Health News

Months More of Life
Any time the word “advanced” goes before a type of cancer, that’s not good. Advanced cancers have either spread, come back or no longer respond to therapy.
FDA Alerts Healthcare Providers and Patients of Nationwide Recall by Specialty Pharmacy
The US Food and Drug Administration is alerting healthcare providers and patients of a voluntary recall of all lots of sterile products produced and distributed by Clinical Specialties Compounding Pharmacy (CSCP) of Augusta, Ga.
Avastin Unit Dose Syringes by Clinical Specialties Voluntarily Recalled
Clinical Specialties is voluntarily recalling Avastin unit dose syringes. The product has or potentially could result in an infection within the eye. Clinical Specialties has received reports of five intraocular infections from physician’s offices and this is how the problem was identified.
Don't Lose Sight of Diabetic Eye Disease
One of the biggest concerns for diabetes patients is vision loss. While steroids and laser treatment can help when eye problems get severe, medications may offer clearer results.
Rx May Lengthen Life with Cervical Cancer
Good news has been released for women whose cervical cancer has spread, returned or no longer responds to therapy. A drug used for a number of different cancers may help these women live longer.
UK authority recommends against bevacizumab as advanced ovarian cancer treatment
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has published draft guidance today (18 December) on the use of bevacizumab ( Avastin , Roche) as a treatment for women with advanced ovarian cancer. The draft guidance does not recommend the use of bevacizumab when used with paclitaxel and carboplatin for people with advanced disease, as a cost-effective treatment for the NHS. This draft guidance has now been issued for consultation: NICE has not yet published final guidance to the NHS. The Institute is aware that UK clinical practice is to prescribe bevacizumab at a d...
Kidney Cancer Drug Updates
At an international oncology meeting, new data has been presented on drugs that treat kidney cancer. The results have been released at the ESMO 2012 Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology in Vienna.
Breast Cancer Drug Controversy Continues
Cancer tumors need an entire support structure of blood vessels to get the nutrients it needs to survive. A drug that goes after the support structure in metastatic breast cancer slows the progression of the disease, but doesn't prolong life.
What HER2 in Stomach Cancers Means
HER2 stands for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 and is most often seen as HER2 . It's a cell protein that stimulates cancer cells to grow. Its presence usually indicates an aggressive cancer.
Avastin Prolongs Life of Colorectal Cancer Patients
Treating colorectal cancer that has spread to other sites involves a combination of chemotherapies. One regimen that's been in use has been proven to extend life and is likely to become the standard of care. A phase III trial has found that continued use of Avastin ( bevacizumab ), along with different first- and second-line chemotherapies, prevents the disease from progressing by 1.6 months longer than traditional therapy. This research also indicates that people using Avastin lived with advanced colorectal cancer another 1.4 months. Ask your doctor the exact benefits of all th...