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 […]
Oral Cancer Patients Face Worse Outcomes With Delayed Radiation Therapy
MONTREAL – Most patients in a Canadian cohort had prolonged times to postoperative radiation therapy, and those delays were associated with worse survival outcomes, a multicenter study showed. Among 1,368 postsurgical patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma, 80% waited more than 42 days to start postoperative radiation therapy (S-PORT). Delays in starting RT were […]
Primary Surgery Vs Radiation in Oropharyngeal Cancer: Does One Come Out a Winner?
MONTREAL — A study that looked at surgery versus radiation therapy (RT) for oropharyngeal cancer treatment found pros and cons with both approaches, but ultimately, surgery seemed to be the better bet. Patients with T1-T2 oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) in a database underwent primary transoral robotic surgery (TORS) versus primary RT and/or chemoRT (RT/CRT), […]
Bictegravir-Based Treatment Wins for HIV/HBV Co-Infections
MONTREAL — For individuals infected by both HIV and hepatitis B virus (HBV), the choice of which virus-suppressing therapy to use can make a difference in outcomes, according to 48-week results of the phase III ALLIANCE results reported here. In a head-to-head comparison, fixed doses of either bictegravir, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide (Biktarvy) or dolutegravir, […]
Dual Therapy Holds Its Own in Treatment-Naive HIV
MONTREAL — A two-drug combination using a generic formulation of the protease inhibitor darunavir/ritonavir plus lamivudine appeared to control HIV as well as the same combination with added tenofovir, according to results of the phase IV ANDES trial reported here. In the intention-to-treat analysis, 91% patients on the dual therapy achieved undetectable viral loads using […]
Symposium on Monkeypox Stigma Interrupted by Protesters
MONTREAL — A symposium on the status of the monkeypox outbreak at the International AIDS Conference was briefly interrupted by protesters demanding that the U.S.’s stockpile of smallpox vaccines, which could be used to prevent monkeypox, be released to the world. A group of about 50 activists mounted the stage with whistles, shouts, and signs, […]
People With Advanced AIDS Benefit From Dolutegravir Treatment
MONTREAL — Patients with advanced HIV/AIDS infections had higher proportion of viral suppression with dolutegravir (Tivicay) treatment versus efavirenz (Sustiva) treatment, a researcher reported. At 48 weeks, 73.9% of the 92 patients assigned to a dolutegravir-based (DTG) regimen achieved viral suppression based on the 200 copies/ml assay versus 47.8% of the 92 patients assigned to […]
Two More Patients With HIV Surviving Without Antiretrovirals
MONTREAL – A man who held a record of sorts in living with HIV infection is now one of a handful of individuals in the world to have achieved a functional cure of the disease which causes AIDS as well as remission from acute leukemia, researchers reported here. The so-called “City of Hope patient” is […]
Why the Atypical Symptoms in the Latest Monkeypox Cases?
In mid-May, a young man appeared at a hospital in Montreal with a single lesion on his genitals. About a week earlier he had sexual contact with someone who tested positive for monkeypox. Over the next several days, his lesion grew in size and more lesions appeared, but they weren’t painful. He had no fever […]