Medscape Pathology & Lab Medicine Headlines

ASCO 2008: Breast Cancer

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Noteworthy presentations at ASCO 2008 focused on targeted therapies and adjuvant chemotherapy strategies.
Medscape Hematology-Oncology

Reversal of Proteinuric Renal Disease and the Emerging Role of Endothelin

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Endothelin has a prominent role in the pathogenesis of proteinuric renal disease. The current article examines how endothelin promotes renal disease as well as medications that can antagonize endothelin.
Nature Clinical Practice Nephrology

Barrett Esophagus: Prevalence of Central Adiposity, Metabolic Syndrome, and a Proinflammatory State

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Metabolic syndrome is a highly prevalent condition that may have important implications in the development of esophageal cancer. The current study examines this syndrome among patients with Barrett's esophagus.
Annals of Surgery

Genetic Variants Associated With Risk of Statin-Induced Myopathy

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:32:00 EDT

The findings, according to investigators and an accompanying editorial, suggest greater emphasis in pharmacogenomics could be placed on safety, such as identifying patients who might be at particular genetic risk of adverse drug reactions.
Heartwire

Targeted Therapy for Breast Cancer

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:02:24 EDT

In this report from ASCO 2008, Dr. Harold Burstein reviews the AVADO results and other intriguing findings related to the use of targeted therapies for breast cancer.
Medscape Hematology-Oncology

Advances in the Treatment of Early Stage Breast Cancer

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:02:24 EDT

Data from studies reported at ASCO 2008 may help clinicians fine tune adjuvant regimens for patients with early- stage breast cancer.
Medscape Hematology-Oncology

Gestational Impaired Glucose Tolerance Linked to Postpartum Metabolic Dysfunction Outcomes

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EDT

A study shows that pregnant women with gestational impaired glucose tolerance may have the same adverse outcomes as women with gestational diabetes mellitus.
Medscape Medical News

Sorafenib Increases Survival in Advanced Liver Cancer

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EDT

The multikinase inhibitor sorafenib significantly extended overall survival in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma and also increased the median time to radiologic progression.
Medscape Medical News

Predictors of Severe Infantile Hyperbilirubinemia Identified

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EDT

The strongest predictors in infants with borderline bilirubin levels were gestational age, bruising, family history, and rapid rise in total serum bilirubin; phototherapy was effective in this study.
Medscape Medical News

ASCO 2008: Genitourinary Cancer

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Important new data about drug treatment of renal and prostate cancers, as reported at ASCO 2008, are highlighted by experts.
Medscape Hematology-Oncology

What's New in the Treatment of Prostate Cancer? Updates From ASCO 2008

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:09:14 EDT

In this conference summary, Dr. Joshi Alumkal looks at the latest data presented at ASCO 2008 in the area of advanced prostate cancer.
Medscape Hematology-Oncology

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension More Severe in Carriers of BMPR2 Mutation

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:26:22 EDT

Among patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), those with germline mutations in the gene encoding bone morphogenetic protein receptor 2 (BMPR2) present at an earlier age and with more severe hemodynamic compromise, according to findings from a French study.
Reuters Health Information

Cameos of Terror -- Four US Presidents and a Senator

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 08:45:09 EDT

"War Surgery -- a partnership of heroes," a section is devoted to terrorist warfare and its relevance to the attempted assassination of 10 US presidents and the senator brother of one of them.
The Medscape Journal of Medicine

Novel Vaccine Boosts Survival in Glioblastoma Patients

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:12:00 EDT

A dendritic cell vaccine significantly increased time to survival and time to tumor progression in glioblastoma patients, and a correlation was shown between cancer clinical outcome and T cell responsiveness after therapeutic vaccination.
Medscape Medical News

Recommendations Issued for Geriatric Screening and Prevention in Primary Care

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EDT

A review suggests that life expectancy, functionality, and comorbidities with older patients should be considered when cancer screening recommendations are made.
Medscape Medical News

Embolization of Varicoceles May Improve Male Infertility

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EDT

A study shows that embolization of varicoceles in men with infertility may be considered a useful adjunct to in vitro fertilization.
Medscape Medical News

Breast Examination May Not Improve Breast Cancer Survival

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EDT

According to a Cochrane review, breast cancer self-examination or physical examination does not improve breast cancer survival and may increase biopsies of benign lumps.
Medscape Medical News

FDA Approves Genetic Test for Patients With Breast Cancer

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:47:00 EDT

This novel genetic test, SPOT-Light HER2 CISH, should help predict the response of patients with breast cancer to trastuzumab treatment.
Medscape Medical News

Combination of Gene Expression Data With Clinical Data Best Predicts Survival in Lung Adenocarcinoma

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:55:33 EDT

A large study found that hazard ratios for predictive models of early-stage lung cancer increase when clinical data are included.
Medscape Medical News

Physicians for Sale: How Medical Professional Organizations Exploit Their Members

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:50:07 EDT

To improve the state of US healthcare, physicians need to rethink what their profession is and identify what they need to do to regain their professional integrity.
The Medscape Journal of Medicine