Oncology
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Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the US. About 50% of lung cancer patients are current smokers at the time of diagnosis and up to 83% continue to smoke after diagnosis. A recent study suggests that people who continue to smoke after a diagnosis of early-stage lung cancer almost double their risk of dying. Despite a growing body of evidence that continued smoking by patients after a lung cancer diagnosis is linked with less effective treatment and a poorer prognosis, the belief prevails that treating tobacco dependence is useless. With improved cancer treatments and survival rates, smoking cessation among lung cancer patients has become increasingly important. There is a pressing need to clarify the role of smoking cessation in the care of lung cancer patients. ⋯ A tobacco dependence treatment plan for lung cancer patients is provided.
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Clinical Trial
Efficacy and safety of S-1 in patients with metastatic breast cancer: retrospective review in a single institution.
It is extremely difficult to bring about a complete cure of metastatic breast cancer: the purpose of treatment is to prolong the patient's survival while maintaining their quality of life (QOL). The current retrospective study was conducted to find whether S-1, an orally administered 5-FU agent, can produce a therapeutic result in patients with recurrent metastatic breast cancer while maintaining their QOL. ⋯ S-1 is well-tolerated by patients, promising a therapy while maintaining their QOL. When applied in the early stage of a disease in particular, the agent promises a very effective anti-tumor effect.
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Postmenopausal women with early breast cancer (EBC) are already at risk for bone loss, osteoporosis and fracture as they age because of declining estrogen levels. Adjuvant hormonal therapy with aromatase inhibitors (AIs; e.g. letrozole, anastrozole, exemestane) can exacerbate this risk. All three AIs appear to have similar effects on bone, increasing bone turnover and fracture risk in postmenopausal women with EBC. ⋯ The concomitant, up-front use of intravenous bisphosphonate therapy, such as zoledronic acid, in combination with AIs can inhibit bone loss. In addition, a strong body of evidence suggests an anticancer activity of bisphosphonate therapy with zoledronic acid in EBC in both the pre- and postmenopausal adjuvant setting. Zoledronic acid thus provides a therapeutic option for postmenopausal women with EBC who may be at higher risk for bone loss while on AIs, allowing more patients to receive treatment with effective adjuvant hormonal therapy to prevent recurrence.
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Bevacizumab is a monoclonal antibody that directly inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor, a key regulator of angiogenesis. Bevacizumab significantly improves progression-free and/or overall survival in metastatic colorectal cancer in combination with standard chemotherapy. This review describes the evolution of irinotecan-based regimens for metastatic colorectal cancer and evaluates the addition of bevacizumab to these regimens. ⋯ Addition of bevacizumab to irinotecan-containing regimens is an effective therapy option for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer.