Some NSCLC Patients on ICI Therapy Fare Worse With Proton Pump Inhibitor Use
Proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use was independently associated with worse treatment outcomes in some patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) on immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy with pembrolizumab (Keytruda), according to a Japanese multicenter cohort study. Among patients with a PD-L1 tumor proportion score (TPS) of 50% or more, a history of PPI use […]
AI Poses Serious Threats to Health and Human Existence, Researchers Say
Despite the potential for negative health outcomes with the use of artificial intelligence (AI), most research is biased toward its benefits, without sufficient consideration of effective regulations that would be needed to avoid those harms, according to an expert analysis. There are three key threats the technology poses to human health and well-being, including upending […]
Upfront Systemic Therapy, Deferred Surgery Pass Muster in Advanced Kidney Cancer
CHICAGO — Perioperative immunotherapy for advanced kidney cancer did not adversely affect outcomes with cytoreductive nephrectomy and appeared to have several beneficial effects, a small multicenter study showed. Primary immunotherapy significantly reduced median tumor size and thrombus length and improved tumor thrombus level and mean RENAL score. Immunotherapy led to pathologic downstaging in 25 of […]
Diagnosis, Death in Pulmonary Fibrosis Seen Earlier in Black Patients
Black patients with pulmonary fibrosis (PF) consistently experienced poor outcomes associated with their disease at earlier ages than other groups, including hospitalization and death, according to U.S. registry data spanning nearly two decades. In an analysis from the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation Registry (PFFR) from 2003 to 2021, a PF diagnosis in Black individuals occurred about […]
No Negative Neurodevelopmental Issues With Late Exposure to Antenatal Steroids
SAN FRANCISCO – Giving late preterm antenatal corticosteroids did not impact childhood neurodevelopmental outcomes, a researcher reported. In a follow-up to the ALPS study, there were no statistically significant differences in the scores of children exposed to corticosteroids or to placebo in the third trimester based on cognitive testing, according to Cynthia Gyamfi-Bannerman, MD, of […]
Adding Docetaxel to RT Improves Survival in Cisplatin-Ineligible Head & Neck Cancer
Adding docetaxel to radiation therapy (RT) improved survival outcomes in cisplatin-ineligible patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, a phase III randomized trial showed. At a median follow-up of 32.4 months, the 2-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate was 42% with docetaxel plus RT and 30.3% with RT alone (HR 0.673, 95% CI […]
Mediterranean diet linked to lower preeclampsia risk
In a new study evaluating the Mediterranean diet and adverse pregnancy outcomes, investigators from the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai found that women who conceived while adhering to the anti-inflammatory diet had a significantly lower risk of developing preeclampsia during pregnancy. The study, published today in the peer-reviewed journal JAMA Network Open, also evaluated the […]
Anticoagulation Again Flops for Outpatient COVID-19
CHICAGO — For outpatient COVID-19, prophylactic anticoagulation with rivaroxaban (Xarelto) did not improve outcomes in elevated thrombotic risk patients, the PREVENT trial showed. Compared with placebo, giving the direct-acting oral anticoagulant (DOAC) for 35 days in non-hospitalized patients with symptomatic COVID-19 who had at least one risk factor for thrombosis didn’t reduce thromboembolic events or […]
Start HIV Antiretroviral Therapy ASAP, Experts Urge
WASHINGTON — Early initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in patients with HIV can lead to better outcomes, especially for those ages 35 and younger, a follow-up analysis of the START trial showed. For patients who had deferred ART until their CD4 counts were below 350 cells/mm3, there was a 21% higher risk of death or […]
Shorter Course of Radiation Therapy Proves Mettle in High-Risk Prostate Cancer
SAN ANTONIO — A shortened radiation therapy (RT) protocol for high-risk prostate cancer led to similar outcomes with no increase in toxicity compared with the standard treatment schedule, a randomized trial showed. Overall survival (OS) at 7 years was 82%, with no difference between standard RT and hypofractionation that reduced treatment duration from 8 to […]