Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Hematology & Oncology for November 2017. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Mortality Up for Some Cancers in Urban-Dwelling Native Americans
THURSDAY, Nov. 30, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Urban American Indians and Alaskan Natives (AIAN) with cancer have a significantly higher comorbidity burden, and have higher mortality for some cancers, according to a study published online Nov. 29 in Cancer Research.
Unapproved Drugs Identified in Androgen Receptor Modulators
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 29, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Products marketed as selective androgen receptor modulators and sold via the internet frequently contain unapproved drugs and substances, and the amount of active compound often does not match that listed on the label, according to a study published in the Nov. 28 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Over 5 Percent of Incident Cancer Due to Diabetes, High BMI
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 29, 2017 (HealthDay News) — More than 5 percent of all incident cancers in 2012 were attributable to diabetes and high body mass index (BMI), according to a study published online Nov. 28 in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.
Value-Based Payment Modifier Not Tied to Practice Performance
TUESDAY, Nov. 28, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The Value-Based Payment Modifier (VM) is not associated with performance differences between practices serving higher-risk and lower-risk patients, according to a study published online Nov. 28 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Clinician Denial of Patient Requests Impacts Satisfaction
TUESDAY, Nov. 28, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Clinician denial of some types of tests requested by patients is associated with worse patient satisfaction with the clinician, according to a study published online Nov. 27 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Less Frequent Biopsy May Be Option in Prostate Cancer Care
TUESDAY, Nov. 28, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Biennial biopsies are an acceptable alternative to annual biopsies for men managing low-risk prostate cancer through active surveillance (AS), according to a research published online Nov. 27 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Sex, Race, Age Disparities in Survival for HPV-Linked Cancer
TUESDAY, Nov. 28, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For patients with human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cancers, there are large disparities in survival based on sex, race, and age, according to a study published online Nov. 6 in Cancer.
Risk of ≥CIN3 Drops With Negative HPV, Cytology Co-Tests
TUESDAY, Nov. 28, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The five-year risks of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3 (CIN3), adenocarcinoma in situ, and cervical cancer (≥CIN3) decrease after each successive negative human papillomavirus (HPV) and cytology co-testing, according to a study published online Nov. 27 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Essay Adds to Discourse on Impact of Suggestive Jokes
MONDAY, Nov. 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Seemingly benign, recurring patterns of joking around a single theme (joke cycles) can contribute to humorizing and legitimizing sexual misconduct, according to an essay published online Nov. 12 in Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies.
New Workflows Have Potential to Address Provider Burnout
MONDAY, Nov. 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) — New solutions are needed to address burnout among health care team members, yet, in a catch-22 situation for health industry leaders, change fatigue contributes to burnout, according to a Vocera Communications report entitled In Pursuit of Resilience, Well-Being, and Joy in Healthcare.
Coffee Consumption Appears to Provide More Benefit Than Harm
MONDAY, Nov. 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Coffee consumption seems safe and is associated with reduced risk for various health outcomes, according to a review published online Nov. 22 in The BMJ.
History of Prior Cancer Common in Newly Diagnosed Patients
MONDAY, Nov. 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) — A substantial number of patients diagnosed with incident cancer in the United States have a prior history of cancer, according to a brief report published online Nov. 22 in JAMA Oncology.
NTproBNP Levels Are Significantly Lower in Blacks
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 22, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Plasma N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP) levels are significantly lower for black than white individuals, according to a study published online Nov. 22 in JAMA Cardiology.
Female Physicians’ Spouses More Likely to Work
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 22, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Spouses of female physicians are on average more educated and work more hours outside the home than spouses of male physicians, according to a research letter published online Nov. 21 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Doubts Raised About Use of Products Containing Oxybenzone
TUESDAY, Nov. 21, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Use of oxybenzone (Benzophenone-3) in sunscreen and personal care products should be minimized due to its dermatological and environmental toxicity, according to a review published online Oct. 31 in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology.
High Costs Associated With Physician Burnout, Attrition
TUESDAY, Nov. 21, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Physicians who are experiencing burnout are more than twice as likely to leave their organization within two years, and this is associated with significant economic costs, according to a report from the American Medical Association.
NOACs Show Lower Risk of Adverse Renal Outcomes in A-Fib
TUESDAY, Nov. 21, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are associated with lower risks of adverse renal outcomes than warfarin, according to a study published in the Nov. 28 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Few U.S. Adults Meet Fruit, Veg Intake Recommendations
TUESDAY, Nov. 21, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Across all 50 states and the District of Columbia (D.C.), few adults consume the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables, according to research published in the Nov. 17 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
5-Fluorouracil Promising for Vaginal Intraepithelial Neoplasia
TUESDAY, Nov. 21, 2017 (HealthDay News) — 5-fluorouracil is associated with a 74 percent success rate as the initial treatment modality for high-grade intraepithelial vaginal dysplasia, according to a study published online Nov. 7 in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Stool-Based Protein Combos Can Improve CRC Screening
TUESDAY, Nov. 21, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Combinations of four proteins from stool samples can detect colorectal cancer (CRC) and advanced adenomas with higher sensitivity than hemoglobin alone, according to a study published online Nov. 21 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
NAFLD Linked to Increased Cancer Incidence Rate
MONDAY, Nov. 20, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with development of cancer, specifically hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), colorectal cancer in males, and breast cancer in females, according to a study published online Nov. 14 in the Journal of Hepatology.
Many Health Care Providers Work While Sick
FRIDAY, Nov. 17, 2017 (HealthDay News) — More than 40 percent of health care personnel (HCP) with influenza-like illness (ILI) work while ill, according to a study published in the November issue of the American Journal of Infection Control.
Simple Checklist Can Identify Useful Clinical Practice Guidelines
FRIDAY, Nov. 17, 2017 (HealthDay News) — A simple, easy-to-use checklist, the Guideline Trustworthiness, Relevance, and Utility Scoring Tool (G-TRUST), can identify useful clinical practice guidelines, according to a study published in the September/October issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
Erlotinib Overdose Tied to Conjunctivitis
FRIDAY, Nov. 17, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Overdosing of erlotinib may be associated with rapid onset of conjunctivitis, according to a case report published online Oct. 25 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics.
Attributes of High-Value Oncology Practices Identified
FRIDAY, Nov. 17, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Attributes that distinguish high-value oncology practices have been identified, according to a study published online Nov. 16 in JAMA Oncology.
FDA OKs Drug for Hemophilia A With Factor VIII Inhibitors
FRIDAY, Nov. 17, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Hemlibra (emicizumab-kxwh) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to prevent or reduce the frequency of bleeding episodes among hemophilia A patients with Factor VIII inhibitors.
Drug Combo Doesn’t Lengthen Glioblastoma Survival
THURSDAY, Nov. 16, 2017 (HealthDay News) — In patients with progressive glioblastoma, treatment with lomustine plus bevacizumab does not confer a survival advantage over treatment with lomustine alone, according to a study published online Nov. 15 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Heterogeneity of PET/CT Imaging Phenotype Prognostic in mCRPC
THURSDAY, Nov. 16, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) has heterogeneity in positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) imaging phenotype, which has clinical relevance, according to a study published online Nov. 9 in JAMA Oncology.
Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Underused in High-Risk SCC
THURSDAY, Nov. 16, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is underused for high-risk squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the skin, according to a research letter published online Nov. 15 in JAMA Dermatology.
ER- Breast CA Risk Up for African-Americans With T2DM
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 15, 2017 (HealthDay News) — African-American (AA) women with type 2 diabetes (T2D) appear to be at increased risk of developing estrogen receptor-negative (ER-) breast cancer, with the highest risk among nonobese individuals, according to a study published online Nov. 15 in Cancer Research.
Insurance Underlies Black-White Survival Disparity in CRC
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 15, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Insurance coverage differences account for about half of the disparity in survival rates between black and white patients aged 18 to 64 years with colorectal cancer (CRC), according to a study published online Nov. 14 in Gastroenterology.
Health Care Experts in Favor of Patient Contribution to Notes
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 15, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Health care experts are supportive of OurNotes, an intervention in which patients and families co-produce medical notes with clinicians, according to a research letter published online Nov. 13 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Oral Chemotherapy Parity Laws Offer Some Financial Protection
MONDAY, Nov. 13, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The adoption of state oral chemotherapy parity laws has improved financial protection for many patients, according to a study published online Nov. 9 in JAMA Oncology.
About 20 Percent of U.S. Adults Currently Use Tobacco Products
MONDAY, Nov. 13, 2017 (HealthDay News) — About one in five U.S. adults currently uses any tobacco product, according to a study published online Nov. 9 in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Use of MMR Deficiency Testing in Younger CRC Patients Is Low
MONDAY, Nov. 13, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Fewer than half of younger adults with colorectal cancer (CRC) undergo mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency of DNA testing, according to a study published online Nov. 9 in JAMA Oncology.
Breast Cancer Recurrences Steady After Therapy Cessation
THURSDAY, Nov. 9, 2017 (HealthDay News) — When adjuvant endocrine therapy for estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer is stopped after five years, recurrences occur at a steady rate into the future, according to a meta-analysis published online Nov. 8 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Adipocytes Metabolize, Inactivate Daunorubicin
THURSDAY, Nov. 9, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Adipocytes metabolize and inactivate the anthracycline daunorubicin, according to a study published online Nov. 8 in Molecular Cancer Research.
Doctors Have Extra Two Weeks to Preview Performance Data
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 8, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Physicians have two extra weeks to preview their 2016 performance information as a result of a mistake related to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Physician Compare online resource, according to a report published by the American Academy of Family Physicians.
ASCO Issues Statement Regarding Alcohol and Cancer
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 8, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Alcohol use is associated with certain types of cancer, and the risk of cancer can be reduced by strategies to prevent excessive use of alcohol, according to a statement published online Nov. 7 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Delay in Tranexamic Acid Administration Reduces Benefit
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 8, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For patients with acute severe bleeding, any delay in treatment with tranexamic acid is associated with a reduction in the survival benefit, according to a meta-analysis published online Nov. 7 in The Lancet.
Increases in U.S. Health Spending Tied to Health Service Price
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 8, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Factors including increases in health care service price and intensity are associated with increases in U.S. health care spending from 1996 to 2013, according to a study published online Nov. 7 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Lymphoma Risk Up With Thiopurine, Anti-TNF Tx in IBD
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 8, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the risk of lymphoma is increased with use of thiopurine monotherapy, anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) monotherapy, and combination therapy, according to a study published online Nov. 7 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Zelboraf Approved for Use in Erdheim-Chester Disease
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 8, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Zelboraf (vemurafenib) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as the first drug to treat certain adults patients with Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD).
Cannabidiol Concentration Varies Widely in Online Products
TUESDAY, Nov. 7, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Among cannabidiol (CBD) products sold online, there is a wide range of CBD concentrations, and many products are under- or overlabeled, according to a research letter published online Nov. 7 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Warfarin Use Linked to Reduced Incidence of Cancer
TUESDAY, Nov. 7, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For adults older than 50 years, warfarin use is associated with reduced incidence of cancer, according to a study published online Nov. 6 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Intensity of Exercise Affects Impact on Mortality Risk
TUESDAY, Nov. 7, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Total physical activity (PA) and moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA (MVPA) are inversely associated with mortality, though light-intensity PA and sedentary behavior are not associated with mortality, according to a research letter published online Nov. 6 in Circulation.
Legal Aspects to Consider in Voluntary Refusal to Eat, Drink
TUESDAY, Nov. 7, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Voluntarily stopping eating and drinking (VSED) is a course that patients may choose to hasten their death, although there are clinical, ethical, and legal aspects to consider, according to a special communication published online Nov. 6 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Fiber Tied to Lower Mortality in Those With Colorectal Cancer
MONDAY, Nov. 6, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Higher fiber intake after a diagnosis of nonmetastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) is associated with lower CRC-specific and overall mortality, according to a study published online Nov. 2 in JAMA Oncology.
Incidence of Early-Stage Breast CA, CRC Up With ACA Adoption
MONDAY, Nov. 6, 2017 (HealthDay News) — After adoption of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), there was an increase in the incidence of early-stage breast and colorectal cancer, according to a research letter published online Nov. 2 in JAMA Oncology.
Facility Volume Found to Impact Nasopharyngeal CA Survival
MONDAY, Nov. 6, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Treatment at a high-volume facility (HVF) is a significant predictor of improved overall survival in nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC), according to a research letter published online Nov. 2 in JAMA Otolaryngology — Head & Neck Surgery.
Pricing Interventions Increase Sales, Intake of Healthy Foods
FRIDAY, Nov. 3, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Pricing interventions seem to improve access to healthy food and beverage options with increases in stocking and sales of these items, according to a review published online Nov. 2 in Preventing Chronic Disease.
Almost One in Four Skin Biopsies Is Melanocytic Proliferation
FRIDAY, Nov. 3, 2017 (HealthDay News) — About one-quarter of skin biopsies are diagnosed as melanocytic proliferation, according to a study published online Nov. 1 in JAMA Dermatology.
Liposuction Can Reduce Lymphedema-Related Swelling
THURSDAY, Nov. 2, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Liposuction may be beneficial for patients with lymphedema, according to a research letter published online Nov. 1 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
PARP Inhibitors Promising Beyond BRCA1/2 Altered Tumors
THURSDAY, Nov. 2, 2017 (HealthDay News) — PARP inhibitors demonstrate activity in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) tumors without BRCA1/2 mutations, according to a study published online Nov. 1 in Clinical Cancer Research.
Driving Impairment Warnings Often Not Given With Rx Meds
THURSDAY, Nov. 2, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Not all prescription drug users report receiving warnings about driving impairment, according to a study published online Nov. 1 in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
PPI-Gastric Cancer Link Remains After H. Pylori Eradication
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 1, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Long-term proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use is associated with increased risk of gastric cancer (GC) even after Helicobacter pylori (HP) eradication therapy, according to a study published online Oct. 31 in Gut.
CMS Launches Initiative to Examine Impact of Regulations
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 1, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has launched an initiative to examine which provider regulations should be discarded or revamped amid concerns that the regulations are reducing the amount of time that physicians spend with patients, according to an article published in Modern Healthcare.
Hepatitis B Viral Load, Surface Antigen May ID Liver Cancer Risk
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 1, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Elevated levels of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) are associated with increased risks of liver cancer, according to a study published online Oct. 24 in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Response to Lenalidomide Often Suboptimal in MDS/MPN-RS-T
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 1, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Lenalidomide produces hematologic responses in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)/myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) with ring sideroblasts (RS) and thrombocytosis (MDS/MPN-RS-T), although these responses are often suboptimal, according to a research letter published online Oct. 25 in the American Journal of Hematology.
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