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Below are the most important articles that the editors of Medscape Oncology have chosen for you to read today.
Excessive Cancer Death Predicted After COVID-19
1 year later, 33,890 Excess death in cancer patients In the United States, and in the United Kingdom, 6270 excess deaths predict the first of this type of report.
Predictions are based on data showing that the majority of patients with cancer and individuals suspected of having cancer are not accessing health care services due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The report found a 60% reduction in early-diagnosis chemotherapy attendance and a 76% reduction in emergency cancer referrals compared to pre-pandemic levels.
“It’s widely accepted that early diagnosis and treatment, and adherence to treatment plans, save lives,” commentators noted. “Thus, these COVID-19-related effects will be life-threatening.”
Too much radiation therapy used on bone
With cancer patients Bone metastasis According to the researchers, this treatment is still treated with excess radiation therapy, and a single 8 Gy fraction has been strongly recommended since 2013 for this purpose.
The team reported the study results of more than 1200 patients, Only 9% received a single fraction. All other patients were treated with extended radiation therapy, including 20 visits over 4 weeks.
“In this era of COVID-19, we try to minimize contact with the healthcare system, so we are admitted to the hospital …[only once] “It’s very important,” said Dr. Arjun Gupta, lead author of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.
High mortality in lung cancer patients with COVID-19
Registry data is “Unexpectedly high” mortality Among lung cancer patients developing COVID-19, according to a presentation at American Cancer Society Virtual Conference.
Global TERAVOLT registry Specifically, it was launched in late March to provide outcome data for coronavirus infections in patients with breast cancer. The registry’s first 200 patients with lung cancer and COVID-19 report a mortality rate of 34.6%.
Patients with lung cancer can be particularly vulnerable because of older age, tobacco use, preexisting cardiopulmonary comorbidities, and the immunosuppressive effects of treatment, according to the researchers.
Data dashed theory
Targeted drugs for cancer are highly effective initially, but then develop resistance. A seven-year-old eye-catching mouse study suggests that these targeted drugs work better if cancer patients quit every few weeks. Report in journal Science.
However First large trial Test this idea on 250 melanoma Patients found that such “intermittent” dosing schedules allowed tumors to grow faster, with a median progression-free survival compared to 9 months for patients who received the drug continuously. It was 5.5 months. Overall survival was similar in both groups, with 40% in both groups surviving for 4 years.
“The results were the opposite of what we expected, and all preclinical data would have predicted,” said Antoni Ribas, MD, co-leader of cancer and research at UCLA Health in California. PhD says.
Other trials testing this theory are still in progress. The results would “help determine if there is a particular circumstance necessary for intermittent treatment to work, or if the idea is broken,” another oncologist commented.
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