Every patient, in a perfect world, could just focus on getting well and not expend precious energy on figuring out a complex healthcare system. “Medicine today is a team sport that requires the care of multiple specialists, different departments, and lots of tests,” says James Merlino, chief experience officer of the Cleveland Clinic. That’s why...
Learn MoreRecently a Food and Drug Administration panel unanimously recommended the agency approve a cutting-edge cancer therapy. According to the New York Times, Novartis presented its data to the panel, and is one of several drug companies looking to create a “living drug” through a treatment called CAR T-cell therapy — the first-ever treatment that genetically alters a...
Learn MoreChemobrain is real; just ask any of your patients. I know that scientific research on the subject has been equivocal, but oncologists and psychiatrists are starting to believe in the condition. One of my many unverifiable theories is that the reason that CB took so long to be recognized by physicians is that the original group who most vigorously complained about it were...
Learn MoreFor certain types of cancer, immunotherapy has been shown to improve patient survival. Here’s what you need to know about the science today and in the future. Immunotherapy, or the use of the body’s own immune system to fight cancer, is the new buzzword in cancer care. Read Full...
Learn MoreNewsweek (4/20, Firger, 693K) reports that research suggests “taking low-dose aspirin while undergoing cancer treatment may increase a patient’s chance of survival by as much as 20 percent.” The findings were published in PLOS ONE. Researchers looked at data from “five randomized trials and 42 observational studies on patients with breast, prostate and colorectal...
Learn MoreThe Washington Post New immunotherapy drugs are showing significant and extended effectiveness against a broadening range of cancers, including rare and intractable tumors often caused by viruses. Researchers say these advances suggest the treatment approach is poised to become a critical part of the nation’s anti-cancer strategy. Read Full...
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