Clinical Trial at NIH for Unresectable Liver Tumors

Patients with liver tumors, including those that have spread from colorectal cancer, can enroll in a clinical trial at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Bethesda.

The trial will test the effectiveness of infusing the drug melphalan through the artery that feeds the liver.

Colorectal cancer patients with liver metastases are eligible for the trial if they have already had chemotherapy including irinotecan or oxaliplatin.  Limited cancer outside of the liver is acceptable if the most serious problem is within the liver itself. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on May 28th, 2010
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | 1 Comment »
Tags: clinical trials, liver metastases, NIH Clinical Center

Urgent Recall of Alfalfa Sprouts

The FDA has announced that Caldwell Foods is recalling raw alfalfa sprouts linked to an outbreak of salmonella in ten states.

The sprouts are sold under the brand names

• Caldwell Fresh Foods in 4-oz plastic cups, 1-lb plastic bags, 2- and 5-lb plastic bags in cardboard boxes with a Caldwell Fresh Foods sticker
• Nature’s Choice in 4-oz plastic cups
• California Exotics brands in 5-oz plastic clam-shell containers

FDA reminds the public that children, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems should avoid all kinds of raw sprouts, even those grown at home. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on May 27th, 2010
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: CDC, FDA, recalls, salmonella

Surgery and Hyperthermia for Mucinous Colorectal Cancer

When we see patients in our offices with metastatic colon cancer which is confined to the peritoneal cavity and the histology of the cancer shows mucinous carcinoma, we consider not only chemotherapy but also think about specialized surgery to remove the cancer in the abdomen and combine this with hyperthermia and chemotherapy given directly into the cavity during surgery.

Why is that? Continue reading…

Posted by Heinz-Josef Lenz, MD on May 26th, 2010
Posted in: From the Desk of Dr. Lenz | 2 Comments »
Tags: HIPEC, Treating Colorectal Cancer

Physical Therapy Helps Fatigue in Hospice Patients

Dying cancer patients had less fatigue and their physical symptoms improved when they had physical therapy three times a week.

Control group patients who were not included in the PT program had both physical symptoms and quality of life get worse, even over two weeks of observation.

Patients in the study were part of a hospice program in Poland.

Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on May 26th, 2010
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: fatigue, hospice, physical therapy

Continuing Avastin after Colorectal Cancer Gets Worse Increases Survival Time

Colorectal cancer patients benefited when they continued to include Avastin® (bevacizumab) in their chemotherapy plan after their cancer got worse after initial treatment.

They lived longer after beginning a second round of chemotherapy with Avastin than did other patients who got chemo without Avastin or those who didn’t get any chemotherapy at all.

The results are based on the ARIES study which observed patients after cancer progressed after either first or second line chemotherapy with Avastin.  The analysis will be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology in June. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on May 25th, 2010
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | 1 Comment »
Tags: Avastin, bevacizumab, survival benefit