Clinical

Tumor response rate and progression-free survival were the benchmarks that helped pembrolizumab (Keytruda) gain accelerated approval as first-line treatment for metastatic nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), in combination with chemotherapy.

While global inequalities for survival of childhood leukemia have narrowed, the gap remains wide for acute lymphoblastic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia, according to a study published in The Lancet Haematology. In some countries, the 5-year survival rate is nearly twice as high as in others for children diagnosed in 2005-2009.

The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has provided a D recommendation (discourages the use of service) for thyroid cancer screening in asymptomatic individuals.

Getting smokers to quit smoking sometimes requires medical intervention, such as varenicline and bupropion; however, there have been concerns about the safety of these smoking cessation treatments in smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.