Cancer

The ability to measure an increase in the risk of death in men with moderate to severe as compared with no or minimal comorbidity undergoing androgen suppression therapy (AST) decreases as the risk of prostate cancer-specific mortality increases. This observation may explain the discordance in the literature regarding the risk of cardiovascular death and AST use.

Fallopian tube cancer is associated with a more favorable long-term outcome than ovarian cancer. Women with fallopian tube carcinomas are more likely to be diagnosed at an early stage, but the differential stage distribution between primary tumor sites does not account entirely for the survival difference. Fallopian tube carcinomas appear to follow a course that is distinct from ovarian cancers.

The p73 G4C14-to-A4T14 polymorphism may modulate the risk of human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16)–associated squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx, and the p73 variant genotypes may be markers genetic susceptibility to HPV-16-associated squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx, particularly in never smokers and never drinkers.

In the current study, the authors report 13 cases of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for Fanconi anemia. This tumor is particularly aggressive and is correlated with a very poor prognosis; systematic oral surveillance is essential to permit early surgery, which to the authors' knowledge is the only curative treatment.

A phase 2 randomized trial conducted in 158 patients with high-risk/advanced Hodgkin lymphoma demonstrated that 3 cycles of intensive chemotherapy plus low-dose lymph node radiation therapy produced 5-year freedom from treatment failure and overall survival rates that were similar to the rates produced by 4 cycles of combined doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine plus myeloablative chemotherapy associated with autologous stem cell transplantation.

Clinicopathologic data were retrieved on 1029 patients who had a diagnosis of primary myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and had cytogenetic data (karyotype) available to investigate the prognostic significance of cytogenetics in MDS. The results indicated that some specific cytogenetic abnormalities carry different risk than their International Prognostic Scoring System cytogenetic risk-group assignment, especially in the new treatment era.

In comparing the clinical and histopathologic features of 1372 nodular and superficial spreading melanomas diagnosed at their institution over the last 35 years, the authors detected a statistically significant migration to earlier stages of disease at diagnosis for superficial spreading melanomas but not for nodular melanomas, which continue to present with aggressive histological features and at regionally advanced stages of disease. These findings indicate that improvements in the early detection of melanoma have been limited to superficial spreading melanoma, and suggest that current public education and screening practices may be ineffective at recognizing nodular melanoma at early stages in its progression.

Six patients with previously diagnosed malignant gliomas who, while undergoing postradiation chemotherapy, discovered they were pregnant. All patients elected to proceed with their pregnancies and had no adverse events. Women with malignant gliomas and unplanned pregnancies complicated by chemotherapy exposure can experience uncomplicated pregnancy and healthy live birth.

Epidemiological, clinical, and neuropathologic parameters were analyzed in a series of atypical gangliogliomas or gangliogliomas that developed disease recurrence or malignant progression. The results supported a 3-tiered histopathologic grading system that included an intermediate diagnostic category.

Extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma is a rare form of sarcoma characterized by a specific chromosomal translocation and a high rate of both local recurrence and metastatic disease over many years. No significant responses were noted in 21 patients receiving 32 lines of systemic therapy, indicating the need for new agents for the treatment of systemic disease.

This population-based study of cutaneous sebaceous carcinoma revealed an association with a spectrum of early-onset cancers consistent with Muir-Torre syndrome. Etiologic heterogeneity was suggested by differences between eyelid and noneyelid sebaceous carcinoma in incidence patterns and associated cancer risks.

The commonly used Adjuvant! risk calculator displays tailored estimates of breast cancer patients' mortality and recurrence risks by using a suboptimal graphical format (a set of 4 horizontal stacked bars). Simplifying the design graphics could significantly improve patients' comprehension of the statistical information essential for informed medical decision making about adjuvant therapies.

To the authors' knowledge, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Patient Navigation Research Program is the first multisite study to assess the benefits of patient navigation to reduce cancer disparities. The definitions, measures, and outcomes defined by this program will benefit other research investigating patient navigation.

The percentage of patients who received standard therapy for colorectal cancer increased over time for both African Americans and Caucasians. However, the disparities between both groups remained and decreased in recent years.

This population-based cohort study found that cancer patients have an increased risk of cholecystitis compared with the general population, particularly during the first 6 months after diagnosis. Pancreatic, colorectal, and thyroid cancer appear to confer an especially high relative risk for subsequent cholecystitis.

ABT-510 is a nonapeptide that mimics the antiangiogenic activity of the endogenous inhibitor thrombospondin-1. The current trial reports the safety, pharmacokinetics, and efficacy of this drug at several dose levels in patients with refractory solid tumors.

This pilot study provided proof of principle that supervised aerobic training is safe and feasible for postsurgical nonsmall cell lung cancer patients. Aerobic exercise training was also associated with significant improvements in quality of life and select cardiopulmonary endpoints, particularly among patients not receiving systemic therapy.

Results from a comprehensive microsimulation model of lung cancer suggested that the introduction of helical CT screening in 1990 might have led to modest reductions in lung cancer mortality by 2005.

Psychologic and behavioral variables can have profound effects on health. In the current study, a randomized clinical trial of a psychologic intervention for breast cancer patients was found to lower risk of disease recurrence and death.

Among 459 patients with advanced cancer, a preference for quality of life (QOL) over length of life was associated with lower levels of cancer-related distress, older age, male sex, and higher education. Furthermore, patients who preferred QOL desired more supportive and less pessimistic communication from the oncologist. An awareness of these values during the clinical encounter could improve decision making by influencing the nature and content of the communication between oncologists and their patients.