Nearly a decade ago, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first liquid biopsy assay to monitor patients with prostate, breast, and colon cancer by measuring circulating tumor cells (CTC) in patients’ blood.
Choosing the Right Regimen for Elderly Patients with Advanced RCC
Most clinical trials provide limited guidance on the appropriate treatment of patients seen in clinical practice. Particularly in oncology, participants in trials tend to be significantly younger and in substantially better health than the average patient. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) provides a clear example of the challenge.
nCRC, Sequencing Offers Better Guidance than Staining When Results Differ
Chemotherapy has long been a component in the first-line treatment for advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). A number of studies in recent years indicate that a subset of patients with specific genetic mutations do not respond well to the recommended 5-fluorouracil-based regimens, such as FOLFOX (5-FU, oxaliplatin, and leucovorin) or FOLFIRI (5-FU, irinotecan, and leucovorin) alone or in combination with other agents.
MHS Care Outshines Civilian Medicine in Multiple Myeloma
When a cure is not possible, longer life is the goal. For patients with multiple myeloma, extending survival is the best available option today, and one of the best ways to achieve that is to receive care through the U.S. Military Health System.
Kligler Helps Move VA Away From Only Care of Illnesses to Whole Health
For more than a decade, VA has been shifting to a patient-centered model of care, one where providers work together to get a fuller picture of a patient’s life and health.
VA Researchers Seek to Understand Factors Linked to Prosthetic Joint Infection
In most head-to-head comparisons, surgical care at the VHA is found to be as good or better than that provided in the community. That’s why a recent study on joint replacement surgery was so surprising.
TAPS Can Be the Start of Something Good for Veterans with Essential Tremor
Veterans are used to the sound of Taps marking an end. For a growing number, TAPS may indicate the beginning of a road to recovery of independence.
With a National Housing Crisis, Veteran Homelessness Remains a Concern
From 2010 to 2016, the number of veterans living on the streets dropped by half and the ending veteran homelessness within a decade appeared feasible.
Why Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Vietnam Veterans Suffer More From PTSD
Lesbian, gay and bisexual veterans who served in the Vietnam era reported more post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues than their heterosexual counterparts, and a new analysis of data from a nationwide study survey questioned whether that was related to past trauma related to sexual identity.
Levothyroxine Therapy Overused in Patients With Sub-clinical Hypothyroidism
An ongoing problem in treating hypothyroidism is dealing with patients who fall into the sub-clinical category. The result is that more than half of U.S. patients initiating levothyroxine therapy in a 10-year period failed to meet the threshold for benefit, according to a new study.
Primary Causes of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Differ Among Men and Women
If you think of a patient at risk for hepatitis C infection (HCV), a man likely comes to mind, and for good reason. HCV occurs in men at four times the rate it does in women.
Problems With DoD-to-VA Transition Program Intensified by Pandemic
Transitioning from active duty military service to civilian life is difficult at the best of times. The pandemic added a host of new challenges, highlighted existing problems with the transitioning process and widened the cracks through which those veterans who are most in need of support are in danger of falling.
SGLT2 Inhibitor Use Lower Among Women, Minorities
Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors significantly reduce deaths from cardiovascular conditions, hospitalizations for heart failure and progression of kidney disease among patients with Type 2 diabetes
Few Women Veterans Receive Pre-Pregnancy Counseling
Women veterans aren’t routinely being queried about their intentions related to pregnancy, making it more difficult to optimize family planning care.
Early Discharge Follow-Up Improves HF Outcomes
The benefit of early post-discharge hospital followup for heart failure patients was demonstrated in a new approach at the Southern Arizona VA Healthcare System.
Secondary Prevention Therapies Underused in Young Veterans with ASCVD
More Americans die from heart disease than any other cause, but many fail to take steps known to protect the heart,
Multiple Factors Interact to Predict Parkinson’s Disease Dementia
The common image of Parkinson’s disease focuses on tremors and unstable movement, but for many patients with the disorder, the possibility of dementia worries them more. The concern is well justified—about 30% of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) suffer from dementia.
APA Recommends Ongoing Use of Long-Acting Injectables for SMI
WASHINGTON — Even as VA facilities open up nationwide, administrators and others are keeping a wary eye on the possibility of a significant second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the fall. U.S. healthcare systems are preparing now for a sharp increase in cases in the...
VA Prepares for Increased Risk of Suicide With COVID-19 Isolation
WASHINGTON — As the COVID-19 pandemic continues and scientists predict more periods of social distancing and quarantine in the future, healthcare leaders in the VA and elsewhere are beginning to prepare for how this will impact the mental health of veterans and civilians alike.
VA Pushes for More Use of NSCLC Targeted Therapies
DURHAM, NC — To help guide therapeutic decisions for patients with advanced stage non-small cell lung cancer, Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) gene panels are often completed.
Palliative Care Extends Survival in Veterans with Lung Cancer
PORTLAND, OR — While the term “palliative care” is usually associated with ameliorating pain and discomfort at the end of life, it appeared to have other benefits for veterans, according to a new study. In this cohort study of 23 ,154 patients with advanced lung...
VA Survey: Health Issues Are Greatest Concerns for New Veterans
Most Report Satisfaction with Work Life, Social Well-Being BOSTON — Health issues plague veterans, even when they first leave military service and are viewed as a bigger problem than finding work or establishing civilian social relationships. That’s according to a new...
Processes Similar in Schizophrenia, Psychotic Biopolar Disorder
NASHVILLE, TN — Processes leading to impairment in schizophrenia and psychotic bipolar disorder might be more similar than previously assumed, according to a new study.
Some Veterans Want Family Involved With Mental Health Treatment
LOS ANGELES — One of the most difficult issues in caring for adults with severe mental illness, including at the VA, is balancing privacy regulations with family members’ desire to be in the know.
Ensuring Community Providers Meet Veteran Suicide Prevention Standards
WASHINGTON — As leaders from across multiple federal agencies begin work on a roadmap to combat veteran suicide, they are searching for ways to turn existing efforts in towns, cities, counties and neighborhoods across the country into a net that can help catch struggling veterans.
Benzodiazepines Prescribed Long-Term for COPD/PTSD
SEATTLE — Symptoms of insomnia and anxiety are common among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and that is especially the case among patients with comorbid mental health disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder, according to a new study.
Political Issues Related to VA’s Limited Approval of Esketamine for Depression
WASHINGTON — A VA panel this summer opted not to add the new depression medication esketamine, Spravato, to the department’s formulary in the usual way. This came despite strong support from President Donald Trump and an effort by VA officials to fast-track the drug for approved use at VA facilities.
VA Study Shows Benefit of PCSK9 Inhibitors After Maximizing Other Therapies
HOUSTON—Veterans who have experienced acute coronary syndrome within the past year face a substantial risk of a repeat event. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors significantly reduce that risk, but determining who would benefit most and when they should be initiated has been challenging.
Debate Continues on Esketamine Efficacy and Safety for Depression Treatment
PHILADELPHIA—Is esketamine a revolutionary treatment for depression or just another moderately effective adjunctive medication with some potentially serious risks? The VA’s Medical Advisory Panel leaned toward the latter position when it decided in June to approve the use of esketamine on a nonformulary basis for individuals who have previously failed at least two trials of other antidepressants.
