Our responsibility to survivors
According to the media version, an individual who develops cancer embarks on a battle’ those who win are cured, while those who lose die. This simplistic story overlooks the many whose cancer is brought [more]
August 2007
Nicholas Pavlidis: on the path of Hippocrates
When he’s not writing ESMO guidelines or caring for patients, Nicholas Pavlidis spends time boosting the meagre training received by many of Europe’s young medical oncologists. In a field of medicine where treatments can easily [more]
Bridging the communications gap
To give top-quality care an oncologist must understand the slightest changes in tumour characteristics. But when it comes to understanding human reactions and emotions, some scarcely know where to start. Doctors who want to explain [more]
HPV vaccine promises much but screening remains vital
The new HPV vaccines have shown impressive results in their target population, but if immunisation programmes come at the expense of existing or planned cytological screening, deaths from cervical cancer may increase. Download full article
The minimalist of St Mark’s
It takes a surgeon to stop a surgeon, says John Northover, consultant surgeon at London’s world-renowned colorectal hospital. And between his heavy clinical and teaching commitments, he concentrates on helping minimise patient interventions, through promoting [more]
AACR marks 100 years of researching cancer
In its centennial year the AACR maps the landmarks of progress in our understanding of cancer, and calls for renewed commitment to the search for prevention and cure. Download full article
Cardiac side-effects of trastuzumab: lessons learned from targeting cancer pathways
A recent study has found that symptomatic cardiac toxicity may be a little higher in actual practice than in reports from the clinical trial of trastuzumab, and this finding needs to be incorporated into decision [more]
Magnetic resonance imaging for rectal cancer
A prospective observational study has concluded that MRI is the gold-standard method for preoperative pelvic assessment for rectal cancer. Download full article
Ne w s r o u n d
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Living with the consequences
Oncologists know well the fear and desperation of patients faced with a cancer diagnosis. They are far less familiar with the daily struggle to cope with functional impairments, pain or psychological damage that a significant [more]