The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) responded to the editors of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) regarding an article they recently published claiming that orphan disease clinical trials may not be managed as rigorously as those for other illnesses. There are close to 7,000 rare diseases in the United States, and many [...]
The votes are in, and the Food and Drug Administration’s Advisory Committee said unanimously that the approval of Avastin (bevacizumab) for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer should be withdrawn. The decision did not go down quietly, with women loudly voicing their disagreement, and one saying that this shouldn’t be happening in the United States of [...]
A recently released study shines light on the devastating effect of mesothelioma on veterans who served from World War II through the Vietnam era, New York asbestos exposure attorney Joseph W. Belluck said. The study presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology conference and published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology analyzed 928 veterans. [...]
I attended a hearing today held by the Food and Drug Administration outside of Washington DC on the question of whether or not Avastin® (bevacizumab) should retain approval for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. As one might expect, the experience ran the gamut from deeply felt emotions to cold hard statistics. The presentations [...]
When someone is diagnosed with mesothelioma, more than likely there are hundreds of questions running through their mind such as, “What does this mean?” “What will happen next?” “What kind of treatment will I need?” The most burning question, however, is usually “How will my family and I get through this?” The patient and his [...]
Michele Carbone, MD, PhD, the country’s premier authority on mesothelioma and director of the University of Hawaii Cancer Center, now has the benefit of a $ 3.6 million donation to boost his mesothelioma research budget. The donation, given anonymously last week, is the second largest gift ever given to the University. The dollars are designated [...]
By Nancy MeredithWhen researchers on the U.S. Human Genome Project completed mapping the entire spectrum of genetic materials that can be found in humans, they moved medicine beyond the traditional trial-and-error method of treating and diagnosing diseases to an approach where a person’s genetic makeup can be used to tailor their medical care. Patient-centric treatment [...]
Cancer can be a financial burden for patients and their families due to the increased medical and prescription expenses incurred. In addition, unanticipated costs such as childcare, employment, transportation and household expenses all contribute to the need for financial assistance for cancer patients. The key to navigating the financial issues is communication. First and foremost, [...]
In a new study from the British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, researchers found that eating a diet low in carbohydrates and high in protein may slow the growth of tumors. Although the study was conducted on mice, the scientists involved believe that the findings are “definitive enough that an effect in humans can be considered.” [...]
My husband was sent to the hospital a few months ago with familiar symptoms: abdominal pain radiating to his back. We expected the usual myriad of tests to provide the same result we had experienced before: ulcers. Ulcers are no piece of cake, but treatable. But now: cancer. Seriously? Our first reaction was to go [...]