Hypofractionated RT for Breast Cancer Post-Mastectomy as Effective as Standard RT
SAN DIEGO — Hypofractionated radiation appeared to be as safe and effective as conventionally fractionated radiation therapy for patients with breast cancer who underwent implant-based breast reconstruction following mastectomy, according to results from the FABREC randomized trial. For the study’s primary outcome of change in physical well-being score, patients in both groups reported similar scores […]
Vascular Conditions Offer No Clarity on Pollution-Dementia Link
Investigators appeared to rule out vascular dysfunction mediating the previously reported link between fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and dementia. Contrasting with prior studies, their nationally representative U.S. cohort study found no significant association between greater long-term exposure to PM2.5 and a higher dementia risk 10 years later (HR 1.04, 95% CI 0.98-1.11). Sensitivity analysis suggested […]
Pulsed Field Ablation Measures Up in Head-to-Head Trial
AMSTERDAM — Pulsed field ablation appeared as safe and effective as thermal ablation in treating paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (Afib) in the first randomized head-to-head trial for the novel technology. Efficacy failure of the procedure — initial procedural failure, documented atrial tachyarrhythmia after a 3-month blanking period, antiarrhythmic drug use, cardioversion, or repeat ablation — at […]
Infant Boys Better at Resisting HIV Than Girls?
BRISBANE, Australia — Infant boys appeared more likely than girls to be able to resist in utero vertical transmission of HIV, even when their mothers had less than optimal antiretroviral therapy, a longitudinal study showed. Of 281 mother-child pairs, five babies — all boys — had persistently undetectable HIV viral loads even when they were […]
Uncontrolled HIV a Risk Factor for Severe Mpox, Global Analysis Confirms
BRISBANE, Australia — The elevated risk of severe mpox in people living with HIV appeared restricted to those with uncontrolled HIV or immunosuppression from other conditions, according to an update on the global outbreak from World Health Organization (WHO) researchers. Of more than 32,000 cases of mpox (formerly monkeypox) reported worldwide where patients’ HIV status […]
Sen. McConnell Appears to Suffer Medical Incident During Press Conference
WASHINGTON — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) appeared to have suffered some kind of medical problem during a press conference Wednesday afternoon. McConnell, 81, stepped up to a lectern, greeted the reporters, and began speaking about the Senate Republicans’ agenda in the near term when he stopped in the middle of a sentence. He […]
Circumcision May Be Protective Against HIV in Men Who Have Sex With Men
BRISBANE, Australia — Voluntary medical male circumcision appeared to protect men who have sex with men from acquiring HIV, especially those who primarily practice insertive anal sex, researchers from China reported here. Of the 124 men assigned to undergo circumcision, there were no seroconversions during the 12 months of the randomized controlled trial, while five […]
Novel Turmeric Derivative Drug Shows Promise in Head and Neck Cancer
MONTREAL – An investigational drug derived from turmeric (Curcuma longa) appeared to have activity in patients being evaluated for head and neck cancer therapy, at least in an early phase trial. All nine oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients treated in the phase II trial had their disease under control after 4 to 6 weeks of […]
Xeljanz Edges Humira Just a Bit for Real-World RA Patients, Study Suggests
Tofacitinib (Xeljanz) appeared ever-so-slightly more effective than adalimumab (Humira) for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a study that used real-world patient data to simulate a randomized head-to-head trial. Leaders of Australia’s OPAL network of rheumatologists reported that, among 699 RA patients starting their first biologic or targeted therapy for the disease, the mean 28-joint Disease Activity […]
Blinatumomab Plus Chemo Effective in Aggressive Infant ALL
Adding a postinduction course of blinatumomab (Blincyto) to chemotherapy appeared safe and highly effective for treating an aggressive form of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in infants, according to results from a phase II study. Of the 30 infants with newly diagnosed KMT2A-rearranged ALL, 16 achieved minimal residual disease (MRD)-negative status following the 28-day infusion with […]