Top hematology/oncology stories: Breast cancer screening benefits not always immediately clear, blood test may reduce unnecessary lung nodule biopsies

Among the top stores in hematology/oncology this week was a report on the difficult nature of evaluating the advantages of breast cancer screening and details of a study that showed how a blood test reduced unnecessary biopsies of lung nodules.

Other top stories included new data that showed an anti-inflammatory / anti-neoplastic agent may improve colon cancer surgery outcomes, evidence that immediate compression provided a definitive benefit to patients with blood clots and information regarding a tool that correctly predicted the risk for late breast cancer recurrence. – by Janel Miller

Study data reveal ‘complexity of evaluating benefit of breast cancer screening

Inviting women to mammography screenings may reduce breast cancer mortality by up to 20%, according to retrospective study of Danish national registries. Read more.

Blood test could reduce unnecessary biopsies of lung nodules

A risk-assessment test that combined levels of plasma proteins and clinical factors accurately determined whether pulmonary nodules were benign or malignant, according to a prospective, multicenter observational trial. Read more.

Immediate compression offers ‘clear benefit’ following blood clot

Patients with deep vein thrombosis who underwent immediate compression therapy had significantly lower rates of residual vein obstruction and post-thrombotic syndrome than those who received no compression, according to a multicenter prospective study. Read more.

Anti-inflammatory / anti-neoplastic agent may improve colon cancer surgery outcomes

The anti-inflammatory and anti-neoplastic agent taurolidine significantly decreased IL-6 levels in patients undergoing colon cancer surgery, potentially improving outcomes, according to results of a randomized, placebo-controlled controlled trial. Read more.

Tool predicts risk for late breast cancer recurrence

An online prognostic tool accurately determined the risk for late distant recurrence among women with ER-positive breast cancer, according to a single-arm, prospective study. Read more.