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In a multicenter, Phase 3 trial, perioperative chemoradiotherapy with capecitabine proved safe and equivalently effective as fluorouracil in reducing local recurrence. In fact, post hoc analysis demonstrated better disease-free and overall survival for those treated with capecitabine. This is a finding that will resonate in the offices of community-based oncologists.
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Lorcaserin for weight loss; statins and fatigue; treatment-resistant gonorrhea; hydrocodone classification changes; USPSTF recommendations; and FDA actions.
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In this single-institute pilot study, 30 subjects with hepatocellular cancer were randomized to transarterial chemoembolization with or without bevacizumab. Bevacizumab use significantly improved progression-free survival at 16 weeks but no significant difference was seen with respect to the primary outcome (vessel count) or in the overall survival.
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A 57-year-old retail pharmacist presented to his primary care physician because of progressive headaches, blurry vision, hearing loss, and episodes of confusion. He had not had night sweats, fever, or weight loss. On physical examination he was found to be pale and there were ecchymoses over his upper and lower extremities that he reported occurred spontaneously over the past 3 months. He had attributed these to his current medications including both aspirin (81 mg/day) and clopidogrel (75 mg/day), although he had been taking these medications for more than 5 years without noticing ecchymoses in the past. He did not have palpable lymphadenopathy nor was there splenomegaly.
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Results of this well-done trial strongly suggest that CoQ10 administration over 24 weeks' time does not help relieve the treatment-related fatigue experienced by a significant proportion of women with newly diagnosed breast cancer.
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Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy has become the standard approach for patients with locally advanced rectal adenocarcinoma. For patients who achieve a complete response determined preoperatively, less than maximally aggressive surgery has been contemplated. However, improved accuracy of the preoperative assessment needs to be established. In the current prospective evaluation, assessments of response were made with and without the use of PET/CT in a consecutive series and it was found that the additional scans were useful adjuncts to comprehensive clinical examination.
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Medically self-sabotaging behavior encompasses a number of diverse phenomena that include factitious disorder, making medical situations worse on purpose, and preventing wounds from healing.
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Celiac disease (CD), also known as gluten-sensitive enteropathy as well as two older and no longer recommended terms,3 nontropical sprue and celiac sprue, is a chronic immune-mediated disorder induced by dietary gluten in genetically susceptible individuals. In CD patients, the ingestion of gluten results in the development of small intestinal mucosal villous atrophy with crypt hyperplasia and mucosal inflammation. Patients may be asymptomatic or may manifest classic malabsorptive symptoms of abdominal pain, bloating, weight loss, diarrhea, and steatorrhea. They also may present along a spectrum with more subtle gastrointestinal and/or extraintestinal symptoms and signs of the disease; virtually every body system can be affected.
