Expert Perspective on Cancer NewsExpert perspectives on important developments in cancer. Hear from ASCO experts about current topics in cancer and cancer research. Choosing Wisely®: Top Five Cancer-Related Tests, Procedures, and Treatments That Many Patients Do Not Need
Being diagnosed and treated for cancer is a complex process, often filled with many tests, procedures, and treatments that may not be familiar to you. Learning more about these tests and treatments can help you understand what to expect when having them, but how do you know which ones actually increase your chance of recovering from cancer and maintaining the best quality of life and which ones increase side effects without improving quality of life? ASCO Recommends Palliative Care as a Part of Cancer Treatment
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has issued a provisional clinical opinion recommending that palliative care be offered along with treatment to slow, stop, or eliminate the cancer for patients with metastatic (cancer that has spread) when diagnosed and those who have many or severe symptoms. A provisional clinical opinion offers direction to doctors and others who treat people with cancer after the publication or presentation of information that could change testing or treatment decisions. Ovarian Ablation for Women With Early-Stage Breast Cancer
To help doctors give their patients the best possible care, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) issued an endorsement of a guideline recently developed by Cancer Care Ontario. The guideline evaluates the benefits and risks of ovarian ablation as a treatment option for women with early-stage, invasive breast cancer who have not gone through menopause. Expert Perspective from ASCO on the Results of the National Lung Screening Trial
Final results from the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) released today show 20% fewer lung cancer deaths for people screened with low-dose helical computed tomography (CT) than a with chest x-ray. Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) Testing for Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has issued a provisional clinical opinion on using epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) testing to help predict the benefit of treating patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer with an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor. A provisional clinical opinion offers direction to doctors and others who treat people with cancer after the publication or presentation of information that could change testing or treatment decisions. Expert Perspective from ASCO on the Removal of Lymph Nodes for Breast Cancer
On February 9, 2011, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published the results of a randomized clinical trial showing that axillary dissection (the removal and analysis of the lymph nodes under the arm) for patients with breast cancer did not increase overall survival or lead to fewer recurrences (return of the cancer after treatment). All patients who participated in this study had a lumpectomy (removal of the tumor and a small cancer-free margin of tissue), radiation therapy, and a sentinel lymph node biopsy that showed cancer cells in one or two underarm lymph nodes. Expert Perspective from ASCO on Advanced Cancer Care Planning
A report from the Dartmouth Atlas Project released today concluded that one in three Medicare patients with advanced cancer spend their final days in the hospital and intensive care units. In these settings, patients can receive aggressive, even unwanted, cancer treatment that does not cure the cancer and lowers their quality of life. The study also found that fewer than half of these patients received hospice services, which addresses the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the person with cancer and their caregivers. Hepatitis B Testing in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy
ASCO has issued a provisional clinical opinion recommending that selected patients at high risk for infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) be screened before receiving treatment with chemotherapy since there is a chance that an inactive infection could become active again with treatment that suppresses the immune system. A provisional clinical opinion offers direction to doctors and others who treat people with cancer after the publication or presentation of potentially practice-changing information. | |
