The oncologist
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Patients older than 65 years are underrepresented in clinical trials. We conducted a prospective study (SWOG S0316) to determine physician- and patient-perceived barriers to breast cancer clinical trial enrollment for older patients. ⋯ Trial unavailability or patient ineligibility were the major reasons for lack of enrollment in breast cancer clinical trials for patients of all ages in this prospective study. Older patients were less likely to be eligible for trials, but if eligible they participated at similar rates to younger patients.
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Specific human monoclonal antibodies antagonize cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (anti-CTLA-4 mAbs), a negative regulator of the immune system, inducing unrestrained T-cell activation. In patients with advanced or metastatic melanoma, one of these agents, ipilimumab, produced considerable disease control rates and, for the first time, a clear improvement in overall survival outcomes. However, accumulating clinical experience with anti-CTLA-4 mAbs identified a novel syndrome of autoimmune and autoinflammatory side effects, designated as "immune-related adverse events," including mainly rash, colitis, and hepatitis. ⋯ This condition may be life threatening because of adrenal insufficiency if not promptly recognized, but it may easily be diagnosed and treated if clinically suspected. Hypopituitarism caused by these agents is rarely reversible and prolonged or life-long substitutive hormonal treatment is often required. The precise mechanism of injury to the pituitary triggered by anti-CTLA-4 mAbs is yet to be fully elucidated.
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Lapatinib is a potent reversible and selective inhibitor of the tyrosine kinase domains of epidermal growth factor receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER)-2 that exerts its action by competitive binding to the intracellular ATP-binding site of the receptor. It is registered for the treatment of advanced or metastatic HER-2+ breast cancer in combination with capecitabine and for hormone receptor-positive breast cancer in combination with an aromatase inhibitor. ⋯ In studies on the efficacy of lapatinib, direct comparisons between lapatinib and trastuzumab are lacking. Results of ongoing randomized phase III studies with lapatinib or trastuzumab in combination with taxanes as first-line agents for metastatic breast cancer as well as in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings are awaited.
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Cancer patients develop severe physical and psychological symptoms as a result of their disease and treatment. Their families commonly suffer great emotional distress as a result of caregiving. Early palliative care access can improve symptom control and quality of life and reduce the cost of care. ⋯ Unfortunately, only a minority of cancer centers in the U. S. have the two most important resources for palliative care delivery: outpatient palliative care centers and inpatient palliative care units. In this article, we use a case presentation to discuss the impact of early palliative care access in light of the currently available evidence, and we recommend ways to improve early access to palliative care through education and research.
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The Avastin Registry: Investigation of Effectiveness and Safety (ARIES) study is a prospective, community-based observational cohort study that evaluated the effectiveness and safety of first-line treatment patterns, assessing the impact of chemotherapy choice and treatment duration. ⋯ In first-line mCRC patients, the FOLFOX-bevacizumab and FOLFIRI-bevacizumab regimens were associated with similar treatment patterns and clinical outcomes.