Dutasteride Is Effective Treatment for BPH and Reduces Risk of Prostate Cancer (04/05/2010)
Researchers involved in the international Reduction by Dutasteride of Prostate Cancer Events (REDUCE) trial have reported that dutasteride, a 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor that inhibits conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, was effective in reducing the risk of biopsy-proven prostate cancer in men with an elevated prostate specific antigen (PSA) with negative prostate biopsies. The details of this study were published in the April 1, 2010 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.1 Preliminary results of this study were reported reported at the Joint ECCO 15 – 34th ESMO Multidisciplinary Congress in Berlin, September 20-24. 

Does Multivitamin Use Increase the Risk of Breast Cancer? (04/05/2010)
Researchers from Sweden have reported a 19% increased risk of breast cancer in women taking multivitamins. The details of this study were published early online on March 24, 2010 in the American Journal or Clinical Nutrition.1 However, other large studies have not found such an association.

Mylotarg® Effective for Older Intermediate-risk AML Patients (04/02/2010)
Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh have reported that single-agent Mylotarg® (gemtuzumab ozogamicin) results in a complete remission (CR) rate of 30% in patients 70 years or older with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The details of this study were published early online in Cancer on March 30, 2010.

Study Confirms Radiotherapy Not Necessary in Patients with Favorable, Limited-stage Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (04/02/2010)
Researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Center have reported that six cycles of ABVD is effective and safe for patients with “limited-stage, nonbulky HL [Hodgkin’s lymphoma] and would spare young patients radiation toxicity.” The details of this study were published in the March, 20 2010 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Avastin®, Thalomid®, Taxotere®, and Prednisone Effective for Men with Hormone Refractory Prostate Cancer (04/01/2010)
Researchers from the National Cancer Institute have reported that the combination of Avastin® (bevacizumab), Thalomid® (thalidomide), Taxotere® (docetaxel), and prednisone is a highly effective with manageable toxicities in men with hormone refractory prostate cancer (HRPC). The details of this study were published early online on March 22, 2010 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Adjuvant FOLFOX-4 and Radiotherapy May Improve Outcomes of Stage III-IV Gastric Cancer (04/01/2010)
Researchers from Italy have reported that adjuvant FOLFOX-4 (leucovorin, 5-FU, and oxaliplatin) for eight cycles and concomitant radiotherapy “is feasible and effective for the treatment of patients with high-risk gastric cancer.” The details of this study were published in the March 2010 issue of the Archives of Surgery.

Study Confirms Increased Risk of Lung Cancer in Women Following Hormone Replacement Therapy (03/31/2010)
Researchers affiliated with the Vitamins and Lifestyle (VITAL) Study have reported that women receiving estrogen and progesterone hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for 10 years or more have an approximate 50% increased risk of developing lung cancer. The details of this study were published in the March 20, 2010 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Ellence®, Cytoxan®, and Herceptin® Regimen Tolerable and Effective for Metastatic HER2+ Breast Cancer (03/31/2010)
Researchers from Europe affiliated with the Herceptin® (trastuzumab), Cytoxan® (cyclophosphamide), and Ellence® (epirubicin) (HERCULES) trial have reported that this regimen is effective and tolerable for women with newly diagnosed HER2-positive (HER2+) metastatic breast cancer. The details of this study were published in the March 20, 2010 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Combination Chemotherapy Effective and Tolerable for Neuroendocrine Tumors (03/30/2010)
Researchers from the UK have reported that a regimen of 5-FU, cisplatin, and streptozocin is an effective and tolerable regimen for treatment of newly diagnosed patients with neuroendocrine tumors. The details of this Phase II study were published early online on March 16, 2010 in the British Journal of Cancer.

Childhood Cancer Survivors Treated with Radiation Therapy at Increased Risk of Death from Heart Disease in Adulthood (03/30/2010)
Researchers from France and the UK have reported that a dose of as little as 5 Gy of radiation therapy to the heart for the treatment of childhood cancers results in a significant increase in cardiac death later in life. The details of this study were published in the March 10, 2010 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Danish Study Finds No Survival Benefit from Mammography Screening (03/29/2010)
Researchers from Denmark have reported that they were unable to find evidence that women living in areas of routine mammography screening had a decreased risk of death from breast cancer compared with women living in areas without routine mammography screening. The details of this study were published early online on March 23, 2010 in the British Medical Journal.

Meta-analyses Confirm Benefit of Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Operable NSCLC (03/29/2010)
Researchers from the UK have reported that adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with operable non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) improves survival of patients treated with surgery alone or surgery plus adjuvant radiotherapy. The details of this study appeared in an early online publication in the Lancet on March 24, 2010.

Healthy Elderly Men with High-risk Prostate Cancer May Have Better Outcomes with Brachytherapy and ADT over Brachytherapy Alone (03/26/2010)
Researchers from the Dana Farber Cancer Center have reported that elderly men with high-risk prostate cancer without a history of cardiac infarction have a lower prostate-specific mortality following brachytherapy plus androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) than following brachytherapy alone. The details of this study were published early online in Cancer on March 22, 2010.

Delay in Radiotherapy Increases Risk of Relapse Following Lumpectomy for Breast Cancer (03/26/2010)
Researchers from the Dana Farber Cancer Center have confirmed that starting radiation therapy as soon as possible after beast conserving therapy in older women with localized breast cancer decreases the risk of local recurrence. The details of this study were published in the March 13, 2010 issue of the British Medical Journal.

Treatment in NCI-designated Center Improves Survival of African Americans with Cancer (03/25/2010)
Researchers from the Dartmouth Medical School have reported that “African-American Medicare beneficiaries with lung, breast, colorectal, and prostate cancers had higher mortality compared with their Caucasian counterparts; however, there were no significant differences in mortality by race among those who attended NCI cancer centers.” The details of this study were published early online in Cancer on March 22, 2010.

Increased Risk of High-grade Prostate Cancer Among Infertile Men (03/25/2010)
Researchers from several California medical centers have reported that infertile men have an increased risk of developing high-grade prostate cancer. The details of this study were published early online on March 22, 2010 in Cancer.

Availability of Palliative Care in U.S. Cancer Centers Evaluated (03/24/2010)
Researchers from the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and the National Cancer Institute have reported: “Most cancer centers reported a palliative care program, although the scope of services and the degree of integration varied widely.” The details of this study were published in the March 2010 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Effectiveness Documented of Prophylactic Mastectomy for Women with BRCA1/2 Gene Mutation (03/24/2010)
Researchers from the Netherlands have reported that prophylactic mastectomy is very effective in preventing breast cancer in women with BRCA1/2 mutations. The details of this study were published in the March 2010 issue of the Annals of Surgery.

Kepivance® Reduces Toxicity of High-dose Therapy and Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation (03/23/2010)
Researchers from Germany have reported that a short three-day course of Kepivance® (palifermin) reduces toxicity of high-dose therapy (HDT) and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in patients with multiple myeloma. The details of this study were published early online in the Annals of Oncology on March 16, 2010.

Interim Report of a Randomized Trial Finds No Differences Between Open and Laparoscopic Gastrectomy (03/23/2010)
Researchers from Korea have reported no differences in morbidity or mortality between patients with Stage I gastric cancer treated with laparoscopic or open distal gastrectomy. The details of this randomized study were published in the March, 2010 issue of Annals of Surgery.