Archive - April 2018

For patients diagnosed with breast cancer, determining whether cancer cells have spread to the axillary lymph nodes of the armpit is important for guiding treatment decisions. It has been debated whether axillary ultrasound imaging is equally sensitive for detecting axillary metastatic lymph nodes in different subtypes of breast cancer. A new BJS (British Journal of Surgery) study indicates that axillary ultrasound imaging is inferior for detecting axillary node metastasis in patients

The American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics and Pedorthics (ABC) is seeking nominees for its Board of Directors. The open positions are for Director Members. The positions entail a four-year commitment beginning December 1, 2018. The selected directors will be voting members of the board and will participate in overseeing general management of the organization’s affairs, including policy development, governance and budgetary matters. Nominees for the open director positions

More support is needed to help breast cancer patients and survivors manage 'chemobrain' symptoms, such as memory loss, short attention span and mental confusion, according to a study led by researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS). The study involving 131 female breast cancer patients in Singapore revealed that almost half had suffered from cognitive decline at some point during treatment and up to one year post-treatment. Close to 30 per cent had reported some degree

  After cancer surgery — particularly for breast cancer — many patients experience an early tumor recurrence. It is not clear why, but new research suggests that common pain-reducing, anti-inflammatory drugs may prevent that from happening. In many cancer types — especially in the case of breast cancer — surgery is often preferred when it comes to removing primary tumors. However, the recurrence of cancer after surgery is not an uncommon

Cold caps and scalp cooling systems are tightly fitting, strap-on, helmet-type hats filled with a gel coolant that’s chilled to between -15 and -40 degrees Fahrenheit. These caps and scalp cooling systems may help some women keep some or quite a bit of their hair during chemotherapy. A retrospective study that looked at the results of three studies on scalp cooling in people being treated with chemotherapy found that scalp cooling was more effective in people being treated with taxane chemotherapy

Maria Markusen is the Director of Development for VGM Retail and a thirteen year veteran #caretailer, speaker and healthcare retail thought leader.  Before joining VGM, Markusen was Co-Founder of Simply Shops and Chief Operating Officer of Simply Retail, hospital retail outsource partners.  A dynamic speaker and twenty year sales trainer in both healthcare retail and long-term care, Maria is a healthcare sales and product development visionary. Maria’s career is focused on capturing

by Kristin Jenkins, Contributing Writer, MedPage Today April 08, 2018 All-cause mortality risk was significantly increased in patients with breast cancer and coronary artery disease (CAD), and each additional cardiovascular disease risk factor (CVD-RF) was associated with a lowering of overall and progression-free survival, researchers found. Analysis of survival outcomes data from five Phase II/III breast cancer trials showed that each additional CVD-RF was associated with an increased

  Two recent papers attack two cancer-related problems using the same drug. They hope that it might improve survival in breast and lung cancer and halt obesity-related cancers. Researchers from Michigan State University in East Lansing are using novel molecular routes to attack cancer. The scientists were particularly interested in bromodomain inhibitors (BET inhibitors). These are a promising new class of drugs that target the genes involved in cancer's growth. BET

What to look for in team development by Maria Markusen March 15, 2018 A few years ago, I walked into a recreational vehicle store to buy a Jet Ski for my family. A salesman named Earl greeted me right away. You could tell he lived his business. He was full of “elbow grease” from working on machines and tan from being outside. He politely questioned, “What can I help you find today?” I replied, “I am looking to buy a Jet Ski. I’ve done a little

Jurisdiction B & C: A new online course on External Breast Prostheses is now available on CGS' website. The course will review documentation requirements, coding rules for prostheses and supplies and guidelines for replacements and refills. To take this course or view other courses offered by CGS, please visit their Provider Outreach and Education page.