaccine, is posted on Dendreon Investor Village website.
Interview conducted by rufustoehee, a dentist and Dendreon investor, published 4/22/2009.
By way of introduction, Dr Levitsky’s bio is posted alphabetically downpage among those of other speakers at Cancer Immunology & Immunotherapy 2008: From Discovery to Development to Drug.
EXCERPTS FROM INTERVIEW
Conversation with Dr. Levitsky Part 1
“. . . . how this impacts on the field of tumor immunology, I feel it will very much depend on the nature of the data they present, assuming for the sake of discussion, that this is an unequivocal and unambiguous win, then I think it will have a very significant impact. Number one, I think that unless there are aspects to this that have not been made public, I think the FDA would in this instance need to move it forward in the approval process and I think that how it ultimately gets integrated into clinical practice will be a fascinating thing to watch.
“. . . . It is important to acknowledge that tumor response is a surrogate endpoint. It is a surrogate endpoint for perhaps 2 other endpoints that might be more meaningful. One is overall survival which is the gold standard and the other perhaps is the quality of life. No one can argue that those two things have sort of the paramount importance where as to an objective 50% or greater reduction in the mean diameter of all measurable tumor masses is an interesting yard stick, but it is only a yard stick.”
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Tags: Add new tag, Dendreon IV board, HY Levitsky M.D., rufustoehee
jacquie strax »
14 April 2009 »
In Cancer, Cancer Treatments, Dendreon, Prostate Cancer, Provenge, Vaccines »
Dendreon’s prostate cancer vaccine significantly prolonged the overall survival among 500 men with advanced, metastic prostate cancer compared to a placebo, the company said Tuesday.
Results were “robust” and “unambiguous,” a spokesman said during today’s (Tues April 14) company broadcast conference call with biotech investment analysts.
“The successful outcome from the Phase 3 IMPACT study provides validation of the long-pursued goal of harnessing the human immune system against a patient’s own cancer,” Dendreon Chief Executive Mitchell Gold said in a statement.
“Survival is the gold standard outcome for oncology clinical trials, and overall survival was the primary endpoint of the IMPACT trial. The positive results from this landmark study provide confirmatory evidence demonstrating that treatment with PROVENGE may prolong survival,” Dendreon CEO Mitch Gold said.
The Seattle-based drugmaker said the phase III study of Provenge, known as IMPACT, met its primary endpoint with statistical significance. Details of the study are being withheld so that they can be presented at the American Urological Association’s Annual Meeting in Chicago on April 28.
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jacquie strax »
01 January 2009 »
In Bisphosphonates, Cancer Treatments, Chemotherapy, Esophageal, Osteoporosis, Prostate Cancer, Side Effects »
Recent stories on bisphosphonate side effects might be signaling the advent of a new, superior drug, but will Halozyme’s rHuPH20 enzyme solve the problem of jaw necrosis?
Drug development companies operate within the overall consumer culture. We all want better drugs, better everything. Generic Fosamax (alendronate) now costs just $4 at Wal-Mart, Kroger and other retail pharmacies. What might make right now a better than usual time to get word out to the masses that Fosamax carries some dreadful, if quite rare, risks?
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Tags: Fosamax, rHuPH20, Zometa
jacquie strax »
31 December 2008 »
In Bisphosphonates, Cancer, Esophageal, Osteoporosis, Side Effects »
Diane Wysowski of the FDA’s division of drug risk assessment says researchers should check into potential links between oral bisphosphonate drugs and cancer of the esophagus.
Merck’s oral osteoporosis drug Fosamax may carry a risk for esophageal cancer, Wysowski writes in a letter to January 1, 2009 New England Journal of Medicine.
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Tags: Fosamax
admin »
19 December 2008 »
In Cancer, Cancer Treatments, Complementary + Alt Med, Complementary integrative, QOL »
Music “has Charms to sooth a savage Breast,” wrote playwright William Congreve, “To soften Rocks, or bend a knotted Oak.” But can it soothe those mired in the grief, confusion and pain of cancer diagnosis and treatment?
Music therapist Megan Gunnell at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center thinks so. She uses music to help heal cancer patients’ spirits as well as their bodies.
UM Music therapist Megan Gunnell
You can listen to one of her music therapy sessions. You’ll need QuickTime music player . If you don’t already have it installed on your computer, you can download it for Windows or Mac in a free version from Apple.
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admin »
24 November 2008 »
In ED, Erectile dysfunction, intimacy, PCa Treatments, Penile rehab, Prostate Cancer, QOL, Side Effects »
Rhonda Fine
PhD ARNP
Many factors can adversely affect sexual performance. Physical disability illness, obesity, medications, aging, stress, grief, emotional distress and relationship conflicts may all at times contribute to sexual dysfunction.
Prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment may also contribute to sexual dysfunction. To help men and their partners cope with and manage sexual dysfunction, the Krongrad Institute has brought in Rhonda Fine, PhD, ARNP. Dr. Fine will head up the Institute’s efforts to support men and their sexual partners after prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment.
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