Accelerated partial breast irradiation is more effective in preventing local breast cancer recurrence than whole breast irradiation, according to a study presented at the American Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBrS) annual meeting in Phoenix, May 2-6.
If randomized controlled clinical trials are the gold standard for advancing knowledge in medical care, then the research community has been panning more particles than nuggets. That is the finding of a comprehensive analysis that focused on cardiovascular, mental health and oncology interventional trials. “Most of the trials are quite small,” author Robert M. Califf, MD, said in an interview.
Older women treated with breast brachytherapy may be less likely to preserve their breasts and face more complications than women undergoing whole-breast irradiation, according to a study published May 2 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
In the wake of a study published April 17 in the Journal of the American Medical Association ( JAMA) which reported an increased incidence of gastrointestinal morbidity among men with prostate cancer treated with proton therapy compared with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), proton therapy providers have rallied to dispute the findings and study methodology.
Treatment of localized prostate cancer with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) may provide improved disease control with less morbidity than conformal radiation therapy, according to an analysis published April 17 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. However, proton therapy did not appear to provide additional benefits for these patients.
The addition of a screening ultrasound or MRI exam to annual mammography in women with an increased risk of breast cancer and dense breast tissue resulted in a higher rate of detection of incident breast cancers, according to a study published April 4 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The authors noted downsides to both modalities, reinforcing the notion there may be no easy answer to the question of how to best deliver supplemental screening to women with an increased risk of breast cancer.
CHICAGO—Cardiologists wrangled over whether or not the findings of the FOCUS trial, despite its inability to reach the pre-established primary endpoint actually indicates promise for the future of cell therapy in patients with ischemic heart disease that do not have another therapeutic options. The trial was presented March 24 at the American College of Cardiology’s (ACC) 61st annual scientific session.
A tentative deal is in place that will continue to hold off the 27.4 percent cut in Medicare physician payment rates, though it will be paid for with cuts to other federal healthcare funding.
Among postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, increasing age was associated with a higher risk of death from breast cancer regardless of competing mortality and independent of tumor and treatment characteristics, according to a study in the Feb. 8 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
As the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services comb through reimbursement codes to identify potentially misvalued codes, radiology is disproportionately targeted, primarily because of the specialty’s historic accuracy in coding, according to an article in the January issue of Journal of American College of Radiology. The article pinpointed three sources of bias against radiology services.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule that updates payment policies and rates for physicians and non-physician practitioners for services paid under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule in calendar year 2012.
The Delaware Insurance Commissioner has ordered Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware to adopt the American College of Cardiology’s FOCUS program, based on national medical society-developed appropriate use criteria.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), along with several association and industry partners, has launched Million Hearts, an initiative that aims to prevent one million heart attacks and strokes in the U.S. over the next five years. Currently, cardiovascular disease (CVD) costs $444 billion every year in medical costs and lost productivity for people living in the U.S.
Compared with changes in biomarkers, changes in cognitive abilities appear to be stronger predictors of whether an individual with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) will develop Alzheimer’s disease, based on research published in the September issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.
The clinical profile of stress cardiomyopathy (SC) may be broader than expected, including men, younger patients and patients without an identifiable stressful trigger. Cardiovascular MR (CMR) imaging could help rule out SC at presentation by providing helpful diagnostic information that can verify relevant functional and tissue changes, according to a study published in the July 20 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The American Medical Association (AMA) voted June 20 at its annual meeting to continue its policy supporting individual responsibility for health insurance with assistance for those who cannot afford it.
The American Medical Association (AMA) has tapped James L. Madara, MD, as the association’s new executive vice president (VP) and CEO. He will assume the position July 1.
As physicians face tighter scrutiny from consumers and public health experts, a survey conducted by Jackson Healthcare reveals that physician salary accounts for approximately 8 percent of total U.S. spending on medical care, while only a minority of physicians receive additional earnings for ordering imaging or other tests.
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