A study in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that older black patients had a 31% higher risk of colorectal cancer than older white patients. Researchers noted greater racial and ethnic disparities for distal colon and rectal cancer than for proximal colon cancer. “Black persons have the highest incidence of and mortality rates from CRC
In an unprecedented move, the FDA today granted accelerated approval to the cancer drug pembrolizumab (Keytruda – Merck & Co) for treatment of any unresectable or metastatic solid tumors associated with the genetic abnormality known as microsatellite instability. It’s the first time the agency approved a cancer treatment or indication that is not for a tumor
“Colon cancer patients who had a healthy body weight, engaged in regular physical activity … and drank small to moderate amounts of alcohol had longer disease-free and overall survival than patients who did not,” Erin L. Van Blarigan, ScD, of the University of California San Francisco said during a press briefing prior to the American
A study published in Cancer examined if patient navigation impacted colonoscopy outcomes. Here’s what they found: 1. Patients in the navigated group were 11.2 times more likely to complete colonoscopy than control patients. 2. Navigated patients were 5.9 times more likely to have adequate bowel preparation. 3. Navigated patients also missed no appointments compared to
U.S. health officials said new cases of hepatitis C rose nearly 300 percent from 2010 to 2015, despite the availability of cures for the liver disease, fueled by a spike in the use of heroin and other injection drugs, according to a report released on Thursday. In 2015, the national reported rate of hepatitis C
About 18.5% of patients with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis experienced remission after taking tofacitinib for eight weeks, compared with 8.2% of patients taking a placebo, researchers reported in The New England Journal of Medicine. In another trial, remission was experienced after one year by 34.3% of patients taking a 5-mg dose of tofacitinib and
Patients with recurrent episodes of hepatic encephalopathy experience cognitive improvements and significantly fewer hospitalizations after fecal microbiota transplantation than after standard care, according to a phase 1 study designed to evaluate the safety of this treatment. Fecal microbiota transplantation “is a safe procedure in this population with advanced hepatic encephalopathy,” said Jasmohan Bajaj, MD, from
Recently approved direct-acting antiviral (DAA) regimens can safely and effectively treat hepatitis C without interferon, with cure rates often exceeding 95%, according to a recently published review. “Oral DAA regimens that are highly efficacious, well-tolerated, and relatively short in duration are now available for all [hepatitis C virus] genotypes and for patient populations historically considered
