Fighting melanoma
New Orleans - Oblimersen sodium (Genasense), the antisense agent under investigation for advanced malignant melanoma, improved progression-free survival but not overall survival, in a recent phase III...
View ArticleVaccine: multipeptide cocktail suits patients
New Orleans — Vaccination with a mixture of 12 peptides was immunogenic in 100 percent of melanoma patients tested, even with multiple peptides competing for the same cell surface binding sites,...
View ArticleNovel agent, chemotherapy promising in melanoma tx
New Orleans — BAY 43-9006, a novel signal transduction inhibitor, has very modest activity as a single agent in melanoma; however, it has promising activity in combination with chemotherapy,...
View ArticlePatient goals, way to measure define CTCL success
New York — The key to successful management of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) is to identify the patient's goals, then find a way to measure response to treatment, Peter W. Heald, M.D., said here at...
View ArticlePromising approaches to melanoma therapy
New York — While cytokines are currently standard therapy for advanced melanoma, cancer vaccines in advanced stages of development could soon change the treatment paradigm, says Howard L. Kaufman,...
View ArticlePDT: MAL less painful in AKs of the scalp
While the clinical benefit of MAL versus ALA was not evaluated in the study, treatments appeared to produce similarly efficacious results.
View ArticleUVB, Growth Factors Conspire in Genesis of Melanoma
Physiological factors may help transform normal tissue into cancerous lesions.
View ArticleMandatory isotretinoin registry 'inevitable?'
(FDA) advisory committee members voted 16-8 in favor of a mandatory registry, a plan which was also supported by Hoffman-LaRoche and generic isotretinoin manufacturers.
View Article'Subtype-directed' approach targets rosacea
New York — The four recently defined subtypes of rosacea are likely caused by different pathogenic factors, and thus respond to different therapeutic regimens, according to Michelle T. Pelle, M.D.
View ArticleFace transplants: Moving forward?
Cleveland — Facial transplantation, a controversial procedure, has moved one step closer to clinical practice, following approval of a protocol late last year by the Cleveland Clinic's internal review...
View ArticleEducate patients on winter skin care
New York — As winter exacerbates existing skin problems and precipitates new ones, many patients benefit from practical advice on changing their skin care regimens to fit the season, according to...
View ArticleImiquimod may potentiate melanoma vaccine effect
Newport Beach, Calif. — The immune response modifier imiquimod (Aldara, 3M Pharmaceuticals) may have a role as an enhancer of other immunotherapies for melanoma, Noah Craft, M.D., Ph.D. said here at...
View ArticleMultiple facial papules? Consider Birt-Hogg-Dub?
Newport Beach, Calif. — When a patient presents with multiple facial papules, consider the rare but potentially fatal condition known as Birt-Hogg-Dub? syndrome, says Melvin W. Chiu, M.D., who spoke at...
View ArticleLipo innovations: Female breast reduction, 'plasty' alternatives expand
New York — Interest in tumescent liposuction has expanded to a variety of new indications, including postmenopausal "lumpy" back fat deposits and as an alternative to more invasive procedures such as...
View ArticleLatest advances aid primary scalp tumor tx
New York - In patients with actinic keratoses (AK) of the scalp, treating the surrounding skin will often evoke subclinical lesions that will respond to treatment, according to Deborah F. MacFarlane,...
View Article5-ARI may have adverse metabolic effects
Authors of a recent study say that long-term therapy with a 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor was associated with increased glucose, increased glycated hemoglobin, and altered lipid profiles.
View ArticleQuality initiative could reduce unnecessary PCa bone scans
One gentle “nudge” may be all it takes to start reducing the number of unnecessary bone scans ordered for asymptomatic men with low-risk prostate cancer, results of a recent quality improvement...
View ArticleBladder Ca photothermal treatment yields encouraging results
Photothermal treatment with epidermal growth factor receptor-directed gold nanorods results in considerable antineoplastic activity in an early study of bladder cancer.
View ArticleImmune content linked to aggressive PCa outcomes
The level of immune response in prostate cancer may predict a patient’s response to radiation therapy, risk of disease recurrence, and survival outcomes, according to results of recent analysis of...
View ArticleBother, symptom severity often poorly correlated in LUTS
The correlation between patient-reported bother and symptom severity is inexact, according to conclusions of a recent retrospective multicenter study of nearly 1,200 patients referred for lower urinary...
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