Low-Protein, Low-Calorie Diet or Endurance Training May Decrease Cancer Risk

A long-term low-protein, low-calorie diet or an endurance-training regimen was linked with decreased cancer risk, probably because of fewer plasma growth factors and certain hormones. (CME,CE)
Medscape Medical News

Multivitamin Supplementation May Benefit Adolescents

A study showed that adolescents who used multiple-vitamin supplements had more healthful dietary and lifestyle behaviors than did nonusers. (CME)
Medscape Medical News
Laurie Barclay,Penny Murata

New Guidelines Recommend Determining HER2 Status for All Invasive Breast Cancer

The American Society of Clinical Oncology and the College of American Pathologists guidelines recommend that HER2 status should be determined for all invasive breast cancer. (CME,CE)
Medscape Medical News

ACGME Renews Wayne State University Accreditation

The recent final report of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education was a big relief to students, residents, and staff, despite several citations that need to be corrected in the next 2 years.
Medscape Medical News
Laurie Barclay

Tamoxifen Continues to Prevent Breast Cancer for Years After Therapy Is Stopped

Tamoxifen continues to exert protective effects against breast cancer for years after therapy is stopped, whereas the side effects disappear as soon as the drug is no longer taken, which substantially improves the risk-benefit ratio.
Medscape Medical News
Zosia Chustecka

Circumcision Significantly Reduces Risk of HIV Transmission

Two African studies were stopped early due to dramatic preliminary results indicating that medical circumcision reduces the risk of men acquiring HIV during heterosexual intercourse by 53%.
Medscape Medical News
Laurie Barclay

FDA Approvals: LTU-904, ORTHO T. cruzi, Paragon Z CRT

The FDA has approved a low-level laser therapy unit (LTU-904), an enzyme-linked immunoassay for antibodies to Trypansoma cruzi (ORTHO T. cruzi Elisa test system), and tisilfocon A rigid gas-permeable contact lenses (Paragon Z CRT).
Medscape Medical News
Yael Waknine

Breast Density Not Predictive for Invasive Cancer in DCIS

High breast density does not predict which women with ductal carcinoma in situ will go on to develop invasive breast cancer.
Medscape Medical News
Zosia Chustecka

Oncologists Should Work Like Cardiologists, Researchers Say

Cancer doctors are too focused on treatment and don't spend enough time on prevention, says a researcher from the National Cancer Institute.
Medscape Medical News
Allison Gandey

Breast Cancer Vaccine May Prevent Recurrence

Rather than treat metastatic disease, the HER2-neu vaccine, dubbed E75 after its immunogenic peptide, is designed to reduce recurrence in high-risk patients.
Medscape Medical News
Allison Gandey

Anthracyclines May Not Be Necessary in Adjuvant Therapy of Breast Cancer

Updated study results showing that a regimen of taxane and trastuzumab has similar survival rates but less toxicity than a regimen containing doxorubicin have raised questions over the role of anthracyclines in adjuvant therapy.
Medscape Medical News
Zosia Chustecka

First-Time Generic Approvals: Ditropan XL, Zofran Injection-Premixed Injection, Oxandrin

The FDA has approved first-time generic formulations for oxybutynin chloride 5-, 10-, and 15-mg extended-release tablets (Ditropan XL); ondasetron HCl 2-mg-mL injection packaged in single and multidose vials (Zofran); premixed 0.64-mg-mL ondasetron injection with 5% dextrose in 50-mL flexible plastic containers (Zofran Injection Premixed); and oxandrolone 2.5- and 10-mg tablets (Oxandrin).
Medscape Medical News
Yael Waknine

Fulvestrant New Option for Breast Cancer Patients Who Have Failed Aromatase Therapy

Results of a randomized phase 3 trial show that the estrogen receptor downregulator is a safe and effective alternative for postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer.
Medscape Medical News
Allison Gandey

Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate, Hemoglobin Helps in Screening Children for IBD

Measuring the combination of erythrocyte sedimentation rate and hemoglobin vs serologic testing had higher sensitivity and specificity in screening children for inflammatory bowel disease. (CME)
Medscape Medical News
Laurie Barclay,Penny Murata

Strength and Endurance Exercises Decrease Chronic Neck Pain

In a randomized trial, specific strength and endurance exercises decreased chronic neck pain in female office workers; these decreases correlated positively with the amount of specific training. (CME)
Medscape Medical News
Laurie Barclay,Charles Vega

Implantable Device Shows Promise in Refractory Epilepsy

An implantable neurostimulator that detects the onset of seizures and interrupts them by delivering a small electrical discharge is showing promise in adults with medically refractory partial epilepsy.
Medscape Medical News
Caroline Cassels

Highlights From MMWR: Older Adults Place Low Priority on Preventive Eye Care and More

The CDC has reported on the rate of preventive eye care in older adults, public health surveillance for smallpox, participation in immunization information systems, and reasons for lack of health insurance among persons younger than 65 years.
Medscape Medical News
Yael Waknine

Raloxifene May Increase Fatal Stroke Risk in Postmenopausal Women

Secondary analysis from the RUTH trial suggests a small potential increase in the risk for fatal strokes, although not in the overall stroke risk, in postmenopausal women at risk for coronary heart disease.
Medscape Medical News
Susan Jeffrey

Sudden Decline in Breast Cancer Could Be Linked to HRT

A surprising 7% decrease in breast cancer incidence was observed in 2003 ? a dramatic fall that never before has been observed in a single year. Researchers are attributing the promising decline, which was most noticeable in patients older than 50 years, to changes in hormone therapy use.
Medscape Medical News
Allison Gandey

Lapatinib Alone Effective in Inflammatory Breast Cancer

Tested for the first time in patients with newly diagnosed inflammatory breast cancer, the investigational drug showed activity alone and in combination with paclitaxel.
Medscape Medical News
Zosia Chustecka

Long-Term Vitamin E Supplements May Not Prevent Cognitive Decline in Older Women

Results from the Women's Health Study showed that long-term use of vitamin E supplements did not provide cognitive benefits among generally healthy older women. (CME,CE)
Medscape Medical News

FDA Approvals: Velcade and Herceptin

The FDA has approved a new indication for bortezomib intravenous injection (Velcade) and an expanded indication for trastuzumab injection (Herceptin). (CME)
Medscape Medical News
Laurie Barclay,Yael Waknine

Folic Acid Does Not Prevent Cardiovascular Disease

A meta-analysis concluded that current data provide no rationale for the use of folic acid for secondary prevention of cardiovascular events. (CME)
Medscape Medical News
Charles Vega,Lisa Nainggolan

PREVAIL: VTE Reduced With Enoxaparin vs Heparin in Stroke

Results of a randomized trial show a reduction in venous-thromboembolism events in stroke patients receiving the low-molecular-weight heparin enoxaparin vs unfractionated heparin, without a significant increase in clinically important bleeding.
Medscape Medical News
Susan Jeffrey

Lanthanum Carbonate Improves Serum P Control in Most CKD Stage 5 Patients

Three studies showed that lanthanum carbonate provides effective, safe serum phosphorus control in patients with stage 5 chronic kidney disease.
Medscape Medical News
Marlene Busko

Weight Loss From Calorie Restriction Decreases BMD in Older Adults

In a randomized study, 1 year of calorie restriction vs exercise yielded similar weight loss, but only weight loss from calorie restriction produced significant decreases in BMD in older adults. (CME)
Medscape Medical News

Fast Ripples Making Waves as First Reliable Biomarker for Epilepsy

Fast ripples ? brief, high-frequency, interictal oscillations ? are showing promise as the first reliable biomarker for epilepsy, says a leading expert.
Medscape Medical News
Caroline Cassels

Inactivated Flu Vaccine Prevents Flu-Related Illnesses in Healthy Adults

In a randomized controlled trial, the inactivated flu vaccine was efficacious in preventing laboratory-confirmed symptomatic illnesses from influenza in healthy adults. (CME)
Medscape Medical News

Silent Ischemic Lesions May Predict Vascular Event Recurrence

Silent ischemic lesion recurrence on MRI may be a potential surrogate marker of future clinical recurrence of ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack, and vascular death, a new study suggests.
Medscape Medical News
Caroline Cassels

FDA Safety Changes: Ortho Evra, Avastin, Trizivir

The FDA has approved revisions to the safety labeling for a norelgestromin-ethinyl estradiol transdermal system, bevacizumab injection, and abacavir sulfate-lamivudine-zidovudine tablets. (CME,CE)
Medscape Medical News
Laurie Barclay,Yael Waknine

Iron Chelation Improves Survival in Myelodysplastic Syndrome

A retrospective review has shown improved overall survival in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome who underwent iron chelation therapy.
Medscape Medical News
Zosia Chustecka

Survival Better With Short, Daily Dialysis Than With Conventional Hemodialysis

Survival among 117 patients treated by short, daily hemodialysis was 61% better than that of the US population on conventional hemodialysis, according to a recent study.
Medscape Medical News
Marlene Busko

International Approvals: Humira Pen, Dynamic Cervical Implant, Arctic Sun

Canada has approved a device (Humira Pen) to administer an arthritis drug; the EU has approved a titanium implant (Dynamic Cervical Implant), and Japan has approved a temperature management system (Arctic Sun).
Medscape Medical News
Yael Waknine

Massage Therapy May Help Reduce Pain of Knee Osteoarthritis

A randomized controlled trial showed that massage therapy is effective in reducing pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis, warranting further study of cost-effectiveness. (CME,CE)
Medscape Medical News
Laurie Barclay

Finasteride May Lower Serum PSA Level in Men With Male-Pattern Hair Loss

Based on results from a randomized trial with 1 mg-day of finasteride for 48 weeks, an adjustment to PSA level should be made during prostate cancer screening. (CME)
Medscape Medical News
Laurie Barclay,Charles Vega

Specific Symptoms May Assist in Early Detection of Ovarian Cancer

In a case-control study, specific symptoms in conjunction with their frequency and duration helped identify women with ovarian cancer, suggesting that a symptom index may be useful. (CME,CE)
Medscape Medical News

Dabigatran as Good as Enoxaparin, but More Convenient

The RE-MODEL study in patients undergoing total knee replacement shows the 2 drugs are similarly effective at preventing venous thromboembolism.
Medscape Medical News
Zosia Chustecka

Aurora Kinase Inhibitor Shows Activity in Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

The investigational drug is the first to show clinical activity in this population of treatment-resistant patients with a poor prognosis.
Medscape Medical News
Allison Gandey

Neurologists May Underrecognize, Undertreat Epilepsy

Good seizure control improves quality of life and lessens anxiety in patients with epilepsy, a new study suggests.
Medscape Medical News
Caroline Cassels

Stem Cells Offer Hope in Severe Graft-vs-Host Disease

Treatment with donated mesenchymal stem cells can be life-saving in patients with severe acute graft-vs-host disease.
Medscape Medical News
Zosia Chustecka