Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Hematology & Oncology for April 2020. 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.
Symptomatic Health Care Staff in U.K. Screened for COVID-19
THURSDAY, April 30, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Screening symptomatic health care workers for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is feasible during the pandemic, according to a research letter published online April 22 in The Lancet.
Medicaid Expansion Tied to Higher Mammography Rates
THURSDAY, April 30, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Total insurance coverage, Medicaid coverage, and mammogram rates are higher among lower-income women living in Medicaid expansion states versus nonexpansion states, according to a study published online April 6 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
Smoking Tied to Inferior Survival in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
WEDNESDAY, April 29, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Smoking status is an important patient-related prognostic factor for outcome in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) treated with intensive chemotherapy, according to a study published online April 21 in the British Journal of Haematology.
Pediatric Brain Cancer Outcomes Worse for Black, Hispanic Patients
WEDNESDAY, April 29, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Treatment disparities may explain worse outcomes for pediatric black and Hispanic brain cancer patients, according to a study recently published in Scientific Reports.
David Shulkin, M.D., on COVID-19 Financial Consequences for Health Care System
MONDAY, April 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Health care organizations are facing hard financial decisions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but an end is in sight as some are beginning to slowly open back up around the country, according to David Shulkin, M.D. Shulkin, who served as ninth secretary for Veterans Affairs and is former president and CEO of Beth Israel Medical Center in New York, spoke with HealthDay during a live stream on the HealthDay YouTube channel and live blog.
Multicancer Blood Test, PET-CT Combo Feasible for Cancer Screen
WEDNESDAY, April 29, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Multicancer blood testing combined with positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) imaging can detect cancers, according to a study published online April 28 in Science to coincide with the virtual annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.
Thromboembolic Complications in COVID-19 Discussed
WEDNESDAY, April 29, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Prevention, diagnosis, and therapeutic management of thromboembolic complications in COVID-19 are discussed in a report published online April 23 in Radiology.
Low Vitamin D May Reduce Survival for Some With Multiple Myeloma
TUESDAY, April 28, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Vitamin D deficiency is associated with reduced overall survival for patients with multiple myeloma (MM), with a differential effect across race, according to a study published online April 21 in Blood Advances.
Nearly Half of U.S. Population Breathes Unhealthy Air
TUESDAY, April 28, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Climate change continues to make air pollution worse, with 45.8 percent of the U.S. population living in counties with unhealthy ozone or particle pollution, according to the American Lung Association (ALA) 21st annual State of the Air report.
State of the Air Report
45.4 Percent of U.S. Adults at Risk for Complications With COVID-19
TUESDAY, April 28, 2020 (HealthDay News) — An estimated 45.4 percent of U.S. adults may have an increased risk for COVID-19 complications due to chronic conditions, according to a study published in the August issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Roadmap Developed for Resuming Elective Surgery During COVID-19
MONDAY, April 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) — A roadmap for resuming elective surgery after new cases of COVID-19 begin to wane is presented in a joint statement published by the American College of Surgeons and other societies.
Joint Statement
COVID-19 Pandemic Delays FDA Review of Vaping Products
FRIDAY, April 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) — A review of vaping products has been delayed by the COVID-19 outbreak, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday.
AP News Article
SARS-CoV-2 Stays in Respiratory Samples Longer in Severely Ill
FRIDAY, April 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The median duration of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA is significantly longer in the respiratory samples of patients with severe versus mild disease, according to a study published online April 21 in The BMJ.
Infection Rate Up Prior to Detection of Malignant Cancer
FRIDAY, April 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The rate of infection with influenza, gastroenteritis, hepatitis, and pneumonia is increased before detection of malignant cancer, according to a study published online April 17 in Cancer Immunology Research.
Clinical, Genetic, Biomarker Model IDs Risk for Pancreatic Cancer
WEDNESDAY, April 22, 2020 (HealthDay News) — A model that includes data on clinical and genetic factors and circulating biomarkers may improve risk discrimination for pancreatic cancer, according to a study published online April 22 in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
Scoring System Helps Guide Surgical Care During COVID-19
WEDNESDAY, April 22, 2020 (HealthDay News) — A scoring system for medically necessary time-sensitive (MeNTS) procedures can facilitate decision making and triage in the setting of COVID-19, according to a study published online April 9 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
Heightened Surveillance IDs More Thyroid Cancer in 9/11 Responders
TUESDAY, April 21, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Excess asymptomatic thyroid cancer in Fire Department World Trade Center (WTC)-exposed rescue/recovery workers is apparently attributable to the identification of occult lesions during medical surveillance, according to a study published online April 20 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Cervical Cancer Screening Rates May Be Impacted by Disasters
MONDAY, April 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Cervical cancer screening rates (CCS-Rs) in Japan were significantly lower in the years following the devastating Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011, according to a study recently published online in PLOS ONE.
Family History-Based Early Screen Could ID More Young-Onset CRC
MONDAY, April 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) — About one in four cases of colorectal cancer (CRC) in patients aged 40 to 49 years meet family history-based criteria for early screening, according to a study published online April 20 in Cancer.
Benefit of Social Distancing Outweighs Economic Impact
MONDAY, April 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The economic benefits of lives saved through social distancing substantially outweigh the value of the projected losses to the U.S. economy, according to a study to be published in a forthcoming issue of the Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis.
CDC: 2009 to 2017 Saw Increase in Oral Cavity, Pharynx Cancers
FRIDAY, April 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) — From 2007 to 2016, the incidence of cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx combined increased, according to research published in the April 17 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Removal of Flavored E-Cigarette Products Likely Ineffective
FRIDAY, April 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Juul sales recovered within weeks following a dip after the company withdrew some flavored products from stores, even surpassing sales before the withdraw, according to a study published online April 16 in the American Journal of Public Health.
FDA Urges COVID-19 Survivors to Donate Plasma
THURSDAY, April 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is asking Americans who have recovered from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to donate their blood plasma to help fight the pandemic.
Guidance Issued for Breast Cancer Care During COVID-19
THURSDAY, April 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In guidance issued by the COVID-19 Pandemic Breast Cancer Consortium, recently accepted for publication in an upcoming issue of Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, recommendations are presented for prioritizing care for breast cancer patients during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Quality Improvement Effort Cuts Blood Clots in Brain Injury Patients
THURSDAY, April 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Implementation of an anticoagulation protocol reduces blood clots in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI), according to a study published in the April 1 issue of The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety.
Telehealth Usage Was Growing Among Internists Prior to COVID-19
THURSDAY, April 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) — There is wide variation in the use of telehealth among internal medicine physicians and subspecialists, according the “2020 American College of Physicians (ACP) Member Survey About Telehealth Implementation.”
SARS-CoV-2 Contamination of Air, Surfaces Examined in ICU, Wards
WEDNESDAY, April 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Considerable severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) contamination of air and object surfaces is reported in intensive care units (ICUs) and general coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) wards (GW), according to a study published online April 10 in Emerging Infectious Diseases, a publication of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Prognostic Score Predicts Time to First Treatment in Leukemia
WEDNESDAY, April 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) — An international prognostic score (IPS-E) can predict time to first treatment (TTFT) for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients with early, asymptomatic disease, according to a study published online April 8 in Blood.
Medical Masks May Be Sufficient During COVID-19 Routine Care
TUESDAY, April 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Use of medical masks, such as surgical or procedural masks, does not increase the risk for viral infection or respiratory illness, and their use may serve as a protective measure in instances of N95 respirator shortages, according to the results of a meta-analysis published online April 4 in Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses.
High Rates of Appropriate E-Consults Seen Across Specialties
MONDAY, April 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The rates of appropriate electronic consultations (e-consults) are high across specialties, according to a study published online April 14 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Digital Breast Tomosynthesis Cuts Recall Rates
MONDAY, April 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) is associated with an overall decrease in recall rate and an increase in cancer detection rate, according to a study published online March 30 in JAMA Network Open.
Racial Disparity in Prostate Cancer Survival Tied to Region
MONDAY, April 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) — National, race-based differences in prostate cancer survival are due to regional variation, even for low-risk prostate cancer, according to a study published online March 31 in JAMA Network Open.
Adult Smoking, Cessation Tied to Smoking Intensity in Adolescence
FRIDAY, April 10, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The prevalence rates of smoking and cessation in adulthood are associated with levels of childhood smoking intensity, according to a study published in the April 9 issue of the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Prognosis Poor for Pediatric, Adolescent Patients With Colon Cancer
TUESDAY, April 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Patients with colon cancer who are younger than 25 years have a higher risk for death compared with older adults, according to a retrospective review published in the April issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
Convalescent Plasma Treatment Promising in Severe COVID-19
THURSDAY, April 9, 2020 (HealthDay News) — One dose of convalescent plasma (CP) therapy is well tolerated and can potentially improve clinical symptoms in severe cases with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), according to a study published online April 6 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Racial Differences Seen for Cancer Diagnosis, Treatment, Survival
THURSDAY, April 9, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Stage at diagnosis, treatment, and survival differ by race and ethnicity for patients with one of the nine leading cancers, according to a study published online April 8 in JAMA Network Open.
Celiac Disease May Slightly Increase Mortality Risk
WEDNESDAY, April 8, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Patients with celiac disease have a small but statistically significantly increased mortality risk compared with controls, according to a study published in the April 7 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
‘Mod’ E-Cigarette Users Smoke More Cigarettes One Year Later
TUESDAY, April 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Baseline modifiable (mod) electronic cigarette device users smoke more cigarettes at one-year follow-up than vape pen users, according to a study published online April 6 in Pediatrics.
Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer Adjusted During COVID-19
TUESDAY, April 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In a special article published online April 1 in Advances in Radiation Oncology, a framework is laid out for the management of radiotherapy for prostate cancer patients during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Majority of Physicians Report Serious Concerns About COVID-19
MONDAY, April 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) — According to a national survey conducted by Harvard Medical School, the RAND Corporation, and Doximity, practicing physicians currently report substantial concerns about supplies, the government response, and availability of testing amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
High Fiber Consumption Linked to Reduced Risk for Breast Cancer
MONDAY, April 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) — High total fiber consumption is associated with a reduced risk for breast cancer, according to a review and meta-analysis published online April 6 in Cancer.
Amid COVID-19 Crisis, Blood Donor Restrictions Eased
FRIDAY, April 3, 2020 (HealthDay News) — America is in urgent need of blood donations during the COVID-19 pandemic, so the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it will relax donor restrictions placed on gay and bisexual men and others.
Rivaroxaban Prevents VTE After Lower-Limb Surgery
FRIDAY, April 3, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Following nonmajor orthopedic surgery of the lower limb, rivaroxaban is superior to enoxaparin for prevention of major venous thromboembolism, according to a study published online March 29 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
COPD Independent Risk Factor for Lung Cancer
FRIDAY, April 3, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an independent risk factor for lung cancer incidence, regardless of smoking status, according to a study published online April 2 in Thorax.
Unemployed Workers Less Likely to Be Uninsured Post-ACA
THURSDAY, April 2, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Following implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), unemployed workers were less likely to be uninsured, and uninsurance rates decreased more in states with Medicaid expansion, according to a report from the Urban Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Polypharmacy Ups Postchemo Hospitalization Risk in Seniors
WEDNESDAY, April 1, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Older patients taking five or more medications in the six months before intravenous (IV) chemotherapy are at higher risk for postchemotherapy inpatient hospitalizations, according to a study published online March 18 in the Journal of Geriatric Oncology.
Burden of Childhood Cancer Can Be Diminished
WEDNESDAY, April 1, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The burden of childhood cancer can be effectively diminished to realize health and economic benefits, according to research published in the April 1 issue of The Lancet Oncology.
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