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Lucas Franki is an associate editor for MDedge News, and has been with the company since 2014. He has a BA in English from Penn State University and is an Eagle Scout.
New potential atopic dermatitis biomarkers found
Several new biomarkers for atopic dermatitis have been identified that may serve as targets for future drugs, according to a research letter from Angelo Landriscina at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, and his associates.
In a study of 40 biopsy specimens from patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and 40 matched controls from banked abdominoplasty tissue, interleukin-2 was found to produce pruritus in all study subjects, but this process was accelerated in AD patients. The pruritigens in the arachidonic acid pathways, leukotriene B4 and 5-lipoxygenase, also were increased in AD patients. In addition, the investigators found increased matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-7, a product of mast cell degradation. In AD, mast cells localize in the epidermis and are stimulated, releasing MMP-7. Finally, alpha-2 macroglobulin was significantly elevated in AD skin.
“Interestingly, all mediators investigated are inhibited by hypochlorous acid, formed when sodium hypochlorite (bleach) mixes with water at pH 5-7,” the investigators noted.
Find the full research letter in Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2015.06.036).
Several new biomarkers for atopic dermatitis have been identified that may serve as targets for future drugs, according to a research letter from Angelo Landriscina at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, and his associates.
In a study of 40 biopsy specimens from patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and 40 matched controls from banked abdominoplasty tissue, interleukin-2 was found to produce pruritus in all study subjects, but this process was accelerated in AD patients. The pruritigens in the arachidonic acid pathways, leukotriene B4 and 5-lipoxygenase, also were increased in AD patients. In addition, the investigators found increased matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-7, a product of mast cell degradation. In AD, mast cells localize in the epidermis and are stimulated, releasing MMP-7. Finally, alpha-2 macroglobulin was significantly elevated in AD skin.
“Interestingly, all mediators investigated are inhibited by hypochlorous acid, formed when sodium hypochlorite (bleach) mixes with water at pH 5-7,” the investigators noted.
Find the full research letter in Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2015.06.036).
Several new biomarkers for atopic dermatitis have been identified that may serve as targets for future drugs, according to a research letter from Angelo Landriscina at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, and his associates.
In a study of 40 biopsy specimens from patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and 40 matched controls from banked abdominoplasty tissue, interleukin-2 was found to produce pruritus in all study subjects, but this process was accelerated in AD patients. The pruritigens in the arachidonic acid pathways, leukotriene B4 and 5-lipoxygenase, also were increased in AD patients. In addition, the investigators found increased matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-7, a product of mast cell degradation. In AD, mast cells localize in the epidermis and are stimulated, releasing MMP-7. Finally, alpha-2 macroglobulin was significantly elevated in AD skin.
“Interestingly, all mediators investigated are inhibited by hypochlorous acid, formed when sodium hypochlorite (bleach) mixes with water at pH 5-7,” the investigators noted.
Find the full research letter in Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2015.06.036).
Mixed Pathologies Are Very Common in Black Alzheimer’s Patients
Black patients with Alzheimer’s disease dementia are much more likely to have an Alzheimer’s pathology mixed with another pathology than are white patients, according to Dr. Lisa Barnes and her associates.
In a prospective study of 122 patients enrolled in the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Clinical Core, just under 20% of black patients had Alzheimer’s pathology as the only cause of dementia, compared with 42% of white patients. About 71% of black patients had Alzheimer’s pathology mixed with another pathology, such as Lewy bodies and infarcts, while just over half of white patients had mixed pathology. Black dementia patients also had higher rates of arteriolar sclerosis and atherosclerosis. The 41 black decedents were matched two-to-one to 81 white decedents according to age at death, sex, years of education, and cognition proximate to death.
“Given that most current therapeutic strategies focus primarily on the modification of amyloid, a central AD pathology, it will be important to develop new treatments that target other common pathologies, particularly in African Americans, to lessen the burden of AD dementia,” the investigators noted.
The full study was published online July 15 in Neurology (doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000001834).
Black patients with Alzheimer’s disease dementia are much more likely to have an Alzheimer’s pathology mixed with another pathology than are white patients, according to Dr. Lisa Barnes and her associates.
In a prospective study of 122 patients enrolled in the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Clinical Core, just under 20% of black patients had Alzheimer’s pathology as the only cause of dementia, compared with 42% of white patients. About 71% of black patients had Alzheimer’s pathology mixed with another pathology, such as Lewy bodies and infarcts, while just over half of white patients had mixed pathology. Black dementia patients also had higher rates of arteriolar sclerosis and atherosclerosis. The 41 black decedents were matched two-to-one to 81 white decedents according to age at death, sex, years of education, and cognition proximate to death.
“Given that most current therapeutic strategies focus primarily on the modification of amyloid, a central AD pathology, it will be important to develop new treatments that target other common pathologies, particularly in African Americans, to lessen the burden of AD dementia,” the investigators noted.
The full study was published online July 15 in Neurology (doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000001834).
Black patients with Alzheimer’s disease dementia are much more likely to have an Alzheimer’s pathology mixed with another pathology than are white patients, according to Dr. Lisa Barnes and her associates.
In a prospective study of 122 patients enrolled in the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Clinical Core, just under 20% of black patients had Alzheimer’s pathology as the only cause of dementia, compared with 42% of white patients. About 71% of black patients had Alzheimer’s pathology mixed with another pathology, such as Lewy bodies and infarcts, while just over half of white patients had mixed pathology. Black dementia patients also had higher rates of arteriolar sclerosis and atherosclerosis. The 41 black decedents were matched two-to-one to 81 white decedents according to age at death, sex, years of education, and cognition proximate to death.
“Given that most current therapeutic strategies focus primarily on the modification of amyloid, a central AD pathology, it will be important to develop new treatments that target other common pathologies, particularly in African Americans, to lessen the burden of AD dementia,” the investigators noted.
The full study was published online July 15 in Neurology (doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000001834).
Mixed pathologies are very common in black Alzheimer’s patients
Black patients with Alzheimer’s disease dementia are much more likely to have an Alzheimer’s pathology mixed with another pathology than are white patients, according to Dr. Lisa Barnes and her associates.
In a prospective study of 122 patients enrolled in the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Clinical Core, just under 20% of black patients had Alzheimer’s pathology as the only cause of dementia, compared with 42% of white patients. About 71% of black patients had Alzheimer’s pathology mixed with another pathology, such as Lewy bodies and infarcts, while just over half of white patients had mixed pathology. Black dementia patients also had higher rates of arteriolar sclerosis and atherosclerosis. The 41 black decedents were matched two-to-one to 81 white decedents according to age at death, sex, years of education, and cognition proximate to death.
“Given that most current therapeutic strategies focus primarily on the modification of amyloid, a central AD pathology, it will be important to develop new treatments that target other common pathologies, particularly in African Americans, to lessen the burden of AD dementia,” the investigators noted.
The full study was published online July 15 in Neurology (doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000001834).
Black patients with Alzheimer’s disease dementia are much more likely to have an Alzheimer’s pathology mixed with another pathology than are white patients, according to Dr. Lisa Barnes and her associates.
In a prospective study of 122 patients enrolled in the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Clinical Core, just under 20% of black patients had Alzheimer’s pathology as the only cause of dementia, compared with 42% of white patients. About 71% of black patients had Alzheimer’s pathology mixed with another pathology, such as Lewy bodies and infarcts, while just over half of white patients had mixed pathology. Black dementia patients also had higher rates of arteriolar sclerosis and atherosclerosis. The 41 black decedents were matched two-to-one to 81 white decedents according to age at death, sex, years of education, and cognition proximate to death.
“Given that most current therapeutic strategies focus primarily on the modification of amyloid, a central AD pathology, it will be important to develop new treatments that target other common pathologies, particularly in African Americans, to lessen the burden of AD dementia,” the investigators noted.
The full study was published online July 15 in Neurology (doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000001834).
Black patients with Alzheimer’s disease dementia are much more likely to have an Alzheimer’s pathology mixed with another pathology than are white patients, according to Dr. Lisa Barnes and her associates.
In a prospective study of 122 patients enrolled in the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Clinical Core, just under 20% of black patients had Alzheimer’s pathology as the only cause of dementia, compared with 42% of white patients. About 71% of black patients had Alzheimer’s pathology mixed with another pathology, such as Lewy bodies and infarcts, while just over half of white patients had mixed pathology. Black dementia patients also had higher rates of arteriolar sclerosis and atherosclerosis. The 41 black decedents were matched two-to-one to 81 white decedents according to age at death, sex, years of education, and cognition proximate to death.
“Given that most current therapeutic strategies focus primarily on the modification of amyloid, a central AD pathology, it will be important to develop new treatments that target other common pathologies, particularly in African Americans, to lessen the burden of AD dementia,” the investigators noted.
The full study was published online July 15 in Neurology (doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000001834).
Knowledge lacking on auditory hallucinations in bipolar, depressed patients
Research into auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) in patients with bipolar disorder (BD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) is lacking in several important ways, according to a systematic review by Dr. Wei Lin Toh and associates.
While previous research indicates that a significant number of people with BD and MDD experience AVH, estimates vary widely, from 11.3% to 62.8% of BD patients, and 5.4% to 40.6% of MDD patients. One neuroimaging study found potential frontotemporal connectivity relating to AVH in bipolar patients.
No study has systematically investigated phenomenological characteristics of AVH in BD and MDD, a significant gap in knowledge relating to AVH in the two disorders. In addition, the investigators recommend research into links between AVH and delusions, as many BD patients and MDD patients experience both delusions and hallucinations of any sort.
“The topic of AVH remains a central but largely understudied symptom in BD, and more so, MDD. Further progress can only be achieved when phenomenological, cognitive, and neuroimaging research efforts go hand-in-hand,” concluded Dr. Toh of Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, and colleagues.
Find the full review in the Journal of Affective Disorders (May 28, 2015 [doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2015.05.040]).
Research into auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) in patients with bipolar disorder (BD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) is lacking in several important ways, according to a systematic review by Dr. Wei Lin Toh and associates.
While previous research indicates that a significant number of people with BD and MDD experience AVH, estimates vary widely, from 11.3% to 62.8% of BD patients, and 5.4% to 40.6% of MDD patients. One neuroimaging study found potential frontotemporal connectivity relating to AVH in bipolar patients.
No study has systematically investigated phenomenological characteristics of AVH in BD and MDD, a significant gap in knowledge relating to AVH in the two disorders. In addition, the investigators recommend research into links between AVH and delusions, as many BD patients and MDD patients experience both delusions and hallucinations of any sort.
“The topic of AVH remains a central but largely understudied symptom in BD, and more so, MDD. Further progress can only be achieved when phenomenological, cognitive, and neuroimaging research efforts go hand-in-hand,” concluded Dr. Toh of Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, and colleagues.
Find the full review in the Journal of Affective Disorders (May 28, 2015 [doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2015.05.040]).
Research into auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) in patients with bipolar disorder (BD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) is lacking in several important ways, according to a systematic review by Dr. Wei Lin Toh and associates.
While previous research indicates that a significant number of people with BD and MDD experience AVH, estimates vary widely, from 11.3% to 62.8% of BD patients, and 5.4% to 40.6% of MDD patients. One neuroimaging study found potential frontotemporal connectivity relating to AVH in bipolar patients.
No study has systematically investigated phenomenological characteristics of AVH in BD and MDD, a significant gap in knowledge relating to AVH in the two disorders. In addition, the investigators recommend research into links between AVH and delusions, as many BD patients and MDD patients experience both delusions and hallucinations of any sort.
“The topic of AVH remains a central but largely understudied symptom in BD, and more so, MDD. Further progress can only be achieved when phenomenological, cognitive, and neuroimaging research efforts go hand-in-hand,” concluded Dr. Toh of Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, and colleagues.
Find the full review in the Journal of Affective Disorders (May 28, 2015 [doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2015.05.040]).
Antipsychotic use down in children, up in adolescents and young adults
Use of prescription antipsychotics increased in adolescents and young adults from 2006 to 2010, but fell in children younger than 12 years, according to Dr. Mark Olfson and his associates.
In 2006, antipsychotic usage rates in the United States were at 0.14% for young children, 0.85% for older children, 1.1% for adolescents, and 0.69% for young adults. By 2010, these rates were at 0.11%, 0.8%, 1.19%, and 0.84%, a slight decrease for young and older children, but a significant increase in adolescents and in young adults.
Male children younger than 12 years were nearly 3 times more likely to receive antipsychotics than female children, and male adolescents were also significantly more likely to be prescribed antipsychotics. Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder was the most common diagnosis for antipsychotic prescription in all children and adolescents, while depression was the most common diagnosis for young adults.
“After several years of increasing rates of antipsychotic treatment of children and adolescents in the United States, the rate of antipsychotic use among children decreased between 2008 and 2010,” Dr. Oflson of Columbia University, New York, and his colleagues noted.
“In view of evidence of widespread antipsychotic prescribing outside of FDA-labeled indications and concerns regarding the adverse metabolic effects of second-generation antipsychotics, this decline is a welcome development,” the investigators added.
Find the full study in JAMA Psychiatry (July 1, 2015 [doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2015.0500]).
Use of prescription antipsychotics increased in adolescents and young adults from 2006 to 2010, but fell in children younger than 12 years, according to Dr. Mark Olfson and his associates.
In 2006, antipsychotic usage rates in the United States were at 0.14% for young children, 0.85% for older children, 1.1% for adolescents, and 0.69% for young adults. By 2010, these rates were at 0.11%, 0.8%, 1.19%, and 0.84%, a slight decrease for young and older children, but a significant increase in adolescents and in young adults.
Male children younger than 12 years were nearly 3 times more likely to receive antipsychotics than female children, and male adolescents were also significantly more likely to be prescribed antipsychotics. Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder was the most common diagnosis for antipsychotic prescription in all children and adolescents, while depression was the most common diagnosis for young adults.
“After several years of increasing rates of antipsychotic treatment of children and adolescents in the United States, the rate of antipsychotic use among children decreased between 2008 and 2010,” Dr. Oflson of Columbia University, New York, and his colleagues noted.
“In view of evidence of widespread antipsychotic prescribing outside of FDA-labeled indications and concerns regarding the adverse metabolic effects of second-generation antipsychotics, this decline is a welcome development,” the investigators added.
Find the full study in JAMA Psychiatry (July 1, 2015 [doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2015.0500]).
Use of prescription antipsychotics increased in adolescents and young adults from 2006 to 2010, but fell in children younger than 12 years, according to Dr. Mark Olfson and his associates.
In 2006, antipsychotic usage rates in the United States were at 0.14% for young children, 0.85% for older children, 1.1% for adolescents, and 0.69% for young adults. By 2010, these rates were at 0.11%, 0.8%, 1.19%, and 0.84%, a slight decrease for young and older children, but a significant increase in adolescents and in young adults.
Male children younger than 12 years were nearly 3 times more likely to receive antipsychotics than female children, and male adolescents were also significantly more likely to be prescribed antipsychotics. Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder was the most common diagnosis for antipsychotic prescription in all children and adolescents, while depression was the most common diagnosis for young adults.
“After several years of increasing rates of antipsychotic treatment of children and adolescents in the United States, the rate of antipsychotic use among children decreased between 2008 and 2010,” Dr. Oflson of Columbia University, New York, and his colleagues noted.
“In view of evidence of widespread antipsychotic prescribing outside of FDA-labeled indications and concerns regarding the adverse metabolic effects of second-generation antipsychotics, this decline is a welcome development,” the investigators added.
Find the full study in JAMA Psychiatry (July 1, 2015 [doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2015.0500]).
CDC: Four ways to a healthier heart within a month
A month can be a lot of things, depending on your perspective. To a child waiting for Christmas, a month can feel like eternity; to the Earth itself, a month is barely perceptible in a lifetime of billions of years. But for your heart health, a month can make all the difference in the world, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Nearly all Americans eat too much salt, so cutting down on sodium is a great way to improve heart health. Eating more fruits and vegetables, consuming lower-sodium versions of your favorite foods, and having fewer takeout meals are all easy ways to keep your daily sodium intake at the recommended level, and can be accomplished over the course of a month.
The CDC recommends getting 150 minutes of exercise a week to reduce heart disease risk. This can be anything from walking around town to a more advanced activity like yoga or kick-boxing. A half-hour five times a week is not a huge time commitment, and it can really help your heart.
Are you a smoker? Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, and while quitting is never easy, a month is plenty of time to recover, and the benefits of quitting start right away.
Perhaps the most important thing you could do for your heart is simply to be aware of it. Check your blood pressure, take prescribed medication, and make sure to relax and smell the roses sometimes. The world can wait, heart health is more important.
Learn more at the CDC’s website.
A month can be a lot of things, depending on your perspective. To a child waiting for Christmas, a month can feel like eternity; to the Earth itself, a month is barely perceptible in a lifetime of billions of years. But for your heart health, a month can make all the difference in the world, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Nearly all Americans eat too much salt, so cutting down on sodium is a great way to improve heart health. Eating more fruits and vegetables, consuming lower-sodium versions of your favorite foods, and having fewer takeout meals are all easy ways to keep your daily sodium intake at the recommended level, and can be accomplished over the course of a month.
The CDC recommends getting 150 minutes of exercise a week to reduce heart disease risk. This can be anything from walking around town to a more advanced activity like yoga or kick-boxing. A half-hour five times a week is not a huge time commitment, and it can really help your heart.
Are you a smoker? Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, and while quitting is never easy, a month is plenty of time to recover, and the benefits of quitting start right away.
Perhaps the most important thing you could do for your heart is simply to be aware of it. Check your blood pressure, take prescribed medication, and make sure to relax and smell the roses sometimes. The world can wait, heart health is more important.
Learn more at the CDC’s website.
A month can be a lot of things, depending on your perspective. To a child waiting for Christmas, a month can feel like eternity; to the Earth itself, a month is barely perceptible in a lifetime of billions of years. But for your heart health, a month can make all the difference in the world, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Nearly all Americans eat too much salt, so cutting down on sodium is a great way to improve heart health. Eating more fruits and vegetables, consuming lower-sodium versions of your favorite foods, and having fewer takeout meals are all easy ways to keep your daily sodium intake at the recommended level, and can be accomplished over the course of a month.
The CDC recommends getting 150 minutes of exercise a week to reduce heart disease risk. This can be anything from walking around town to a more advanced activity like yoga or kick-boxing. A half-hour five times a week is not a huge time commitment, and it can really help your heart.
Are you a smoker? Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, and while quitting is never easy, a month is plenty of time to recover, and the benefits of quitting start right away.
Perhaps the most important thing you could do for your heart is simply to be aware of it. Check your blood pressure, take prescribed medication, and make sure to relax and smell the roses sometimes. The world can wait, heart health is more important.
Learn more at the CDC’s website.
Exposure to medical marijuana advertising increases usage risk in adolescents
The more exposure children in sixth to eighth grade had to medical marijuana advertising, the more likely they were to use or intend to use marijuana 1 year in the future, according to Elizabeth D’Amico and her associates at the RAND Corp., a nonprofit research organization.
Of 8,214 sixth- to eighth-grade youth in 2010 and 2011 in 16 middle schools in Southern California (50% male; 52% Hispanic; mean age = 13 years) surveyed in 2010 and 2011, 22% of the children initially had seen at least one marijuana advertisement. These children were more than twice as likely to use or consider using marijuana 1 year later, with odds ratios of 2.2 and 2.07, respectively.
Children with higher academic performance were more likely to have seen advertising, while males and children of Asian descent were less likely. For both marijuana usage and intent to use, higher academic performance increased risk, and being of Asian descent lowered risk.
“Given that advertising typically only tells one side of the story, prevention efforts must begin to better educate youth about medical marijuana while also emphasizing the negative effects that marijuana can have on the brain and performance,” the investigators noted. Other studies have shown that “initiation of marijuana use during early adolescence is associated with poor school performance, neuropsychological performance deficits, and further use of other illicit drugs, such as heroin and cocaine.”
“Because this is a new frontier, it is important to think about whether regulations should be put in place on medical marijuana and recreational marijuana advertising, similar to regulations that are in place for the advertising of alcohol and tobacco products,” they said.
Find the full study in Psychology of Addictive Behaviors (doi:10.1037/adb0000094).
The more exposure children in sixth to eighth grade had to medical marijuana advertising, the more likely they were to use or intend to use marijuana 1 year in the future, according to Elizabeth D’Amico and her associates at the RAND Corp., a nonprofit research organization.
Of 8,214 sixth- to eighth-grade youth in 2010 and 2011 in 16 middle schools in Southern California (50% male; 52% Hispanic; mean age = 13 years) surveyed in 2010 and 2011, 22% of the children initially had seen at least one marijuana advertisement. These children were more than twice as likely to use or consider using marijuana 1 year later, with odds ratios of 2.2 and 2.07, respectively.
Children with higher academic performance were more likely to have seen advertising, while males and children of Asian descent were less likely. For both marijuana usage and intent to use, higher academic performance increased risk, and being of Asian descent lowered risk.
“Given that advertising typically only tells one side of the story, prevention efforts must begin to better educate youth about medical marijuana while also emphasizing the negative effects that marijuana can have on the brain and performance,” the investigators noted. Other studies have shown that “initiation of marijuana use during early adolescence is associated with poor school performance, neuropsychological performance deficits, and further use of other illicit drugs, such as heroin and cocaine.”
“Because this is a new frontier, it is important to think about whether regulations should be put in place on medical marijuana and recreational marijuana advertising, similar to regulations that are in place for the advertising of alcohol and tobacco products,” they said.
Find the full study in Psychology of Addictive Behaviors (doi:10.1037/adb0000094).
The more exposure children in sixth to eighth grade had to medical marijuana advertising, the more likely they were to use or intend to use marijuana 1 year in the future, according to Elizabeth D’Amico and her associates at the RAND Corp., a nonprofit research organization.
Of 8,214 sixth- to eighth-grade youth in 2010 and 2011 in 16 middle schools in Southern California (50% male; 52% Hispanic; mean age = 13 years) surveyed in 2010 and 2011, 22% of the children initially had seen at least one marijuana advertisement. These children were more than twice as likely to use or consider using marijuana 1 year later, with odds ratios of 2.2 and 2.07, respectively.
Children with higher academic performance were more likely to have seen advertising, while males and children of Asian descent were less likely. For both marijuana usage and intent to use, higher academic performance increased risk, and being of Asian descent lowered risk.
“Given that advertising typically only tells one side of the story, prevention efforts must begin to better educate youth about medical marijuana while also emphasizing the negative effects that marijuana can have on the brain and performance,” the investigators noted. Other studies have shown that “initiation of marijuana use during early adolescence is associated with poor school performance, neuropsychological performance deficits, and further use of other illicit drugs, such as heroin and cocaine.”
“Because this is a new frontier, it is important to think about whether regulations should be put in place on medical marijuana and recreational marijuana advertising, similar to regulations that are in place for the advertising of alcohol and tobacco products,” they said.
Find the full study in Psychology of Addictive Behaviors (doi:10.1037/adb0000094).
ASCO supports endometrial cancer RT guidelines with some qualifications
The American Society of Clinical Oncology is supporting a guideline on postoperative radiation therapy for endometrial cancer, with some qualifications.
According to the guideline from the American Society for Radiation Oncology, surveillance only is a reasonable course of action in women without residual disease and for women with grade 1 or 2 cancer and less than 50% myometrial invasion (MI). For women with grade 1 or 2 cancer with more than 50% MI and women with grade 3 cancer with less than 50% MI, vaginal brachytherapy is as effective as pelvic radiation is at preventing recurrence and is preferable. Patients with grade 3 cancer above 50% MI will benefit from pelvic radiation therapy.
The ASCO Endorsement Panel gave several qualifications to highlight important points. Qualifications listed include the lack of survival benefit with external beam radiation therapy in early-stage disease, choosing vaginal brachytherapy over external beam radiation therapy in high-intermediate risk disease for locoregional control, chemotherapy in women with high-risk early-stage and advanced disease, the importance of clinical trials, and fertility and quality of life concerns, the panel reported.
Find the full study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (doi:10.1200/JCO.2015.62.5459)
The American Society of Clinical Oncology is supporting a guideline on postoperative radiation therapy for endometrial cancer, with some qualifications.
According to the guideline from the American Society for Radiation Oncology, surveillance only is a reasonable course of action in women without residual disease and for women with grade 1 or 2 cancer and less than 50% myometrial invasion (MI). For women with grade 1 or 2 cancer with more than 50% MI and women with grade 3 cancer with less than 50% MI, vaginal brachytherapy is as effective as pelvic radiation is at preventing recurrence and is preferable. Patients with grade 3 cancer above 50% MI will benefit from pelvic radiation therapy.
The ASCO Endorsement Panel gave several qualifications to highlight important points. Qualifications listed include the lack of survival benefit with external beam radiation therapy in early-stage disease, choosing vaginal brachytherapy over external beam radiation therapy in high-intermediate risk disease for locoregional control, chemotherapy in women with high-risk early-stage and advanced disease, the importance of clinical trials, and fertility and quality of life concerns, the panel reported.
Find the full study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (doi:10.1200/JCO.2015.62.5459)
The American Society of Clinical Oncology is supporting a guideline on postoperative radiation therapy for endometrial cancer, with some qualifications.
According to the guideline from the American Society for Radiation Oncology, surveillance only is a reasonable course of action in women without residual disease and for women with grade 1 or 2 cancer and less than 50% myometrial invasion (MI). For women with grade 1 or 2 cancer with more than 50% MI and women with grade 3 cancer with less than 50% MI, vaginal brachytherapy is as effective as pelvic radiation is at preventing recurrence and is preferable. Patients with grade 3 cancer above 50% MI will benefit from pelvic radiation therapy.
The ASCO Endorsement Panel gave several qualifications to highlight important points. Qualifications listed include the lack of survival benefit with external beam radiation therapy in early-stage disease, choosing vaginal brachytherapy over external beam radiation therapy in high-intermediate risk disease for locoregional control, chemotherapy in women with high-risk early-stage and advanced disease, the importance of clinical trials, and fertility and quality of life concerns, the panel reported.
Find the full study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (doi:10.1200/JCO.2015.62.5459)
FDA sued for access to data on hepatitis C medications
The Global Health Justice Partnership and Treatment Action Group have filed a lawsuit against the Food and Drug Administration for access to data on the hepatitis C drugs sofosbuvir (Sovaldi) and sofosbuvir/ledipasvir (Harvoni), according to a press release from Yale Law School, New Haven, Ct.
Sofosbuvir and sofosbuvir/ledipasvir were given Breakthrough Therapy Designation status by the FDA in December 2013 and October 2014, respectively, and since that time, have been used to treat more than 210,000 people. Both drugs are extremely effective, but their cost is tremendous, with the initial pricing of a 12-week treatment regimen at $84,000 and $94,500, respectively.
The two groups contacted Gilead Sciences for data on both drugs in November 2014, but received no response. In December 2014, GHJP and TAG submitted a Freedom of Information request to the FDA but were informed they would not get a response for 18-24 months and did not guarantee the data would ever be released.
“This lawsuit is about access and answers. The astronomical price of these drugs requires Medicaid programs and other providers to make hard choices about how to allocate their resources. They are making these decisions now. Crucial policy determinations about who has access to treatment are being made on incomplete information,” Karyn Kaplan, TAG’s International Hepatitis/HIV Policy and Advocacy director said in the press release.
Read the full press release on the Yale Law School website.
The Global Health Justice Partnership and Treatment Action Group have filed a lawsuit against the Food and Drug Administration for access to data on the hepatitis C drugs sofosbuvir (Sovaldi) and sofosbuvir/ledipasvir (Harvoni), according to a press release from Yale Law School, New Haven, Ct.
Sofosbuvir and sofosbuvir/ledipasvir were given Breakthrough Therapy Designation status by the FDA in December 2013 and October 2014, respectively, and since that time, have been used to treat more than 210,000 people. Both drugs are extremely effective, but their cost is tremendous, with the initial pricing of a 12-week treatment regimen at $84,000 and $94,500, respectively.
The two groups contacted Gilead Sciences for data on both drugs in November 2014, but received no response. In December 2014, GHJP and TAG submitted a Freedom of Information request to the FDA but were informed they would not get a response for 18-24 months and did not guarantee the data would ever be released.
“This lawsuit is about access and answers. The astronomical price of these drugs requires Medicaid programs and other providers to make hard choices about how to allocate their resources. They are making these decisions now. Crucial policy determinations about who has access to treatment are being made on incomplete information,” Karyn Kaplan, TAG’s International Hepatitis/HIV Policy and Advocacy director said in the press release.
Read the full press release on the Yale Law School website.
The Global Health Justice Partnership and Treatment Action Group have filed a lawsuit against the Food and Drug Administration for access to data on the hepatitis C drugs sofosbuvir (Sovaldi) and sofosbuvir/ledipasvir (Harvoni), according to a press release from Yale Law School, New Haven, Ct.
Sofosbuvir and sofosbuvir/ledipasvir were given Breakthrough Therapy Designation status by the FDA in December 2013 and October 2014, respectively, and since that time, have been used to treat more than 210,000 people. Both drugs are extremely effective, but their cost is tremendous, with the initial pricing of a 12-week treatment regimen at $84,000 and $94,500, respectively.
The two groups contacted Gilead Sciences for data on both drugs in November 2014, but received no response. In December 2014, GHJP and TAG submitted a Freedom of Information request to the FDA but were informed they would not get a response for 18-24 months and did not guarantee the data would ever be released.
“This lawsuit is about access and answers. The astronomical price of these drugs requires Medicaid programs and other providers to make hard choices about how to allocate their resources. They are making these decisions now. Crucial policy determinations about who has access to treatment are being made on incomplete information,” Karyn Kaplan, TAG’s International Hepatitis/HIV Policy and Advocacy director said in the press release.
Read the full press release on the Yale Law School website.
Iowa Gambling Task differentiates bipolar patients from controls
A significant difference in oxygenated hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) rates was found between bipolar disorder patients and a control group during the Iowa Gambling Task, Dr. Yasuki Ono and associates reported.
While performing the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), patients with bipolar disorder had significantly lower oxy-Hb levels in the bilateral orbitofrontal cortex and left prefrontal cortex than did those in the control group. Changes in oxy-Hb levels in the orbitofrontal cortex and profrontal cortex during the IGT were negatively correlated with total scores on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. Oxy-Hb levels, however, were similar in both the bipolar disorder group and control group while taking a verbal fluency task.
“Although the IGT was useful for differentiating patients with [bipolar disorder] from control subjects, no significant differences in autonomic activity were observed,” noted Dr. Ono of the department of psychiatry and neurobiology at Kanazawa (Japan) University and associates.
Find the full study in Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging (2015;233:1-8 [doi:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2015.04.003]).
A significant difference in oxygenated hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) rates was found between bipolar disorder patients and a control group during the Iowa Gambling Task, Dr. Yasuki Ono and associates reported.
While performing the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), patients with bipolar disorder had significantly lower oxy-Hb levels in the bilateral orbitofrontal cortex and left prefrontal cortex than did those in the control group. Changes in oxy-Hb levels in the orbitofrontal cortex and profrontal cortex during the IGT were negatively correlated with total scores on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. Oxy-Hb levels, however, were similar in both the bipolar disorder group and control group while taking a verbal fluency task.
“Although the IGT was useful for differentiating patients with [bipolar disorder] from control subjects, no significant differences in autonomic activity were observed,” noted Dr. Ono of the department of psychiatry and neurobiology at Kanazawa (Japan) University and associates.
Find the full study in Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging (2015;233:1-8 [doi:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2015.04.003]).
A significant difference in oxygenated hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) rates was found between bipolar disorder patients and a control group during the Iowa Gambling Task, Dr. Yasuki Ono and associates reported.
While performing the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), patients with bipolar disorder had significantly lower oxy-Hb levels in the bilateral orbitofrontal cortex and left prefrontal cortex than did those in the control group. Changes in oxy-Hb levels in the orbitofrontal cortex and profrontal cortex during the IGT were negatively correlated with total scores on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. Oxy-Hb levels, however, were similar in both the bipolar disorder group and control group while taking a verbal fluency task.
“Although the IGT was useful for differentiating patients with [bipolar disorder] from control subjects, no significant differences in autonomic activity were observed,” noted Dr. Ono of the department of psychiatry and neurobiology at Kanazawa (Japan) University and associates.
Find the full study in Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging (2015;233:1-8 [doi:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2015.04.003]).