Black women are more likely to die of uterine cancer than white women, even though the incidence rate is the same between the two groups.
VA Rapidly Adopted Novel Agents for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
In 2015, the American Society of Clinical Oncologists (ASCO) named the transformation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) the Cancer Advance of the Year.
Value Calculations Conflict in Genomic Profiling of Tumors
Increased personalization of cancer therapy has transformed oncology over the past decade as a growing number of targeted therapies have entered the market.
More Screening Urged to Stem Increase in Colorectal Cancer in Younger Patients
Rates of colorectal cancer have been rising in younger patients since the mid-1980s, even as rates have fallen in individuals over age 50, according to the American Cancer Society.
Immunotherapy Increases Overall Survival in Veterans with NSCLC
Real world results often differ markedly from those seen in clinical trials. In the very real world setting of the VA, does immunotherapy really provide greater benefit than chemotherapy for patients with lung cancer?
Effective EPOCH-R Treatment for Older Patients With Aggressive Lymphomas
Over the last few years, two combinations have dueled for primacy in treatment of lymphomas: DA-EPOCH-R (dose-adjusted etoposide, prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and rituximab) and R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone).
Early Progression Linked to Worse Outcomes in Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma
Among veterans, renal cell carcinoma (RCC) accounts for 3% of all diagnosed malignancies or approximately 2,250 new diagnoses each year.
Guideline-Concordant Skeletal Survey Might Overestimate Multiple Myeloma
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Guidelines continue to recommend conducting a skeletal survey or whole-body radiography as the first step in identifying osteolytic bone lesions and distinguishing between smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) and multiple myeloma (MM).
Prognostic Models Fail to Reflect Racial Differences in Prostate Cancer
Every physician knows each patient is different. Prognostic models, however, tend to assume everyone’s the same. That can skew decisions in cancer care.
Veteran Survival Varies Widely with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors
Across the VA system, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are being prescribed for a growing number of cancer types including renal cell carcinoma, lung cancer, head and neck cancers, and melanoma.
Microneedling Skin to Protect Against Non-Melanoma Cancer
DAYTON, OH —Geriatric patients are the primary victims of nonmelanoma skin cancer, according to a new study pointing out that only 20% of them are diagnosed in patients younger than 60. Part of the reason, according to an article in Archives of Dermatological...
Older Men With Prostate Cancer Likely to Die of Other Causes
LOS ANGELES —Men with biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy don’t always receive enough information on competing risks of mortality to inform prognosis and guide treatment, according to a new study. Cedars-Sinai Medical Center-led researchers sought to...
Lipid Trait Variants Don’t Appear to Be Linked to NHL Subtypes
ROCHESTER, MN – Noting that studies linking lipid traits to risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma have been inconclusive, new research examined the association of genetically predicted lipid traits with risk of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), chronic lymphocytic...
Survey of VHA Use of Chemoprevention for Breast Cancer
INDIANAPOLIS—Although clinicians now have tools to reduce the risk of breast cancer, most eligible women in the United States aren’t offered either personalized screening or chemoprevention. That is despite breast cancer being the most common cancer diagnosed among...
Link Found Between Taller Adult Height, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Risk
BETHESDA, MD – Is taller adult height associated with an increased risk of some non-Hodgkin lymphoma subtypes? An international study led by the National Cancer Institute and partially funded by the VA’s research service sought to determine how height, which is...
Aggressive Chemo-Immunotherapy Found Safe for Older Patients With CLL Treatments
MINNEAPOLIS — Even though chronic lymphocytic leukemia is a disease of older adults, with median age of 68 years at diagnosis, clinical trials on chemo-immunotherapy agents rarely included patients of advanced age, according to a new study. Noting the strong...
Chemo-immunotherapy and Older Patients Before New CLL Treatments
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Even though chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a disease of older adults, with median age of 68 years at diagnosis, clinical trials on chemo-immunotherapy agents rarely included patients of advanced age, according to a new study. Noting the strong...
Study Looks at Trichomonas Vaginalis Infection, Cancer Link
LOUIS—The protist Trichomonas vaginalis causes a common, sexually transmitted infection, some research has raised the possibility that it might contribute to the development of chronic prostate conditions, including benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer. A...
Multiple Myeloma Treatment Linked to More Secondary Malignancies in Veterans
BOSTON – While treatment of and survival with multiple myeloma has dramatically improved with better therapeutic options, concerns have been raised about a concurrent increase in second primary malignancies that appear to be related to treatment. A presentation at the...
No Evidence That Military Trauma Increases Risk of Hematologic Malignancies
FAIRFIELD, CA – Does trauma play a role in the development of blood cancer? A recent study of wounded warriors sought to answer that question. A presentation at the 61st American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition in Orlando recounted that multiple...
VA Conducts Largest Real-World Study of Newer CLL Treatment Options
Research Offers Insight into Evolving Clinical Practice SAN ANTONIO—The massive VA health database revealed unique insights into the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia in actual clinical practice to a team of researchers based at the South Texas Veterans Health...
Recombinant Shingles Vaccine Appears Safe for Some CLL Patients
BETHESDA, MD – Because of immune dysregulation, chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients are especially vulnerable to infectious complications, including varicella zoster virus reactivation. Both their advanced age and immunocompromised status play a role in higher risk...
Study Finds Discontinuation Rates Too High at VA for Newer CLL Therapies
SALT LAKE CITY -- Novel oral agents (NOAs), such as acalabrutinib, duvelisib, ibrutinib, idelalisib and venetoclax are increasingly used instead of traditional chemoimmunotherapy for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the most common leukemia in adults. A presentation at...
Veterans Treated for CLL Had Higher Rates of Fungal Infections
LOUIS -- Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) are susceptible to infections due to impaired immunity, from both complications of disease and treatments. A presentation at the 61st American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition in Orlando, FL,...
How Common is Major Hemorrhage in Veterans With CLL?
COLUMBIA, SC – Noting that chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients are at increased risk for major hemorrhage (MH), a new study reported incidence of MH in veterans with CLL, as well as risk factors. The study, published in Cancer Medicine, was conducted before...
Initial Use of Ibrutinib Lengthens Next Treatment Time for Veterans with CLL
HORSHAM, PA – Veterans with chronic lymphocytic lymphoma who received ibrutinib as their first line treatment had a longer time to next treatment, according to recently-published research. Authors of the industry study, which was conducted in a real-world veteran...
Assay Used to Investigate Familial Risk of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
ROCHESTER, MN – About 10% of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients report a first-degree relative with the cancer or a related lymphoproliferative disorder, according to a new study, which emphasized that CLL and its precursor, monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis...
Testosterone Therapy Increases PSA in 5% of Older Users
HOUSTON – How does testosterone treatment of older hypogonadal men affect prostate specific antigen (PSA) changes? That is the question raised by a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Baylor College of Medicine researchers and...
PSA Bounce Affects Races Differently in Prostate Cancer
RICHMOND, VA -- African American men have historically had poorer prostate cancer biochemical and survival outcomes than Caucasians. The question is why? So asked a new study suggesting that emerging data point to nononcologic factors for much of this disparity. The...
Current, But Not Past, Smoking Increases Prostate Cancer Death Risk
SAN DIEGO – While cigarette smoking is a risk factor for mortality in other genitourinary cancers, which appears to be linked to the accumulation of carcinogens in urine, the link has been less clear with prostate cancer, according to a new study. Researchers from the...
