Clinical

Individuals facing end of life-whether that be for themselves, or a family member-encounter an array of challenges when attempting to decide among the end-of-life care options that are available. Health care professionals sometimes struggle with providing guidance, as well.

A new report published by the American Society of Clinical Oncology has drawn a mixed picture of oncology care in the United States-reduced mortality, increased survivors, and progress in treatment coupled with unsustainable costs and an unstable clinical setting.

A new study found the prevalence of neutropenia in routine complete blood cell counts directly associated with viral infections, hematological malignancies, and mortality.

Two inhibitors of the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor approved for the treatment of metastatic renal cell cancer do not prevent cancer recurrence when used in the adjuvant setting following surgery, according to a new study in the Lancet.

Factors determining access to care are closely associated with hospital and emergency department visits among adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The Department of Veterans Affairs will now be able to treat all veterans who have hepatitis C instead of restricting treatment to only the sickest.

According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, TAPUR provides patients access to drugs at no cost, and is designed to evaluate FDA-approved targeted agents for indications other than those on the drug’s label.

Light-to-moderate alcohol consumption might actually be a good thing for the heart and heart diseases, according to the recent results of a study out of Norway.

A new system could help healthcare providers predict patients with palliative care needs when they are admitted to the hospital.

What we're reading, March 10, 2016: spending on drug advertisements up 60% over 4 years; lawsuit between Gilead and Merck over hepatitis C virus drugs; and Tennessee considers allowing pharmacists to prescribe contraceptives.

A study conducted in Denmark identified an inverse association between controlling diabetes, through diet or oral medications, and breast density.

Based on their survey results, the authors conclude that clinician communication following detection of pulmonary nodules can help bridge knowledge gaps and relieve stress.

What we're reading, March 8, 2016: rate of unplanned pregnancies in the US is at a 30-year low; doctors told they are overprescribing addictive medicines don't change their behavior; and despite Obamacare, surprise medical bills find a way.

Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) have sent a letter to the FDA urging the regulatory body to find efficient ways to distribute expensive cancer drugs.

Joseph C. Kvedar, MD, vice president of Connected Health at Partners HealthCare, stresses the importance of medical leadership in promoting mHealth and telemedicine in order to get physicians comfortable with these new technologies.

A novel unit created to care for critically ill patients significantly sped access to specialized care.

By monitoring for mutations in the circulating tumor DNA of melanoma patients undergoing treatment, researchers at Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute are confident they can predict how patients will respond to their treatment and whether their disease would relapse.

Despite various attempts to increase the vaccination rate among adults, Medicare beneficiaries are still susceptible to extensive cost-sharing for recommended vaccines, according to a study by Avalere.

Just 2 days after being rejected by cost regulators in the UK, ibrutinib has been approved for the frontline treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in the United States.

To discuss the challenges with the implementation of value tools, the Association of Community Cancer Centers invited a panel of experts during its 42nd annual meeting on policy, value, and quality in Washington, DC.

What we're reading, March 4, 2016: Since the passage of the Affordable Care Act, 20 million people have signed up for healthcare coverage; the FDA has a backlog of 4000 drug applications waiting for approval; and Flint, Michigan, receives expanded Medicaid coverage.

Immunotherapy represents the "next frontier" in cancer care, according to Joseph Alvarnas, MD, of City of Hope, who is editor-in-chief of Evidence-Based Oncology.

At Cancerscape, the Association of Community Cancer Center’s 42nd annual meeting on policy, value, and quality, Kavita Patel, MD, MS, spoke about the clinical imperatives of personalized medicine and the demonstration of value to all stakeholders.

What we're reading, March 3, 2016: additional funding for the opioid abuse bill was shot down in the Senate; Donald Trump releases his plan to replace Obamacare; and Christine Cassel, MD, discusses designing a new medical school.

Study finds no statistically significant duration in the use of mechanical ventilation for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who took acetazolamide, but there was a clinically significant difference.