Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Hematology & Oncology for January 2019. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Long-Term Incidence of A-Fib Increased in Women With Breast Cancer
THURSDAY, Jan. 31, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Women with breast cancer have an increased long-term incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF), according to a study published online Jan. 28 in Heart Rhythm.
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Symptom Combos Suggesting Laryngeal Cancer Identified
THURSDAY, Jan. 31, 2019 (HealthDay News) — New symptom combinations that may indicate early symptoms of laryngeal cancer have been identified, according to a study published online Jan. 28 in the British Journal of General Practice.
E-Cigarettes More Effective for Smoking Cessation
THURSDAY, Jan. 31, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Electronic cigarettes are more effective for smoking cessation than nicotine replacement therapy, according to a study published online Jan. 30 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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FDA Receives an ‘F’ in Tobacco Prevention Report Card
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 30, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration was given an “F” in a new American Lung Association report card evaluating tobacco prevention programs.
CNN Article
State of Tobacco Control
9/11 Responders May Have Higher Head, Neck Cancer Risk
TUESDAY, Jan. 29, 2019 (HealthDay News) — There may be a significant, emerging risk for human papillomavirus (HPV)-related head and neck cancers (HNC) among workers and volunteers who responded to the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center (WTC), according to a study recently published in the International Journal of Cancer.
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Finasteride Not Tied to Increase in Prostate Cancer Mortality
TUESDAY, Jan. 29, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Finasteride is not associated with an increased risk for death due to prostate cancer, according to a research letter published in the Jan. 24 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Tachycardia May Indicate Higher Mortality Risk in Cancer Patients
MONDAY, Jan. 28, 2019 (HealthDay News) — For patients with cancer, tachycardia can predict the risk for mortality, according to a study presented at the Advancing the Cardiovascular Care of the Oncology Patient conference organized by the American College of Cardiology and held from Jan. 25 to 27 in Washington, D.C.
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Direct-Acting Antivirals Not Tied to Liver Cancer Recurrence
FRIDAY, Jan. 25, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy is not associated with increased overall or early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence among patients with a previous complete response to HCC treatment, according to a study published online Jan. 17 in Gastroenterology.
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Assay Aids Anticoagulant Dosing of Obese Patients for Bariatric Sx
FRIDAY, Jan. 25, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Endogenous thrombin potential (ETP) may provide better information than anti-factor Xa (anti-XA) in determining the best dosage for blood thinners among obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery, according to a study recently published in Surgery for Obesity and Related Disorders.
Virtual Video Visits Liked by Patients, Providers
FRIDAY, Jan. 25, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Virtual video visits can effectively replace office visits for selected patients across medical specialties without sacrificing quality of care or patient-physician communication, according to a study published in the January issue of the American Journal of Managed Care.
Oncologists Have Low Awareness of LGBTQ Issues
FRIDAY, Jan. 25, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Most oncologists report a lack of knowledge about treating lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) patients, according to survey results published online Jan. 16 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Many Teens Not Up to Date on HPV Vaccination
FRIDAY, Jan. 25, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Many adolescents do not complete human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination before turning 13 or 15 years old, according to a report published online Jan. 17 in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.
Report IDs Areas Lacking Good Practice in Health Tech Assessment
FRIDAY, Jan. 25, 2019 (HealthDay News) — In a report published in the January issue of Value in Health, an ISPOR–The Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research working group indicates the lack of good practices in three areas of health technology assessment (HTA).
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Time to Breast Cancer Surgery Delayed for Non-Hispanic Blacks
THURSDAY, Jan. 24, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The time to surgery (TTS) after a breast cancer diagnosis is delayed for non-Hispanic black (NHB) versus non-Hispanic white (NHW) women, according to a study published online Jan. 23 in JAMA Surgery.
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Herd Protection Seen With 4-Valent HPV Vaccination
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 23, 2019 (HealthDay News) — From 2006 to 2017, there was a decrease in 4-valent vaccine-type human papillomavirus (HPV) detection among vaccinated and unvaccinated women, according to a study published online Jan. 22 in Pediatrics.
Addition of BMT Not Indicated in Some With Peds Hypodiploid ALL
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 23, 2019 (HealthDay News) — For some children with hypodiploid acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation does not improve outcomes compared with chemotherapy alone, according to a study published online Jan. 18 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Medical Cannabis Decisions Being Made by Users, Not Doctors
TUESDAY, Jan. 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Many patients use medical cannabis without their mainstream health care provider’s knowledge, and further, they self-adjust their pharmaceutical use in response to cannabis use, according to a study published online Jan. 8 in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs.
FDA Chief Threatens to Halt E-Cigarette Sales
TUESDAY, Jan. 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Sales of electronic cigarettes could be halted if companies do not stop marketing the devices to youth, U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., warned.
Many New Cancer Patients Unaware of Their Hepatitis Status
TUESDAY, Jan. 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) — A substantial proportion of patients with newly diagnosed cancer and concurrent hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are unaware of their viral infection at the time of cancer diagnosis, according to a study published online Jan. 17 in JAMA Oncology.
Messages for Increasing Parental Confidence in HPV Vaccine ID’d
TUESDAY, Jan. 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Providing information on the benefits of vaccination, including cancer prevention, and avoiding expressing urgency to vaccinate can increase parent confidence in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, according to a study published online Jan. 22 in Pediatrics.
Melanoma Survival Varies Among U.S. States
FRIDAY, Jan. 18, 2019 (HealthDay News) — U.S. states with more physicians and a larger percentage of non-Hispanic whites have worse melanoma survival, according to a study published online Jan. 16 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
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FDA Down to 5 Weeks of Funding to Review New Drug Applications
THURSDAY, Jan. 17, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Due to the federal government shutdown, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has only about five weeks of funding left to review new drug applications, according to Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D.
Achieving Healthy Diet From Sustainable Food Feasible
THURSDAY, Jan. 17, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Achieving a healthy diet from sustainable food systems is feasible but will require considerable shifts toward healthy dietary patterns, according to a report from the EAT-Lancet Commission published online Jan. 16 by The Lancet.
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Hemochromatosis Mutation Linked to Other Morbidity
THURSDAY, Jan. 17, 2019 (HealthDay News) — HFE p.C282Y homozygosity, the most common gene mutation causing hereditary hemochromatosis (type 1), is associated with other morbidity in men and women, according to a study published online Jan. 16 in The BMJ.
Breast Cancer Patients Do Not Overreact to Genetic Testing
THURSDAY, Jan. 17, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Among breast cancer patients, more extensive genetic testing is not associated with increased cancer worry, according to a study recently published in JCO Precision Oncology.
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Adoption of Advanced Health IT Capabilities Inconsistent
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 16, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Adoption of advanced health information technology (HIT) capabilities is inconsistent across health care systems, with electronic health record (EHR) standardization being the strongest predictor of advanced capabilities, according to a study published in the January issue of the American Journal of Managed Care.
Complications Higher Than Expected for Invasive Lung Tests
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 16, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The rates of complications after invasive diagnostic procedures for lung abnormalities are higher in the community setting than in clinical trials, according to a study published online Jan. 14 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Liver Transplant Survival May Improve With Race Matching
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 16, 2019 (HealthDay News) — For African-American patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing liver transplantation, donor-recipient race matching is associated with improved survival, according to a study published online Jan. 10 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
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Suicide Risk Up More Than Fourfold for Cancer Patients
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 16, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Cancer patients have an increased suicide risk, which is predominant among men and white patients, according to a study published online Jan. 14 in Nature Communications.
Personalized Tx May Extend Life in CKD With Small Renal Tumors
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 16, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Personalized treatment selection may extend life expectancy in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and small renal tumors (≤4 cm), according to a study published online Jan. 15 in Radiology.
USPSTF Recommends Risk-Reducing Meds for Breast Cancer
TUESDAY, Jan. 15, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends risk-reducing medications for women at high risk for breast cancer who are at low risk for adverse events, but medications are not recommended for routine use. These recommendations form the basis of a draft recommendation statement published online Jan. 15 by the task force.
Draft Recommendation Statement
Draft Evidence Review
Comment on Recommendation
American College of Physicians Releases 7th Edition of Ethics Manual
TUESDAY, Jan. 15, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Ethical principles are discussed in an updated Ethics Manual, issued by the American College of Physicians (ACP) and published as a supplement to the Jan. 15 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
American College of Physicians Ethics Manual
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Comorbidities Adversely Linked to Cancer Trial Participation
TUESDAY, Jan. 15, 2019 (HealthDay News) — For cancer patients, the presence of comorbidities is adversely linked to trial discussions, trial offers, and trial participation, according to a study published online Jan. 10 in JAMA Oncology.
Study Explores Influence of Genetics, Environment in Disease
TUESDAY, Jan. 15, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The influence of heritability and environmental factors has been identified for a large number of phenotypes, according to a study published online Jan. 14 in Nature Genetics.
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Red Cross Issues Emergency Call for Blood Donations
MONDAY, Jan 14, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The holidays, winter weather, and the flu season have all prompted a blood shortage, the American Red Cross warns.
Breast Cancer Incidence Up With Persistent Vasomotor Symptoms
MONDAY, Jan. 14, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Postmenopausal women with persistent vasomotor symptoms (VMS) have an increased incidence of breast cancer, according to a study published online Dec. 28 in Menopause.
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Median Survival for Stage 4 ALK-Positive NSCLC Nearly 7 Years
MONDAY, Jan. 14, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The median overall survival (OS) from diagnosis for patients with stage IV anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is 6.8 years, according to a study published online Dec. 29 in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology.
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Terrorist Attack Victims With PTSD Have Higher Cancer Risk
MONDAY, Jan. 14, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Among individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), those who were victims of terrorist attacks (TA) have a higher risk for neoplasms than those who experience other traumatic events (OTE), according to a study published online Jan. 8 in the Journal of Neuroscience Research.
Smoking Associated With Worse Bladder Cancer Outcomes
FRIDAY, Jan. 11, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Cigarette smoking is linked to a poor response to cisplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) among patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) who undergo radical cystectomy (RC), according to a study published online Jan. 9 in BJU International.
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Number of Colorectal CA Deaths Projected to Rise Worldwide
FRIDAY, Jan. 11, 2019 (HealthDay News) — An overall rise in the number of colorectal cancer deaths worldwide is expected through 2035, according to a study recently published in the International Journal of Cancer.
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Persistent Opioid Use High in Head, Neck Cancer Patients
FRIDAY, Jan. 11, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Persistent opioid use at three and six months remains high among patients undergoing treatment for head and neck squamous cell cancer, according to a study recently published in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.
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Prices Still Explain High U.S. Health Care Spending
FRIDAY, Jan. 11, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The difference in health spending between the United States and other countries is still explained by health care prices, according to a study published in the January issue of Health Affairs.
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High Fiber Intake Tied to Lower Risk for Noncommunicable Disease
FRIDAY, Jan. 11, 2019 (HealthDay News) — High intake of fiber is associated with a reduced risk for several noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), according to research published online Jan. 10 in the The Lancet.
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Algorithm Evaluates Cervical Images to ID Precancer, Cancer
THURSDAY, Jan. 10, 2019 (HealthDay News) — A deep learning-based visual evaluation algorithm can detect cervical precancer/cancer with higher accuracy than conventional cytology, according to a study published online Jan. 10 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Private Equity Acquisition of Physician Practices Discussed
THURSDAY, Jan. 10, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The phenomenon of private equity acquisition of physician practices is discussed in an Ideas and Opinions piece published online Jan. 8 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Fewer Complications Found With Hybrid Surgery for Esophageal Cancer
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 9, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Hybrid minimally invasive esophagectomy results in lower incidence of intraoperative and postoperative major complications compared with open esophagectomy for esophageal cancer, according to a study published in the Jan. 10 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Fewer Than 5 Percent of Thyroid Surgery Patients Readmitted
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 9, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Readmissions after thyroid surgery are relatively low, and more than half occur within a week after discharge, according to a study recently published in Surgery.
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Chemo-Radiation Combo Tied to Higher Survival in Peds Hodgkin
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 9, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Combined modality treatment (CMT) is associated with improved overall survival in pediatric patients with early-stage Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), according to a study published online Jan. 3 in JAMA Oncology.
Many Female Health Care Workers Live in Poverty
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 9, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Many U.S. female health care workers, particularly women of color, live in poverty and lack health insurance, according to a study published online Dec. 20 in the American Journal of Public Health.
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Increase in Brand-Name Drug Cost Mainly Due to Existing Drugs
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 9, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The costs of oral and injectable brand-name drugs increased from 2008 to 2016, with most of the increase due to existing drugs, while new drugs accounted for cost increases in specialty and generic drugs, according to a study published in the January issue of Health Affairs.
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Medical Marketing Has Increased in Past 20 Years
TUESDAY, Jan. 8, 2019 (HealthDay News) — From 1997 through 2016, there was an increase in medical marketing, especially direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising, according to research published in the Jan. 1/8 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Toxicity From All-Grade AEs in Prostate CA Better Reflects QOL
TUESDAY, Jan. 8, 2019 (HealthDay News) — In prostate cancer, patient- and clinician-based cumulative toxicity scores comprising all-grade adverse events (AEs) better reflect the impact on patient quality of life (QoL) than scores comprising high-grade AEs only, according to a study published in the December issue of the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.
Costs Higher for Those With Comorbid Noncommunicable Diseases
TUESDAY, Jan. 8, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The costs of having two noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) is generally superadditive, according to a study published online Jan. 8 in PLOS Medicine.
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Cervical Cancer Screening Rates ‘Unacceptably Low’
TUESDAY, Jan. 8, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Less than two-thirds of eligible 30- to 65-year-old women are up to date with cervical cancer screening, and Pap completion rates have decreased over time, according to a study published online Jan. 7 in the Journal of Women’s Health.
Strict Ordinances Tied to Lower Youth Tobacco Use
TUESDAY, Jan. 8, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Strict local tobacco retail licensing (TRL) regulation may lower rates of cigarette and electronic cigarette use among youth and young adults, according to a study published online Jan. 7 in Pediatrics.
Cancer Death Rate in U.S. Decreased Continuously From 1991 to 2016
TUESDAY, Jan. 8, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The overall cancer death rate decreased continuously by 27 percent from 1991 to 2016, according to a report published online Jan. 8 in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
ACA Coverage Gains Could Erode Without Individual Mandate
TUESDAY, Jan. 8, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Eliminating the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate penalty is unlikely to destabilize the individual market in California but could roll back coverage gains, according to a study published in the January issue of Health Affairs.
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Screening Donated Blood for Zika Not Cost-Effective
MONDAY, Jan. 7, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Screening donated blood for Zika virus is cost-effective only in the high mosquito season in Puerto Rico, according to a study published online Jan. 8 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Risk for Suicide Increased in Year After Cancer Diagnosis
MONDAY, Jan. 7, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Patients with a cancer diagnosis have an increased risk for suicide during the first year after their diagnosis compared with the general population, with higher suicide rates for cancers with a poor prognosis, according to a study published online Jan. 7 in Cancer.
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Childhood Hodgkin Lymphoma Survivors at Risk for Later Cancers
MONDAY, Jan. 7, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Survivors of childhood Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) remain at increased risk for developing subsequent malignant neoplasms (SMNs), according to research published online Dec. 17 in Cancer.
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Sex Differences ID’d in Response to Glioblastoma Treatment
FRIDAY, Jan. 4, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Sex differences have been identified in response to therapy among glioblastoma (GBM) patients, according to a study published in the Jan. 2 issue of Science Translational Medicine.
Health Benefits of Nonsugar Sweeteners Uncertain
FRIDAY, Jan. 4, 2019 (HealthDay News) — There is no compelling evidence to indicate health benefits of nonsugar sweetener (NSS) use on a range of health outcomes, according to a review published online Jan. 2 in The BMJ.
Myelodysplastic Syndrome/AML Risk Increased After Chemo
FRIDAY, Jan. 4, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The risks for therapy-related myelodysplastic syndrome or acute myeloid leukemia (tMDS/AML) are elevated after chemotherapy use for solid tumors, according to a study published online Dec. 20 in JAMA Oncology.
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Psychoeducational Intervention of Little Benefit in Breast Cancer
FRIDAY, Jan. 4, 2019 (HealthDay News) — A psychoeducational intervention does not improve anxiety or body image but is still considered important among women with breast cancer, according to a study recently published in Reviews on Recent Clinical Trials.
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Breast Cancer Disparities Mostly Explained by Facility Factors
THURSDAY, Jan. 3, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Delays in diagnosis and use of under-resourced health centers account for most racial and ethnic disparities in breast cancer diagnosis, according to a study published online Jan. 2 in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
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Anemia Criteria Assist Decision on Type of Colorectal Cancer Screen
THURSDAY, Jan. 3, 2019 (HealthDay News) — In patients without broad-definition anemia and/or abdominal mass, flexible sigmoidoscopy (FS), instead of colonoscopy, may suffice to rule out colorectal cancer, according to a study published online Dec. 19 in the British Journal of Cancer.
Available Vial Sizes Can Cut Drug Waste in Weight-Based Dosing
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 2, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Pharmaceutical vial fill volumes can be optimized to reduce drug wastage when dosing is calculated by patient weight or body surface area, according to a study published online Dec. 5 in Applied Health Economics and Health Policy.
Kidney Stones Tied to Increased Renal Cell Carcinoma Risk
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 2, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Kidney stones are associated with an increased risk for renal cell carcinoma (RCC), specifically papillary RCC, and upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC), according to a study published online Dec. 19 in the British Journal of Cancer.
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Proportion of Cancers Due to Excess Body Weight Varies by State
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 2, 2019 (HealthDay News) — A considerable proportion of cancer cases in men and women are attributable to excess body weight (EBW), with variation in the proportion among states, according to a study published online Dec. 27 in JAMA Oncology.
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