Oncology News

Pharmaceutical companies have employed several strategies — including reverse payment, patent settlements and “product hopping” — to prevent affordable generic cancer drugs from entering the market, according to a forum article published in Blood.

BARCELONA — Though hepatocellular carcinoma after direct-acting antiviral therapy rarely occurs, patients with a history of HCC recurred at a rate of 29%, according to a presenter at the International Liver Congress.

BTG Plc announced plans to initiate the TARGET study to evaluate the use of TheraSphere therapy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, according to a news release.

Elderly veterans with hepatitis C virus infection had a higher risk for developing cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma compared with younger patients, according to results from a retrospective cohort study.

Patients with hepatitis C virus infection who failed interferon-based therapy have an increased risk for hepatocellular carcinoma compared with patients who achieved sustained virologic response, according to recently published data.

The FDA has approved Lumason for use in ultrasonography of the liver to differentiate between hepatic lesions in adult and pediatric patients, according to a press release from the manufacturer.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence released a Medtech Innovation Briefing stating SIR-Spheres ytrrium-90 resin microspheres may be used as an alternative to standard therapy for the treatment of patients with inoperable primary hepatocellular carcinoma, according to a press release from the manufacturer.

The FDA today approved defibrotide sodium to treat adults and children who developed hepatic veno-occlusive disease with renal and pulmonary dysfunction after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Hepatocellular carcinoma incidence in Melbourne, Australia was twofold higher compared with reports found in the Victoria Cancer Registry — a population-based registry that includes the population of Melbourne — suggesting hepatocellular carcinoma is underreported in this region, according to data published in Hepatology.

For patients undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, the risk for carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae infection from a contaminated duodenoscope increased when the patient had biliary stent placement, a history of cholangiocarcinoma or active inpatient status, according to the results of a retrospective study.