Cancer
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Pain is a common symptom for patients with cancer, and opioids are the treatment of choice for moderate or severe cancer-related pain. Central side effects, such as drowsiness, confusion, and hallucinations, can limit the use of opioids in clinical practice. ⋯ COMT and MDR-1 genotypes were correlated with morphine-related central side effects. The authors believe that this work adds significantly to the current understanding of genetic variants that may influence an individual's response to opioids.
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The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of the combination of fludarabine and rituximab, followed by alemtuzumab, as first-line treatment for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL). ⋯ The intravenous schedule of alemtuzumab employed in the trial was relatively poorly tolerated in this community-based trial. The relatively low complete response rates after treatment with the combination of fludarabine and rituximab and after the completion of treatment suggest that these abbreviated courses may compromise efficacy. The generalized use of alemtuzumab as consolidation therapy cannot yet be recommended for community practice. However, optimization of the route of administration, duration of treatment, and interval after completion of induction therapy may improve efficacy, and further investigation is ongoing.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Effective inhibition of aromatase inhibitor-associated bone loss by zoledronic acid in postmenopausal women with early breast cancer receiving adjuvant letrozole: ZO-FAST Study results.
Letrozole is safe and effective in postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor-positive early breast cancer, but long-term aromatase inhibitor use may cause bone loss and increase fracture risk. This study evaluated an immediate or delayed strategy of bone protection therapy with zoledronic acid. ⋯ At 12 months, immediate zoledronic acid therapy prevented bone loss in postmenopausal women who were receiving adjuvant letrozole.
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Comparative Study Controlled Clinical Trial
Comparison of triple-negative and estrogen receptor-positive/progesterone receptor-positive/HER2-negative breast carcinoma using quantitative fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose/positron emission tomography imaging parameters: a potentially useful method for disease characterization.
This study was designed to investigate the fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET) imaging characteristics of triple-negative (estrogen receptor-negative [ER-]/progesterone receptor-negative [PR-]/HER2-negative [HER2-]) breast carcinoma and compare the results with characteristics of ER+/PR+/HER2- breast carcinomas, which usually carry a favorable prognosis. ⋯ Triple-negative breast tumors were associated with enhanced FDG uptake commensurate with their aggressive biology and were detected with very high sensitivity by using FDG-PET imaging.
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Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto HSCT) is standard of care therapy for multiple myeloma and Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas in front-line and salvage settings, respectively. Complications remain common, but population-based estimates of their frequency and relative contribution to cost are not available. ⋯ Adverse events are both common and costly after auto HSCT. Strategies to minimize complications could significantly reduce not only morbidity and mortality but also the cost of the procedure. Administrative data can be profitably exploited to investigate outcomes in this population.