Curated News: Medical Meetings

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There is a lack of agreement about the relationship between marijuana and alcohol use. Does marijuana use increase or decrease alcohol consumption? Research based on interviews with users of both marijuana and alcohol reveals that recreational users tend to drink more alcohol, and medicinal users drink less alcohol, on marijuana-use days. These results and others will be shared at the 42nd annual scientific meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) in Minneapolis June 22-26.

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Nearly half of Americans older than 65 years of age self-report as current drinkers. Most do not develop alcohol use disorders; however, it remains unclear if growing older entails greater vulnerability to alcohol’s effects. Research on the impact of “social” drinking – comparable to a glass or two of wine with dinner – among older adults has found a notable impact on daily activities such as the ability to operate a car. These results and others will be shared at the 42nd annual scientific meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) in Minneapolis June 22-26.

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New treatments, exciting research and future trends in kidney health are the focus of discussion at the American Physiological Society (APS)/American Society of Nephrology (ASN) conference, Control of Renal Function in Health and Disease, in Charlottesville, Va.

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Intimate partner violence (IPV) – commonly known as domestic violence, and long associated with drinking – is a significant public health problem. Examination of patients treated at urban Emergency Departments (EDs) shows that choice of drinking venues, such as bars or restaurants, and amount consumed there, appear to have little influence on IPV risk. These results and others will be shared at the 42nd annual scientific meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) in Minneapolis June 22-26.

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Although drinking alone does not necessarily mean that someone has a drinking problem, solitary drinking by youth is alarming for several reasons: it may lead to heavier drinking, numerous psychosocial problems, and long-term alcohol problems. Findings from two large samples of underage drinkers show that solitary drinking can be influenced by social discomfort, especially among underage female drinkers. These results and others will be shared at the 42nd annual scientific meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) in Minneapolis, June 22-26, 2019.

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Mayo Clinic will host the Sixth Annual Metastatic Breast Cancer Conference at the Omni Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Montelucia in Scottsdale, Arizona, Sept. 19–20. This program is a joint effort among Mayo Clinic, Baylor College of Medicine, and Theresa's Research Foundation.

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Three of the nation’s leading health and technology organizations have established a core set of data elements and recommended technical specifications (the Minimal Common Oncology Data Elements, or “mCODE”) that are essential for capturing and reporting the characteristics, treatments, and outcomes of every cancer patient and should be contained in each patient’s electronic health record (EHR).

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Top renal experts will discuss current and cutting-edge research on kidney function at the upcoming American Physiological Society (APS)/American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Conference: Control of Renal Function in Health and Disease in Charlottesville, Va.

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ASCB’s 2019 Doorstep meeting convenes Saturday, December 7, in Washington, DC, and focuses on “Cancer: from genome instability to therapy.”AS

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When prescribed the anticoagulant drug warfarin, many patients are told to limit foods rich in vitamin K, such as green vegetables. The results of a new clinical trial call that advice into question and suggest patients on warfarin actually benefit from increasing their vitamin K intake—as long as they keep their intake levels consistent.

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Food production is an important contributor to climate change, accounting for about a quarter of carbon emissions globally. According to a study that examined the real-world diets of thousands of people in the U.S., we could greatly reduce the carbon footprint of what we eat by changing just one food each day.

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In a new study, researchers show that sun-exposed oyster mushrooms offer a readily available source of vitamin D that can help TB patients respond better to anti-TB drugs by improving immune response.

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Many Americans get less than the recommended amount of sleep, and many do not consume the recommended amounts of important vitamins and minerals. A new study suggests the two factors may be connected.

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The foods and nutrients a woman consumes while pregnant have important health implications for her and her baby. Nutrition 2019, the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, will feature new research on prenatal vitamins, infant supplements and the impacts of a mother’s diet during pregnancy and after the baby is born.

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The foods we eat can play an important role in preventing cancer. New modeling research presented at Nutrition 2019 shows that policies using taxes or warning labels to encourage healthier eating could reduce the number of people who develop cancer, which would bring significant savings in medical costs.

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Drinks with added sugar, also known as sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), are one of the largest sources of added sugar in the American diet and a major contributor to obesity. SSBs include non-diet sodas, flavored juice drinks, sports drinks, sweetened tea, coffee drinks, energy drinks and electrolyte replacement drinks. Research presented at Nutrition 2019 will examine how various policies could help reduce the consumption of these sugary beverages and improve health.

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Could changing what we eat lower the chances of developing type 2 diabetes? Studies presented at Nutrition 2019 will examine how consuming certain foods, vitamins and even the order in which we eat can affect blood sugar levels and risk of developing 2 diabetes.

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The beverages we drink represent a substantial source of our daily calories and nutrients, yet standardized methods for tracking beverage consumption have been limited. In the latest and most comprehensive assessment of worldwide beverage consumption, researchers report substantial differences in the beverages consumed by different demographic groups in 185 countries.

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Preliminary findings from a new study reveal that inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption may account for millions of deaths from heart disease and strokes each year. The study estimated that roughly 1 in 7 cardiovascular deaths could be attributed to not eating enough fruit and 1 in 12 cardiovascular deaths could be attributed to not eating enough vegetables.

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Eating well, drinking enough water and taking certain supplements have all been shown to positively affect brain function in adults. Less is known about how these factors affect children. At Nutrition 2019, the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, researchers announce new findings on the ways nutrition influences how children think, learn and behave.

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Results of a Phase II clinical trial conducted at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center revealed that combination targeted therapy, consisting of rituximab, lenalidomide and ibrutinib (RLI), had an 84.6 percent overall response rate (ORR) and 38.5 percent complete response rate (CRR) when given prior to any chemotherapy for newly diagnosed patients with a specific type of diffuse large b-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).

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The results of a study led by physicians at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center showed that patients living with HIV and one of a variety of potentially deadly cancers could be safely treated with the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab, also known by its brand name, KEYTRUDA®.

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There are no approved treatment options for patients with advanced bladder cancer after standard chemotherapy and immune treatments, but the results of a phase II clinical trial led by Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital researchers demonstrates an effective treatment for this deadly disease.

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New studies on early detection of colorectal cancer and the quality-of-life impact of cell therapy are among several Mayo Clinic presentations at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Chicago.

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Two studies that explore types of discrimination and gender bias in health care organizations will be presented by Mayo Clinic researchers at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Chicago.

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Studies show that the risk of breast cancer can be reduced by half through the use of a five-year course of tamoxifen or raloxifene, and also by aromatase inhibitors. Nevertheless, women at high risk of breast cancer have a low acceptance of preventive medicine. A new study by Mayo Clinic and collaborators at the University of Manitoba and CancerCare Manitoba suggests that when women at high risk are presented with personalized genetic information, they're more likely to take preventative medications to reduce their chance of developing breast cancer. The research involved a new blood test developed by Mayo Clinic to identify women at higher genetic risk for developing breast cancer.

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Neoadjuvant, or pre-surgical, treatment with nivolumab plus ipilimumab resulted in an overall major pathologic response (MPR) rate of 33 percent of treated patients with early-stage, resectable non-small cell lung cancers, meaning these patients had less than or equal to 10 percent viable tumor remaining at surgery. With these results, the combination immunotherapy met the pre-specified trial efficacy endpoint of the phase II NEOSTAR trial conducted by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

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With their phase II study in patients with aggressive brain cancer now completed, the developers of the cancer immunotherapy SurVaxM report that combination therapy with the vaccine was more effective than standard therapy for nearly all patients.

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Enzalutamide, an oral androgen receptor inhibitor, can improve outcomes for men with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC), according to a large study presented by Christopher Sweeney, MBBS of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's Lank Center for Genitourinary Oncology, during the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting.

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The largest randomized trial involving smoldering multiple myeloma suggests that lenalidomide, a cancer drug, may delay the onset of myeloma symptoms, according to Mayo Clinic researchers. The study was conducted by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group and funded by the National Cancer Institute.

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Adding the targeted therapy ribociclib to hormone therapy significantly improved overall survival (OS) in premenopausal patients with advanced hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer, according to results of the MONALEESA-7 Phase III clinical trial led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

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Researchers found just 15 percent of a group of men with early-stage prostate cancer received biopsies and other tests according to active surveillance guidelines from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.

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Pre-surgical immunotherapy shows promise in trial for patients with early stage lung cancer

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Findings from Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey focused on immunotherapy will be featured at the 2019 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting being held in Chicago tomorrow through Tuesday.

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Cancer patients previously excluded and underrepresented in immunotherapy clinical trials, such as African Americans and patients with HIV or viral hepatitis, actually benefit at the same rate as patients tested in the clinical trials, according to a Georgetown-led study to be presented at the 2019 ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago.

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A survey conducted by Georgetown investigators found a significant knowledge and practice gap among community oncologists in the understanding and usage of genetic testing in determining patients' treatment plans and potential clinical trial outcomes.

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ISPOR, the professional society for health economics and outcomes research, recently concluded its ISPOR 2019 annual conference in New Orleans, LA, USA.

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ISPOR, the professional society for health economics and outcomes research, examined the issue of patient access and biosimilars this afternoon at its ISPOR 2019 annual conference.

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Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, who are covered by a high-deductible insurance plan are more likely to forgo needed health care because of cost than COPD patients covered by lower-deductible plans

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ISPOR, the professional society for health economics and outcomes research, held its final plenary of the ISPOR 2019 annual conference with, “Is Healthcare Affordability Driving a Need to Revolutionize Drug Pricing?”

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Redlining, the discriminatory mortgage-lending practice, may affect how prevalent asthma is in the neighborhood, according to research presented at ATS 2019.

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Using machine learning to analyze jaw movements during sleep, doctors may be able to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea in patients with mild to severe OSA with an accuracy comparable to polysomnography, the gold standard for OSA diagnosis,

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The airway microbiome appears to be altered in patients with severe asthma linked to high levels of white blood cells called neutrophils, according to new research presented at ATS 2019.

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Fewer deaths and serious illnesses have occurred in the U.S. over the past decade as a result of cleaner air, according to a new report focusing on the two most potent air pollutants: fine particle (PM2.5) and ground-level ozone (O3). However, these improvements are almost entirely due to reductions in PM2.5 pollution.

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Three hospital-acquired infections rates appear to be lower in patients admitted to a “closed” intensive care unit, meaning that the ICU team has primary responsibility for the patient, rather than a primary care physician, according to research presented at ATS 2019.

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ISPOR, the professional society for health economics and outcomes research, explored the possibility of health technology assessment in the United States this morning at its ISPOR 2019.

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People who smoke unfiltered cigarettes are nearly twice as likely to die from lung cancer and 30 percent more likely to die of all causes than those who smoke filtered cigarettes

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Exposure to violence, depression and poor health habits – including obesity, drinking soda, poor sleep and smoking marijuana – appear to be associated with asthma in high school students, according to research presented at ATS 2019.

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Women who develop COPD report smoking fewer cigarettes than men; and yet, women experience greater breathing impairments, are subjected to more acute exacerbations of symptoms and report lower quality of life than men with the disease, according to research presented at ATS 2019.

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In a new study, researchers at Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City found that antibiotic delivery was significantly faster — by up to 32 minutes — for sepsis patients being treated in an emergency department if they were assigned a slightly higher score on a subjective one-to-five acuity scale commonly used for patient triage.