Saturday, May 17, 2008            “A physician leader is someone who is able to deliberately put on a different hat—clinical or managerial—depending on the task at hand.” —Richard Schwartz, MD     OBTN News Watch (Medical)   Study Finds Heart Risks in Young Cancer Survivors     Children who survive cancer face a much greater risk of heart problems later in life than their brothers and sisters who did not have cancer, new research shows. The study used a national registry to track 14,358 cancer survivors diagnosed in... Read More...                       Chemotherapy Does Not Improve Treatment For Mesothelioma     For mesothelioma patients, the addition of chemotherapy to the usual active symptom control (ASC) does not appear to improve survival or quality of life, according to an article released on May 16, 2008 in The Lancet. ... Read More...                 Tooth Loss Linked To Esophageal, Head And Neck, And Lung Cancer     Studying thousands of patients, Japanese researchers have found a strong link between tooth loss and increased risk of three cancers esophageal, head and neck, and lung. They suggest that preservation of teeth may decrease risk of developing these diseases.... Read More...                 Molecular 'Clock' Could Predict Risk For Developing Breast Cancer     A chemical reaction in genes that control breast cancer provides a molecular clock that could one day help researchers more accurately determine a woman's risk for developing breast cancer and provide a new approach for treatment, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have found.... Read More...                 Study: Prostate Cancer Associated with Agent Orange Exposure     As men age, their risk of developing prostate cancer increases. Aging Vietnam veterans are giving researchers new opportunities to solidify the connection between in-country exposure to Agent Orange and subsequent prostate cancer development. In a study presented during the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Urological Association.... Read More...                 Cancer Patients' Quality Of Life Directly Relates to Survival     Patients who feel better live longer, say Mayo Clinic researchers, working with the North Central Cancer Treatment Group (NCCTG), in study results released May 15 as part of the 44th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.... Read More...                 Link Between Vitamin D Status And Breast Cancer     Using newly available data on worldwide cancer incidence, researchers at the Moores Cancer Center at University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine have shown a clear association between deficiency in exposure to sunlight, specifically ultraviolet B (UVB), and breast cancer.... Read More...                 Targeted Therapy Plus Chemotherapy Packs 1-2 Punch Against Melanoma     By targeting and disabling a protein frequently found in melanoma tumors, doctors may be able to make the cancer more vulnerable to chemotherapy, according to a new study by researchers in the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center. ... Read More...                 Natural Killer Cells In Umbilical Cord Blood Fight Leukemia     Researchers from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center have found a therapy that effectively kills human leukemia cells in mice using natural killer (NK) cells from umbilical cord blood.... Read More...                 New Drug Combo Kills Leukemia Cells By Shutting Energy Source     Researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center have discovered a drug combination that kills leukemia cells by shutting down their energy source and hastening cell starvation.... Read More...               OBTN News Watch (Financial)   Average EMR System @ $20,000     Although individual physicians have embraced electronic medical record systems, the nation is far from an interconnected, interoperable network. Costs, hassle and a lack of congressional action are among the factors slowing health IT... Read More...                       The Locum Tenens Lifestyle     The face of locum tenens is that of the physicians and non-physician providers who enter acute care hospitals, outpatient clinics, and solo or group private practices to lend their expertise and experience. But outside of that core interaction, what is truly known ... Read More...                 51% of Americans Now on Rx Meds     Americans have tipped the scale. For the first time, a majority of the insured population is being treated for a chronic medical condition, raising serious concerns about the health of the nation.... Read More...                 Average Family Health Bill = $15,609     Consumers are shelling out more than ever for health care. Even as the growth of total spending on medical care slows, an analysis from the actuaries at Milliman shows the bite on household budgets keeps getting bigger.... Read More...                 The Impact of Physician Ratings     You may well have gotten into the habit of occasionally Googling your hospital in order to keep tabs on your community reputation. But what are patients saying about your doctors?... Read More...                 Reasons Not to Become a Doctor     No one ever said being a doctor was easy. School and training go on seemingly forever; once graduation arrives, doctors work long hours and are faced with life-and-death decisions daily. ... Read More...                 5 Reasons MDs Lose on First Employment Contracts     If you’re like most people, you’re thrilled at being offered a job, and the untold riches that await you if you work really hard. You’ve been given assurances, promises,... Read More...                 2008 Physician Compensation Survey     Clinical skills, workload, and medical liability protection don’t always equate with what doctors perceive as “adequate compensation.” Practicing physicians are among the most highly compensated professionals within the healthcare industry.... Read More...                 Are Your Patient Records at Risk?     Doctors' offices, clinics and hospitals are a fruitful hunting ground for identity thieves, who are using increasingly sophisticated methods to steal patient information, lawyers and privacy experts say.... Read More...                 Physicians vs. Hospitals     Forget Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. The political battle you want to keep an eye on this spring is the fight between two of healthcare's biggest associations over the merits of physician-owned specialty hospitals. ... Read More...                  OBTN Pharma Profile   Onyx Flourishing on Strength of Single Agent With Multiple Applications             This month’s featured company, Emeryville, California–based Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc., has taken a different strategic approach toward competing in the sector. Although the Onyx research and development (R&D) department is continually pursuing new therapies—in fact, a novel experimental drug, discovered and developed inhouse, has just entered early-stage clinical trials (more on this agent to follow)—the company has recognized that its lead product, Nexavar (sorafenib), is a multifaceted therapy with a number of potential applications in a wide-ranging variety of cancers. Therefore, the bulk of Onyx’s R&D efforts center upon expanding Nexavar’s potential to the fullest and most complete extent possible.... Read More...                           OBTN Feature Report   NCCN Conference: Clinical Practice Guidelines and Quality Cancer Care ... Read More...   Latest Research of Gastrointestinal Malignancies Highlighting Advances in Breast Cancer Chemotherapy Foundation Symposium Overview   OBTN Clinical Trial Reports Phase IV   Cancer Risks and Postmenopausal Hormone Link Confirmed Phase III   Do Vitamins Protect Against Lung Cancer? Longer Life Expectancy in Pancreatic Cancer When Gemcitabine Is Added to Chemotherapy Outcomes Improve With Letrozole Treatment in Women With Early-Stage Breast Cancer Pemetrexed vs. Docetaxel for Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment   Phase II   Talactoferrin-Alfa Treatment for Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer Advanced Carcinoid Systemic Therapy   Phase I       OBTN Reimbursement / Managed Care What Factors Increase the Likelihood of Colon Cancer Screening? Cost Effectiveness of a Drug Combination in Malignant Mesothelioma HER2 Testing and Treatment Patterns in Breast Cancer Rounding Down Chemotherapy Doses: Does It Save Money for the Health System? Cost Is Creeping Into the Therapy Decision-Making Discussion The Effect of Epoetin Alfa on Quality of Life in Patients With Anemia ASCO Seeks to Improve Coordination of Care, Introduces Treatment Template   OBTN Meetings Calendar May 30-June 3 American Society of Clinical Oncology Chicago, IL More Information June 4-8 World Conference on Breast Cancer Winnipeg, Canada More Information June 7-12 American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons Boston, MA More Information June 12-13 Breast Cancer Symposium Toronto, Canada More Information June 18-21 International Lung Cancer Congress Koloa, HI More Information June 19-22 Int'l Congress on Infectious Diseases Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia More Information June 19-22 Int'l Congress on Infectious Diseases Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia More Information June 27-30 World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer Barcelona, Spain More Information July 5-8 European Association for Cancer Research Lyon, France More Information July 11-18 Molecular Biology in Clinical Oncology Aspen, CO More Information July 19-23 Int'l Conference on Head & Neck Cancer San Francisco, CA More Information July 24-26 Interamerican Breast Cancer Conference Cancun, Mexico More Information     Copyright © 2008 Michael J. Hennessy & Associates, Inc.   All Rights Reserved.