– February 1, 2006
February 1, 2006
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Clinical Briefs in Primary Care supplement
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Pharmacology Watch
Letrozole for Postmenopausal Women with Breast Cancer; Do Antidepressants Increase Risk of Suicide?; Can Viagra Improve Heart Function?; Can Tamoxifen Increase Your Height?; A Dramatic Increase of Clostridium difficile; FDA Actions -
Autologous Transplant for Therapy-Related Leukemia
This retrospective analysis from the European Transplant Registry summarizes the outcome after autologous transplant for 65 patients treated for t-MDS/AML. The cumulative incidence of relapse was 58% with a lower rate for patients in CR1 prior to transplant (CR1 vs non-CR1 at 3 years: 48 vs 89%; P = 0.05). The probability of 3-year overall and disease-free survival were 35% (95% CI, 21-49%) and 32% (95% CI, 18-45%), respectively. Improved outcome was seen in patients younger than 40 years and those transplanted in CR1. -
Anemia and Brain Function in Elderly Lung Cancer Patients
Chemotherapy-related anemia is associated with impairment of functional status and cognitive functions. In elderly cancer patients anemia correction or maintenance could be useful to preserve functional independency and protect from mental decay. However, the study results need to be confirmed on a larger series of patients within a controlled clinical trial. -
Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease Receive Less Aggressive Treatment for Breast Cancer
In a pattern-of-care analysis performed by linking the SEER database with Medicare claims data, it was found that, matched for age, breast cancer patients who had coexisting Alzheimers disease were less likely to have surgery, radiation or chemotherapy than those without Alzheimers disease. -
Oral Fludarabine for Indolent NHL: A Phase II Trial
In a phase II study conducted in Japan, oral fludarabine phosphate administered to patients with B-cell non-Hodgkins lymphoma was shown to have an overall response rate of 65%, but with significant, albeit manageable, hematologic toxicity. Oral administration of this drug may prove a convenient alternative to the current regimens which call for several clinic or infusion center visits in the week of therapy. -
Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy: Coming of Age?
As compared with intravenous paclitaxel plus cisplatin, intravenous paclitaxel plus intraperitoneal cisplatin and paclitaxel improves survival in patients with optimally debulked stage III ovarian cancer.