Gastrointestinal Cancer News

I enjoyed reading the review by Mankoff and colleagues, and I must say that I could not agree more with the authors’ views.

Molecular imaging can be a “complementary approach” to traditional diagnosis and monitoring methods to help ensure the key goal of precision oncology — using more effective and less toxic treatments — is achieved, according to a review published in JAMA Oncology.

Pseudomyxoma peritonei — which usually develops in the appendix — and peritoneal mesothelioma, which starts in the lining of the abdomen known as the peritoneum, are rare indolent cancers that, unless treated aggressively, always have a terminal outcome.

Gold standard monitoring for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with cirrhosis, as recommended by guidelines, was more cost-effective and beneficial to patients compared with real-life monitoring, according to the results of a simulation study.

Jeff Vacirca, MD, FACP, CEO and managing director of clinical research at New York Cancer Specialists in Long Island, N.Y., has been elected president of Community Oncology Alliance for the 2017-2018 term.

Current smokers with colon cancer were significantly more likely to die within 5 years compared with patients who did not smoke, according to the results of a large population-based cohort study.

BRAF V600E mutations were associated with worse survival after recurrence in patients with stage III colon cancer, whereas deficient DNA mismatch repair was associated with better survival, according to a secondary analysis of two clinical trials.

Physicians’ willingness to communicate with patients about the cost of cancer care appeared associated with improved patient satisfaction and lower out-of-pocket expenses.

Patients with Barrett’s esophagus were at a significantly increased risk for overall mortality, with non-esophageal cancers and cardiovascular diseases as the primary causes of death, according to the results of a Danish population-based cohort study.

Postmenopausal women of normal weight with metabolically unhealthy phenotypes had an increased risk for colorectal cancer in a large prospective study, leading researchers to conclude that even normal-weight women should be evaluated for metabolic health.