Current medical research and opinion
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Esophageal cancer (EC) makes up 3.2% of all cancers but ranks sixth among cancer-related deaths worldwide. This real-world analysis determined the use of PD-1/PD-L1 (PD[L]1) inhibitors in EC patients after receiving first-line therapy. ⋯ Findings from this real-world study suggest that PD(L)1 inhibitors are increasingly used after first-line therapies in EC, especially among patients initially receiving chemotherapy only. New immunological therapies such as PD(L)1 inhibitors hold great promise for patients with solid tumors. A clearer understanding of their real-world utilization is critical.
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To estimate the prevalence of primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) and describe ITP-associated healthcare resource utilization (HRU) among Texas Medicaid beneficiaries. ⋯ There are 17 patients diagnosed with ITP for every 100,000 Texas Medicaid enrollees annually, with higher prevalence in females and the elderly. Children are more likely to experience hospitalizations and ED visits associated with ITP. ITP patients in Texas Medicaid utilize more healthcare resources compared to the general Medicaid population.
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Docetaxel is a widely prescribed chemotherapy drug in oncology and post expiry of its patent, the drug has been marketed as a generic by multiple manufacturers. It is also classified as a narrow therapeutic window drug. Through enhanced permeability and retention effect, polymeric micelles can passively target agents to tumor tissue, thereby decreasing toxicity of the drug in normal tissue. ⋯ One study reported incidence of febrile neutropenia due to a switch in the formulation from branded to generic. The quality, safety, and efficacy of medicines will directly affect the life of patients, and therefore, use of docetaxel formulations that guarantee safety of patients are the necessity of the hour. Being an injectable anti-cancer drug, it is important to determine the consistency of the various formulations of docetaxel globally, conduct bioequivalence studies as per the regulatory standards, taking into account the permissible limits of the excipients or the presence of such unapproved excipients.