The oncologist
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Intravenous ferric gluconate significantly improves response to epoetin alfa versus oral iron or no iron in anemic patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy.
To evaluate the safety and efficacy of intravenous (IV) sodium ferric gluconate complex (FG), oral ferrous sulfate, or no iron to increase hemoglobin (Hb) in anemic cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and epoetin alfa. ⋯ For cancer patients with chemotherapy-related anemia receiving epoetin alfa, FG produces a significantly greater increase in Hb and Hb response compared with oral iron or no iron, supporting more aggressive treatment with IV iron supplementation for these patients.
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Worldwide, approximately 1.3 billion individuals are current smokers, and smoking is the second major cause of death. Currently, lung cancer is the most common type of cancer in Europe, and the third in the U. S. ⋯ The central role of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor (EGFR) in lung carcinogenesis is well recognized. Genetic polymorphisms are variants in individual genomes that may be responsible for different functional molecular roles and contribute to variability in drug pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes. Herein, we review the literature on EGF and EGFR functions and activities, particularly the current role of their functional polymorphisms as related to NSCLC.