The FDA has changed the package insert for Avastin® (bevacizumab) to include information about newly identified risks for the drug including
Changes to the Avastin label were announced on September 30, 2011. Read the rest of this entry »
If you missed the FDA Webinar on Drug Shortages last Friday, you can
Watch a video of the entire presentation, including questions.
The webinar, led by Captain Valerie Jensen, R.Ph., Associate Director for the FDA’s Drug Shortage Program, discusses how the FDA responds to drug shortages and what they are doing to try to prevent shortages of medically necessary drugs. Read the rest of this entry »
Good news for stage II colon cancer patients on Medicare. Oncotype DX® colon test is now covered.
Palmetto GBA, the designated national contractor for Oncotype DX Colon Cancer Assay, has determined that the test
Meets criteria for analytical and clinical validity and clinical utility as a reasonable and necessary Medicare benefit. Effective September 18, 2011, Palmetto GBA will reimburse Oncotype DX® Colon Cancer Assay services for patients diagnosed with Stage II colon cancer.
The Oncotype DX Colon Cancer Assay indicates how likely it is that stage II colon cancer will return (recur). It tests tumor tissue for twelve genes to develop a recurrence score that patients and their doctors can use in combination with other clinical information to make decisions about having chemotherapy after surgery.
The test does not predict whether or not chemotherapy will reduce risk of recurrence, but it does indicate risk for recurrence. Read the rest of this entry »
Colorectal Cancer News in a NutshellSummer’s over. The black squirrels in the front yard are scurrying around hunting acorns and my inbox is full of neat nuggets of colorectal cancer news — and I don’t want to leave them buried all winter.
So here they are in brief. You can check the links for more details.
Mixed Results Using Acupuncture for Radiation Nausea
The good news is that almost all patients felt they had less nausea after either real or sham acupuncture to manage nausea and vomiting during radiation therapy. Nine out of ten wanted more treatments. Read the rest of this entry »
At Fight Colorectal Cancer we use the word community a lot but we don’t use it lightly. We know that a solid community needs to have trust, credibility and the best of intentions at its core.
So when we invite members of our community to check out the community at the website Inspire.com, we do so because we believe you’ll find something useful and meaningful there.
Get your questions answered. Find a supportive group of new friends. Laugh with others who know exactly what you’re going through. Compare side effects and learn how others cope with them. Follow posts by Fight Colorectal Cancer’s Kate Murphy and stay up to date on the latest information about your specific health concerns.
