Matthew Gavidia

Two abstracts on liquid biopsy tests revealed the potential of analyzing circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in promoting heightened decision-making by clinicians for patients with early-stage and metastatic breast cancer.

In phase 3 trial results presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in San Antonio, Texas, oral paclitaxel with encequidar, the first orally administered paclitaxel, was shown to exhibit superior confirmed response and survival with less neuropathy for patients with metastatic breast cancer compared with intravenous (IV) paclitaxel.

Data from the MINDACT trial revealed that among women with luminal breast cancers (hormone receptor–positive, HER2-negative by local pathology) with a high clinical risk and low genomic risk, those aged 40 to 50 years had a greater, but insignificant, benefit from chemotherapy than patients older than 50.

In PwC Health Research Institute’s report, “Top health industry issues of 2020: Will digital start to show an ROI?” researchers highlighted the forces that will most powerfully affect the health industry in 2020, with a chief focus on the concern emerging from revisions to overseas tax provisions.

In 3 abstracts presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in San Antonio, Texas, patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and quality of life were measured for different therapeutic interventions aiming to either heighten tumor detection or ease chemotherapy-induced effects.

Results from the phase 2 DESTINY-Breast01 clinical trial show the novel efficacy of trastuzumab deruxtecan in providing durable benefit to heavily pretreated patients having undergone other HER2-targeted treatments.

Overall survival was shown to be greater but insignificant in patients administered pertuzumab compared with placebo, while subgroups of lymph node–positive and hormone receptor–negative patients were distinguished as major beneficiaries, according to the results of the second interim analysis of APHINITY presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in San Antonio, Texas.

Two migraine prevention agents, cinnarizine and sodium valproate, were shown to be safe and effective in reducing incidence and severity of migraine within children and adolescents, according to study findings. Safety findings must be weighed alongside warnings from European regulators about the risks of valproate for girls and adolescent women who could bear children in the future.

A novel device that unblocks and removes secretions from the respiratory tracts of children was developed by researchers in Israel and the United States, and may prove beneficial among patients with respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Modifiable lifestyle behaviors, such as physical activity, sleep time, television time, and diet, were shown to contribute to risk of obesity and cardiometabolic conditions in early childhood, according to study findings.

A disturbed relationship between chaperone proteins and the protein α-synuclein was linked to cell damage and the development of Lewy bodies, which are common in those diagnosed with Parkinson disease, according to study findings.

Aspirin, in high doses from 900 to 1300 mg, was shown to be an effective and safe treatment option for acute migraine headaches, with further research showing its potential efficacy in preventing recurrent migraine headaches through lower doses of 81 to 325 mg, according to findings of a review.

Prominence Health Plan announced that its 7 Universal Health Services (UHS) Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) revealed a continued trend of increased cost savings and improved quality in 2018 results.

The association between disadvantaged communities and heightened risk of cardiovascular disease was attributed to factors that impair sleep quality and duration, such as living in noisy environments, working several jobs with various shifts, and having greater levels of emotional and financial stress, according to study findings.

An international study examining trends in COPD mortality over more than 2 decades showed that COPD mortality rates declined in most countries, but remained stable among US women and increased in several European countries, with total mortality additionally increasing or remaining stable in most countries.

Inhaled cannabis was shown to reduce self-reported headache and migraine severity by nearly 50%, according to study findings.

A minimally invasive procedure that applies pulses of focused ultrasound to the brain was found to be safe and effective in reducing tremors and improving the quality of life in patients with Parkinson disease and essential tremor, according to research to be presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.

Over the next 5 years, mental health conditions are expected to become 1 of the most significant factors attributed to employer-sponsored healthcare benefit costs worldwide, according to survey findings.

The link between prolonged opioid treatment and an increased frequency, severity of migraines has been attributed to the discovery of a peptide confirmed in mice that distinguishes the relationship of migraine pain and opioid-induced hyperalgesia (OIH), according to study findings.

For both in-network access and provider reimbursement rates, disparities between physical and behavioral healthcare is worsening for American families seeking affordable and available mental healthcare and addiction treatment, according to study findings.

Researchers discovered new molecular drivers of Parkinson disease (PD) and determined their impact on the functions of genes involved in PD, potentially leading to novel treatments, according to study findings.

As part of its Quality Improvement Snapshots series, TMF Health Quality Institute issued 4 healthcare quality improvement efforts, highlighting the use of a rescue pack for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as an impactful strategy in managing COPD-related exacerbations.

Chronic opioid therapy was found to disrupt sleep and increase the risk of sleep disorders, while prescription drug use for pain and sleep exhibited an increased risk of frailty among users, according to 2 study findings stressing the need for heightened prescription education among providers for potential adverse risks.

A longitudinal assessment of the cost-effectiveness of erenumab as a treatment for migraine exhibited higher patient utility when compared with placebo, according to study findings published this week.

Mercer’s 2019 National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans highlighted 3 key areas of focus for employers in 2019, which were balancing affordability and choice, empowering employees to improve their health through tech-enabled solutions, and addressing high-cost claims.

Solera announced this week that the company has expanded its relationship with Blue Mesa Health to offer a Spanish-language Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) Transformemos as a covered California Medicaid (Medi-Cal) member benefit.

The EPA proposal to limit science used in rulemaking was discussed by panel members during a hearing held today by the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, with patient confidentiality serving as a major issue.

The fluid in e-cigarettes were associated with the near fatal respiratory failure of a teenage boy who was found to have an exaggerated immune response to one of its chemicals while vaping, according to a report published this week by doctors.

Researchers proposed new diagnostic criteria for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that seek to identify more patients in early stages of the disease, promote better care for patients, and stimulate research to slow and prevent COPD, in a paper published today in the journal Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases.

The use of wearable trackers found a link in patients reporting insufficient sleep with biological aging and increased risk of cardiovascular disease, according to study findings.