Switching from 5FU to Xeloda Can Cause Significant Side Effects

An immediate switch from 5-FU treatment to Xeloda® (capecitabine) for stage III colon cancer caused so much toxicity that a trial designed to test patient preferences for treatment had to be stopped.

Patients in the Patient Preference in Adjuvant Therapy (PACT) trial who switched after 6 weeks from weekly 5-FU with leucovorin to oral capecitabine experienced excessive side effects. The trial was designed to determine which approach to treatment patients liked best. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on July 23rd, 2008
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: 5-FU, side effects, Xeloda

Jalapeno Pepper Genetic Match for Salmonella Strain

The FDA announced yesterday, July 21, 2008, that they have traced the Salmonella SaintPaul strain that has caused a widespread outbreak of gastrointestinal illness in nearly 1,300 identified people in 43 states.  A sample of jalapeno pepper found in a produce distribution center in McAllen, Texas, is a genetic match for the Salmonella SaintPaul responsible for the outbreak. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on July 22nd, 2008
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: FDA, salmonella

Soft Ice Cream Alternative to Nutritional Drinks

Cancer treatment can make it hard to eat.  Both chemotherapy and radiation treatment can cause mouth sores, dry mouth, or poor appetite. Some patients develop thrush, a fungus infection in their mouths and throats, that makes swallowing very painful.

Traditionally canned or powdered nutritional supplement drinks like Ensure® or Boost® have been used to provide support to patients who are having trouble eating during treatment.

As an alternative, soft whip ice cream machines were installed on oncology wards in a hospital in the United Kingdom.  The machines served a premium ice cream which had comparable protein to the nutritional drinks. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on July 18th, 2008
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: appetite, mucositis, nutrition, side effects

Stage II and III Colon Cancer Patients Sought for Interviews

Research to Practice, a medical and patient education group, is looking for patients who have been recently diagnosed with either stage II or III colon cancer and are either receiving chemotherapy for their cancer or deciding whether or not to have chemotherapy.

Patient surveys will be used to understand patient perspectives as they make treatment decisions about chemotherapy after surgery and their experiences throughout chemotherapy and afterwards.  Information will be analyzed and presented to health professionals who work with colon cancer patients. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on July 18th, 2008
Posted in: C3 News, Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: clinical trials, patient education

Medical Visit Companions Improve Experience for Older Patients

When a companion accompanies an older patient to a routine medical visit, the patients report higher satisfaction with the doctor’s skills and the information they received.

In a study of over 12,000 Medicare beneficiaries, nearly 40 percent had someone come with them to their medical appointments. More than half were spouses, about a third were adult children. Other companions included roommates, friends, neighbors, and other relatives.

Older and less-educated patients and those who were in poorer health, were more likely to have someone come to the doctor with them. On average, accompanied patients had twice the Medicare medical expenses. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on July 16th, 2008
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: caregivers