News & Updates

Renal mass biopsy mandate tied to fewer surgeries, greater surveillance

Implementation of the mandate on preablation renal mass biopsy appears to result in the wider use of biopsies for all small renal mass patients, fewer surgical interventions, and an increase in active surveillance, reports a recent study.

Pembrolizumab plus gemcitabine/cisplatin improves survival in metastatic biliary tract cancer

Treatment with pembrolizumab (pembro) in combination with gemcitabine and cisplatin (gem/cis) results in a statistically significant, clinically meaningful improvement in overall survival (OS) when compared with placebo plus gem/cis in patients with previously untreated metastatic or unresectable biliary tract cancer (BTC), results of the KEYNOTE-966 study have shown.

Poor sleep quality ups risk of sexual dysfunction

Sleep disorders, particularly obstructive sleep apnoea, are associated with a higher risk of sexual dysfunction (SD) in both men and women, suggests a study.

Long-term data support teduglutide safety for SBS-IF

In a pooled analysis of two long-term paediatric extension trials evaluating short bowel syndrome-associated intestinal failure (SBS-IF), the glucagon-like peptide-2 analogue teduglutide (TED) demonstrated a safety profile that aligned with previous data.

Does vitamin D therapy improve survival in patients with CKD?

For patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), vitamin D therapy does little to reduce the risk of all-cause death, according to a study.

Faecal transplant helps teens with refractory IBS

For adolescents with treatment-refractory irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is safe and beneficial, easing abdominal pain and improving health-related quality of life, according to a study presented at ESPGHAN 2023.

Fractional CO2 laser safe, effective in vestibular pain

Treatment with fractional CO2 laser is both safe and effective for women suffering from vestibular pain, as shown in a recent study.

Pegargiminase plus chemo improves survival in nonepithelioid pleural mesothelioma

Chemotherapy with pemetrexed and cisplatin with ADI-PEG20 (pegargiminase), an arginine-depleting agent, results in better survival and demonstrates a favourable safety profile in patients with nonepithelioid pleural mesothelioma (PM), according to a study presented at AACR 2023.

PPI use ups mortality risk in ICU patients

Use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for the prevention of stress ulceration appears to elevate the risk of mortality in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), reveals a study.

DOACs as good as LMWH for recurrent VTE prevention in cancer patients

For patients with cancer who have recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE), direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) compare favourably with low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) in terms of recurrence prevention, according to a study.