Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Hematology & Oncology for February 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.
Statin Use May Reduce Mortality in High-Risk Prostate Cancer
FRIDAY, Feb. 28, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Statin use alone or in combination with metformin is associated with lower all-cause and prostate cancer (PCa) mortality among high-risk patients, according to a study published online Feb. 8 in Cancer Medicine.
Compliance Low With USPSTF Lung Cancer Screening Recommendations
THURSDAY, Feb. 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Of those people in 10 states meeting the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations for low-dose lung cancer screening, only 12.5 percent reported having had a screening exam in the past year, according to research published in the Feb. 28 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Recommendations Issued for R/R Pediatric Hodgkin Lymphoma
THURSDAY, Feb. 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In a EuroNet Pediatric Hodgkin Lymphoma Group guideline, published in the February issue of HemaSphere, recommendations are presented regarding salvage therapy for pediatric patients with first relapse or refractory (R/R) classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL).
Recommendations Developed for Appropriate Thyroidectomy
THURSDAY, Feb. 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In guidelines issued by the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons, published in the March issue of the Annals of Surgery, recommendations are presented for the definitive surgical management of thyroid disease in adults.
CDC: Prevalence of Obesity 42.4 Percent in 2017 to 2018
THURSDAY, Feb. 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The prevalence of obesity was 42.4 percent among U.S. adults in 2017 to 2018, according to a February data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics.
States Launch Investigation of Juul Labs
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 26, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The marketing and sales of vaping products by San Francisco-based Juul Labs is being investigated by 39 states.
AP News Article
Adding Pembrolizumab May Up Response in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 26, 2020 (HealthDay News) — For patients with untreated stage II or III triple-negative breast cancer, pembrolizumab plus neoadjuvant chemotherapy, compared with placebo plus neoadjuvant chemotherapy, is associated with a significantly higher rate of pathological complete response, according to a study published in the Feb. 27 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Influence of Politics Has Not Waned in Opinions About ACA
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 26, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Public opinion about the Affordable Care Act (ACA) remains divided 10 years after its passage, according to a study published online Feb. 19 in Health Affairs.
Electronic Nose Can Detect Barrett Esophagus in Breath Test
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 26, 2020 (HealthDay News) — An electronic nose that measures volatile organic compounds can detect Barrett esophagus, according to a study published online Feb. 25 in Gut.
No Compensatory Smoking Seen With Low-Nicotine Cigarettes
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 26, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Smokers do not appear to engage in compensatory smoking when using low-nicotine cigarettes, according to two studies published online Feb. 26 in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
Abstract/Full Text 1 (subscription or payment may be required)
Abstract/Full Text 2 (subscription or payment may be required)
Mistreatment, Discrimination Still Common for Medical Students
TUESDAY, Feb. 25, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Mistreatment of medical students remains common for women, racial/ethnic minorities, and sexual minorities, according to a study published online Feb. 24 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
More Academic Success Found for Men Versus Women in Hematology
TUESDAY, Feb. 25, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Men have more publications than women in hematology, regardless of whether women have caregiving responsibilities, according to a study published online Feb. 25 in Blood Advances.
Dementia May Lower Odds of ‘Good Death’ Among Cancer Patients
TUESDAY, Feb. 25, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Cancer patients with dementia are less likely to achieve a “good death” than those without, according to a study published online Feb. 4 in Geriatrics & Gerontology International.
Outcomes Steadily Improve for Multiple Myeloma Treated With ASCT
MONDAY, Feb. 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) — For patients with multiple myeloma (MM) treated with autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), long-term outcomes have improved steadily, according to a study published in the Jan. 28 issue of Blood Advances.
Continuing Annual Breast Cancer Screening No Benefit in Over-75s
MONDAY, Feb. 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) — For women aged 75 years or older, continuing annual breast cancer screening does not result in significant reductions in eight-year breast cancer mortality compared with stopping screening, according to a study published online Feb. 25 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Regular Exercise Tied to Better Quality of Life in Cancer Survivors
MONDAY, Feb. 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Despite benefits in quality of life, fewer than one in four African-American cancer survivors report meeting recommended levels of weekly physical activity, according to a study published online Feb. 24 in Cancer.
Dermatopathologists Favor Making Pathologic Reports Available
FRIDAY, Feb. 21, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Most dermatopathologists perceive that making pathologic test result reports available to patients is a good idea, although they are concerned about increasing patient worry and confusion, according to a study published online Jan. 29 in JAMA Dermatology.
Cancer Therapy-Associated Polyposis May Mimic CRC Predisposition
FRIDAY, Feb. 21, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Childhood and young adulthood cancer (CYAC) therapy-associated polyposis (TAP) often has clinical features suggestive of at least one colorectal cancer (CRC) predisposition syndrome, according to a study published online Feb. 12 in Cancer Prevention Research.
Dengue Virus Infection May Increase Risk for Developing Leukemia
FRIDAY, Feb. 21, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Dengue virus infection is associated with an increased risk for leukemia, according to a study published online Feb. 12 in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
Late Mortality Up for Survivors of Early-Teen, Young Adult Cancers
THURSDAY, Feb. 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Early-adolescent and young adult cancer survivors have increased mortality and morbidity risks compared with siblings or the general population, according to a study published online Feb. 14 in The Lancet Oncology.
Many Transgender Youth Intentionally Avoid Disclosure
THURSDAY, Feb. 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Most transgender youth voluntarily disclose their gender identity to health care providers (HCPs) outside of a gender clinic; however, almost half report having intentionally avoided disclosure, according to a study published online Feb. 20 in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
Functional Outcomes Similar Across Localized Prostate Cancer Treatments
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Most functional differences associated with contemporary management of localized prostate cancer attenuate by five years, according to a study published in the Jan. 14 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Risk for Adverse Events Up With Low-Dose Methotrexate
TUESDAY, Feb. 18, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Use of low-dose methotrexate (LD-MTX) is associated with increased risks for adverse events (AEs), including skin cancer, and gastrointestinal, pulmonary, infectious, and hematologic AEs, according to research published online Feb. 18 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
AAP Addresses Fertility Preservation for Children With Cancer
TUESDAY, Feb. 18, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Medical and ethical considerations of fertility preservation in children with cancer are addressed in a clinical report from the American Academy of Pediatrics, published online Feb. 18 in Pediatrics.
High Cutaneous Melanoma Burden Found Due to UV Radiation
TUESDAY, Feb. 18, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In the United States, the proportion of cases of cutaneous melanoma and age-standardized incidence rates attributable to ultraviolet (UV) radiation vary across states, but the burden is considerable in all states, according to a study published online Feb. 17 in the International Journal of Cancer.
Maximal Resection of Glioblastomas May Up Survival
TUESDAY, Feb. 18, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Maximal resection of a contrast-enhanced (CE) tumor is associated with improved overall survival in patients with isocitrate dehydrogenase gene 1 or 2 (IDH)-wild-type and IDH-mutant subtype glioblastomas, according to a study published online Feb. 6 in JAMA Oncology.
Telemarketer Access to Medicare Information to Be Investigated
FRIDAY, Feb. 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) — An investigation into how telemarketers may be obtaining seniors’ personal Medicare information will be launched by the U.S. Health and Human Services inspector general office.
AP News Article
More Information: HHS
FDA Requests Market Withdrawal of Belviq Due to Cancer Risk
FRIDAY, Feb. 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) — A clinical trial of the weight-loss drug Belviq (lorcaserin) shows an association with an increased risk for cancer, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is requesting that its maker withdraw the drug from the U.S. market.
U.S. Life Expectancy to Reach 85 by 2060
FRIDAY, Feb. 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Nearly a quarter of all U.S. residents will be older than 65 by 2060, and life expectancy will reach an all-time high of 85 by that year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
AP News Article
Having More Sexual Partners Tied to Increased Odds of Cancer
FRIDAY, Feb. 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The odds of reporting cancer are increased for men and women with a history of 10 or more lifetime sexual partners, according to a study published online Feb. 13 in BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health.
Massachusetts Health Reform Tied to Decrease in Advanced Cancer
FRIDAY, Feb. 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Following state health reform, there was a decline in advanced-stage colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnoses in Massachusetts, according to a study published in the February issue of Medical Care.
More Lung Cancer Patients Presenting With Cough, Dyspnea
THURSDAY, Feb. 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The proportion of lung cancer patients with an index symptom of cough or shortness of breath has increased over time, according to a study published online Jan. 27 in the British Journal of General Practice.
Bariatric Surgery May Cut Risk for Colorectal Cancer in Obese Patients
THURSDAY, Feb. 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Among obese individuals, those who undergo bariatric surgery have an approximately 35 percent lower risk for developing colorectal cancer than those who do not undergo surgery, according to a review and meta-analysis published online Jan. 24 in the British Journal of Surgery.
Smartphone, Web App May Help Predict Prognosis for Meningioma
THURSDAY, Feb. 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) — An open-source smartphone and web application has been developed to help predict clinical malignancy and survival outcomes for meningioma, according to a study published online Jan. 30 in npj Digital Medicine.
Studies Explore Prevalence of Skin Cancer Among Sexual Minorities
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 12, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The prevalence of skin cancer among sexual minorities and transgender and gender-nonconforming (TGNC) adults is explored in two studies published online Feb. 12 in JAMA Dermatology.
Abstract/Full Text 1 (subscription or payment may be required)
Abstract/Full Text 2 (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
2011 to 2018 Saw Decline in Problems Paying Medical Bills
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 12, 2020 (HealthDay News) — From 2011 to 2018, there was a decrease in the percentage of families having problems paying medical bills in the past 12 months, according to a February data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics.
High BMI May Cut Overall Survival in HER2+ Metastatic Breast Cancer
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 12, 2020 (HealthDay News) — For patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2+) metastatic breast cancer (mBC) treated with pertuzumab and/or trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1), a body mass index (BMI) of ≥30 kg/m² is associated with worse overall survival but does not affect progression-free survival to first-line chemotherapy (PFS1), according to a study published online Jan. 15 in the Journal of Cellular Physiology.
Young Cancer Survivors at Higher Risk for Hospitalization
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 12, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors (aged 15 to 39 years) have an increased risk for inpatient hospitalization, according to a study published online Jan. 20 in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
Smartphone Apps Not Accurate Enough to Detect All Melanomas
TUESDAY, Feb. 11, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Current smartphone-based applications (apps) cannot detect all cases of melanoma or other skin cancers, according to a review published online Feb. 10 in The BMJ.
Empathy Declines as Students Progress Through Medical School
MONDAY, Feb. 10, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Students become less empathic toward patients throughout medical school, according to a study published online Jan. 21 in Academic Medicine.
Seniors Have Concerns About Affording Health Insurance
MONDAY, Feb. 10, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Many adults aged 50 to 64 years are concerned about their ability to afford health insurance, according to a study published online Feb. 7 in JAMA Network Open.
Single Dose of HPV Vaccine May Cut Preinvasive Cervical Disease
MONDAY, Feb. 10, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Receipt of one, two, or three doses of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine among females aged 15 to 19 years is associated with reduced incidence of preinvasive cervical disease at five years compared to that seen in unvaccinated females, according to a study published online Feb. 10 in Cancer.
Circulating Tumor Cells Predict Relapse in Stage III Melanoma
FRIDAY, Feb. 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) — For stage III melanoma patients, circulating tumor cells (CTCs) predict relapse, according to a study published online Feb. 3 in Clinical Cancer Research.
Radiologist Workforce Becoming Increasingly Subspecialized
FRIDAY, Feb. 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The national radiologist workforce is becoming increasingly subspecialized, according to a study recently published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology.
Number of Nurse Practitioners More Than Doubled 2010 to 2017
FRIDAY, Feb. 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) — From 2010 to 2017, there was a substantial increase in the number of nurse practitioners in the United States, with a corresponding reduction in the size of the registered nurse workforce, according to a report published in the February issue of Health Affairs.
GI Bleeding in OAC-Treated A-Fib Patients Indicates CRC Risk
FRIDAY, Feb. 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Lower-gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is associated with high risks for colorectal cancer in patients with atrial fibrillation treated with oral anticoagulation (OAC) therapy, according to a study published online Feb. 6 in the European Heart Journal.
Overweight and Obesity May Up Risk for Several Common Cancers
THURSDAY, Feb. 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Hospital-diagnosed overweight and obesity is associated with an increased risk for several common cancers, according to a study recently published in the Journal of Internal Medicine.
Reference Pricing Linked to Lower Prices Paid by Employers
THURSDAY, Feb. 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Reference prices are associated with lower prices paid by employers and lower cost sharing by employees, according to a study published online Feb. 5 in JAMA Network Open.
Blood Mercury Levels Linked to Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 5, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Blood mercury (Hg) levels are associated with nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC), according to a study published online Feb. 5 in the British Journal of Dermatology.
Lung Cancer Incidence Rates Up for Young Women Versus Men
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 5, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In recent years, a trend has emerged for higher lung cancer incidence rates among young women versus young men, and these findings are widespread across countries, according to a study published online Feb. 5 in the International Journal of Cancer.
Industry Ties May Bias Indoor Tanning Studies
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 5, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Although they comprise a small percentage of all published articles, articles with financial links to the indoor tanning industry are more likely to favor indoor tanning, according to a review published online Feb. 4 in The BMJ.
H. pylori Eradication Cuts Gastric Cancer Risk in Those With Family History
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 5, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Among those who have Helicobacter pylori infection and a family history of gastric cancer in first-degree relatives, eradication treatment for H. pylori reduces the risk for gastric cancer, according to a study published in the Jan. 30 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Patient Decision Aid Informs Patients on Lung Cancer Screening
TUESDAY, Feb. 4, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Use of a patient decision aid (PDA) results in more informed decisions about lung cancer screening compared with standard educational information (EDU), according to a study published online Jan. 31 in JAMA Network Open.
Modeling Studies Show Cervical Cancer Could Be Eliminated
TUESDAY, Feb. 4, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Two modeling studies show how cervical cancer could be eliminated and mortality could be reduced, according to two studies published online Jan. 30 in The Lancet.
Abstract/Full Text – Brisson
Abstract/Full Text – Canfell
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Whether HPV Vaccination Will Prevent Cervical Cancer Unclear
MONDAY, Feb. 3, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Methodological problems and study limitations for trials of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine create uncertainty about its ability to prevent cervical cancer in the long term, according to a review published online Jan. 21 in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine.
Steep Increase Seen in Incidence of CRC From Age 49 to 50 Years
MONDAY, Feb. 3, 2020 (HealthDay News) — There are steep incidence increases in colorectal cancer from age 49 to 50 years, according to a study published online Jan. 31 in JAMA Network Open.
Cigarette Use Down, E-Cigarette Use Up Among Teens
MONDAY, Feb. 3, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Cigarette use is dropping among teens, but electronic cigarette use is on the rise, according to a study published online Feb. 3 in Pediatrics.
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