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The prognostic importance of cytogenetics was evaluated in 200 adults between 15 and 65 years of age treated on a single ALL cooperative group protocol. Among the 140 having evaluable cytogenetic data, four risk categories were devised. Philadelphia chromosome positive t(9;22), unfavorable (monosomy 7, trisomy 8 or an 11q23 rearrangement), miscellaneous and normal. Overall survival of the miscellaneous group was similar to the normal karyotype patients whereas survival was considerably worse for both unfavorable and Ph + cytogenetic groups. The traditional adverse risk factors of older age and higher presenting white blood cell count were not associated with worse survival after adjusting for cytogenetics. In adult ALL, cytogenetics categories may be the strongest factor in predicting outcome.
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Does erythropoietin worsen cancer death rates? Most hypothyroid patients can be replaced with levothyroxine alone without additional T3. Does aggressive control in type 2 diabetes save lives?
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In a prospective randomized trial comparing post-surgical follow-up for patients with Stage III and IV colon cancer, PET-CT was found to detect recurrence earlier and to result in a greater number of patients eligible for surgical resection of isolated metastases when compared to conventional follow-up schedules that include CT scanning.
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In a series of patients with metastatic breast cancer peripheral blood and bone marrow were assayed for the detection of breast cancer cells. Breast cancer cells were found in the bone marrow in 59% of patients but their presence did not provide prognostic information with regard to survival. In contrast, survival was significantly worse for the 41% of patients with detectable circulating breast cancer cells.
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In this large, multi-site randomized clinical trial in older patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), R-CHOP-14 proved superior to CHOP-14 and 8 cycles offered no advantage compared with 6.
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NEW ORLEANS As balmy spring days bathed "The Big Easy" last month during the 33rd annual International Stroke Conference, sponsored by the American Stroke Association (ASA; Dallas), one could not help but think of the saying "hope springs eternal" even concerning one of the most troubling of all healthcare issues.
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As if we didn't already have enough privacy and security concerns to worry about, the medical device industry must add one more to the "not absolutely secure" list. A team of researchers has demonstrated that devices monitored by telemetry can be disrupted wirelessly thus, essentially hackable.
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A commonly used medication that prevents blood clots from forming may also prevent existing clots from damaging delicate vein walls and may accelerate healing in a clot-damaged area of vein wall, according to new research from the University of Michigan (U-M) Cardiovascular Center (Ann Arbor, Michigan).
