Cancer
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The current study was performed to identify clinical features and independent predictors of survival in patients with bone metastases from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). ⋯ The results of the current study provide detailed information regarding clinical features, survival outcomes, and prognostic factors for HCC with bone metastases in a relatively large cohort of patients treated with EBRT. These prognostic factors will help in determining which dose and fraction are appropriate.
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This study assessed the long-term safety and tolerability of fentanyl buccal tablet (FBT) in opioid-tolerant patients with cancer and breakthrough pain (BTP) who were either naive to FBT or had completed 1 of 2 previous double-blind, placebo-controlled FBT studies (rollover patients). ⋯ FBT was generally well tolerated and had a favorable safety profile in the long-term (>or=12 months) management of patients with persistent cancer pain and BTP. No unexpected AEs occurred. Safety and tolerability was similar to that observed in short-term studies.
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Racial disparities in survival from breast and prostate cancer are well established; however, the roles of societal/socioeconomic factors and innate/genetic factors in explaining the disparities remain unclear. One approach for evaluating the relative importance of societal and innate factors is to quantify how the magnitude of racial disparities changes according to the geographic scales at which data are aggregated. Disappearance of racial disparities for some levels of aggregation would suggest that modifiable factors not inherent at the individual level are responsible for the disparities. ⋯ The current results suggest that modifiable societal factors are responsible for apparent racial disparities in breast and prostate cancer survival observed at larger geographic scales. This research presents a novel strategy for taking advantage of inconsistencies across geographic scales to evaluate the relative importance of innate and societal-level factors in explaining racial disparities in cancer survival.
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Inactivation of the von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor gene in most sporadic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) tumors leads to a fundamental reliance on elements of this pathway, namely, the potent proangiogenic factor, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Thus, VEGF-targeted therapeutics have undergone extensive clinical testing in RCC. ⋯ Robust clinical effects have been observed, including high objective response rates, prolonged progression-free survival, and evidence of long overall survival for patients with metastatic RCC patients who are treated with these agents. Future directions include investigation of combination and sequenced therapy, elucidation of mechanisms of response and resistance, and exploration of the effect of these agents in other disease settings.
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This study investigated whether there was a significant gap in receipt of treatment for nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) between blacks and whites, and whether the gap or disparity changed during the past 12 years from 1991 to 2002. ⋯ There have been substantial disparities in receiving recommended treatments between blacks and whites, and these disparities have been relatively stable without a significant trend of narrowing during the past 12 years. Efforts should focus on providing appropriate quality treatment and educating blacks on the value of having these treatments to reduce these disparities in receipt of treatment for NSCLC.