With the Food and Drug Administration requesting withdrawal of ranitidine formulations due to a potentially carcinogenic contaminant, N-nitrosodimethylamine, a new study evaluated whether ranitidine use is associated with gastric cancer.
Women Benefit From Both Lung, Breast Cancer Screening
Women are most likely to die from lung cancer—with mortality greater than breast, cervical and ovarian cancer combined—and increased screening has been shown to significantly reduce mortality.
Survey Looks at VHA Glaucoma Surgery Patterns
Laser trabeculoplasty (LTP) is the use of a laser beam to burn areas of the trabecular meshwork, located near the base of the iris, to increase fluid outflow.
Battlefield Ocular Trauma Leaves Wounded Legally Blind
Modern-day combat trauma results in complicated ocular injuries causing nearly a third of injured military personnel to be declared legally blind in the affected eye, according to a new study.
Study Sought to Characterize Ocular Pain Symptoms
How common is ocular pain in patients with and without a history of refractive surgery, and what are its characteristics?
Untangling the Mystery Behind Blast-Induced Neurological Complications
Explosive blasts account for a majority of the injuries among wounded servicemembers, but some of the most long-term and damaging effects of blast exposure might be slipping by undetected.
Delayed Colorectal Cancer Screening Follow-up Increases Veterans’ Death Rates
With about 4,000 new cases of colorectal cancer diagnosed each year, the VA has fought to increase screening for the condition, which is in the top five cancers afflicting veterans.
VHA PSA Screening Rates Dropped for Some Groups
How did the 2012 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation against the prostate specific antigen screening for prostate cancer affect practice at the VHA?
BH3 Mimetics Combos Targeting MCL1, BCL2 Might Help Treat Melanoma
AURORA, CO – Patients with melanoma who are refractory to or ineligible for immune checkpoint blockade have an urgent need for effective treatments. A report in the journal Cancers (Basel) noted that includes patients who lack BRAF-V600E/K mutations and is often the...
Prognosis Beginning to Improve for T-cell Lymphoma Patients
LONG BEACH, CA – Among hematological malignancies, T-cell lymphomas have an extremely poor prognosis. A new review suggested that might be changing with unusual paths to cure. An article in the Lancet Haematology pointed out that, over the last three decades, little...
Discovery Explains Neurotoxicity With Certain CAR T Cell Immunotherapy
PHILADELPHIA — A new discovery might help explain the cause of neurotoxicity in patients undergoing CD19 directed CAR T cell immunotherapy. A report in the journal Cell discussed how new research uncovered the previously unknown presence of CD19 — a B cell molecule...
Servicemembers Usually Diagnosed With Lung Cancer Earlier Than Civilians
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, killing more than 150,000 people each year. Lung cancer also poses a particularly high risk to servicemembers and veterans.
CLL, Lymphoma Treatments Might Be Effective in Some Melanoma Cases
AURORA, CO – Noting the urgent need to develop treatments for patients with melanoma who are refractory to or ineligible for immune checkpoint blockade, including patients who lack BRAF-V600E/K mutations, a new study suggested some possible options. The report in...
NHL, Some Other Cancers, Reduced With Early ART in HIV-Positive Patients
OAKLAND, CA – Cancer is a significant problem for patients diagnosed with HIV. indicates that earlier initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in persons living with HIV (PLWH) can reduce cancer incidence, but it has not been clear which cancer types are affected. A...
Erectile Dysfunction Medications Appear to Lower Some Colorectal Cancer Risks
COLUMBIA, SC—PDE-5 inhibitors are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat erectile dysfunction, but a new study suggested that the drugs also might be a viable chemopreventive agent for some types of cancer. The article in Clinical and Translational...
Promising Options Identified for AML Treatment After Initial Treatment Failure
CHICAGO – Because of limited treatment options after the failure of initial therapy, clinical management of acute myeloid leukemia remains a challenge for clinicians. One area of significant interest, according to a report in the journal Blood, has been therapeutic...
VA Dramatically Reduces ESA Use for Cancer-Related Anemia
COLUMBIA, SC -- Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents were indicated for use in patients with cancer who receive noncurative myelosuppressive chemotherapy, with the intention of mitigating symptoms and side effects to decrease the need for red blood cell transfusions....
Lymphoma Rates Drop With Better Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment at VA
SEATTLE -- High systemic inflammatory activity is suspected to be a major risk determinant of lymphomagenesis, and past epidemiological studies have consistently demonstrated a link between rheumatoid arthritis and the incidence of lymphoma. A study in RMD Open -...