Volume 15, Issue 9, September 2010

This editorial discusses the Pulte and Brenner article on the recent survival trend observed in patients with squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck.

The article presents final analyses of overall survival from a phase III trial of lapatinib and capecitabine in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–positive locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer that progressed following prior therapy including trastuzumab.

This study evaluated the effects of epoetin alfa on patient-reported outcomes in patients with breast cancer receiving myelotoxic chemotherapy. Early intervention with epoetin alfa was well tolerated and improved anemia-related patient-reported outcomes.

This paper presents analyses evaluating quality of life in patients with hormone receptor–positive human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–positive tumors receiving letrozole alone or in combination with lapatinib in clinical trial EGF30008.

The safety, tolerability, preliminary antitumor activity, and pharmacokinetic interaction of weekly topotecan plus pemetrexed in patients with advanced solid tumors were investigated. The combination was well tolerated and active.

The first case of biopsy-proven lenalidomide-induced acute interstitial nephritis is presented.

The use of rapamycin and thalidomide in a patient with metastatic gastroesophageal carcinoma, which led to disease stability associated with a significant tumor marker response and improved clinical quality of life, is reported.

The article examines the potential reasons for the delayed clinical benefits seen with therapeutic cancer vaccines and the broader implications for evolving treatment paradigms.

This study assessed the effects of cetuximab in a mouse model on tumors derived from a subpopulation of previously irradiated cells. Findings suggest that tumor cells that survive radiotherapy express a radiation-induced cytoprotective phenotype that is susceptible to inhibition through additional treatment with an anti–epidermal growth factor receptor antibody.

The role oncologists play in combating the smoking epidemic is examined. The authors argue that quitting or abstaining from smoking, advocating for smoke-free environments in one's own community, and actively supporting one's international colleagues to do the same are duties of oncologists, grounded in both common sense and in the ethics of professionalism.

Period analysis and modeled period analysis are used to disclose recent trends in survival in patients with head and neck cancer. The study finds that survival has substantially improved for patients with head and neck cancers over the past decade.

The article examines epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor–induced papulopustular eruptions and their relation to staphylococcus coagulase–positive inflammation, and identifies an early phase and a late phase to this side effect.

The study examines the possible linkage between fatigue and intestinal injury during pelvic radiotherapy in anal and uterine cancer patients.

This study assessed whether sunscreen prevents or mitigates rashes in patients prescribed epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors, and found that sunscreen as prescribed in the study did not prevent or attenuate these rashes.