Tag: clinical trial
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Avelumab with Radiation for Leptomeningeal Disease: Momentum
Introduction Leptomeningeal disease, in which cancer cells invade the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, remains one of oncology’s most daunting challenges. Patients face rapid neurological decline, and survival is often measured in weeks to months. In a phase 1B study from Moffitt Cancer Center, researchers explored whether combining the immunotherapy drug avelumab with…
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Pembrolizumab doubles survival in head and neck cancer: KEYNOTE-689 findings
New hope for locally advanced head and neck cancer: pembrolizumab Locally advanced tumors in the head and neck region pose a formidable challenge. They are often confined to the mucosal areas, yet their proximity to the airway, esophagus, and vital vessels makes surgical removal delicate and potentially mutilating. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy add to the cure…
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Pembrolizumab Doubles Survival in Advanced Head and Neck Cancer
The Breakthrough: A New Immunotherapy Redefines Outcomes in Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer Locally advanced head and neck cancer poses a formidable challenge. In many patients, the disease is detected at a stage where surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy are the mainstays of treatment, yet recurrence and progression remain common. A recent advance in immunotherapy,…
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Radiopharmaceutical Therapy Boosts Radiation to Slow Prostate Cancer
New Findings from the LUNAR Trial A landmark phase II study, known as the LUNAR trial, reports that people with recurrent prostate cancer and a limited number of metastases lived significantly longer without disease progression when a radiopharmaceutical drug was given before targeted radiation therapy, compared with high-precision radiation alone. The randomized study evaluated whether…
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Wegovy and Ozempic: Could Semaglutide Help Alcohol Dependence?
The new front in addiction research: GLP-1 drugs and alcohol Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy (weight loss) and Ozempic (diabetes), is being explored beyond its approved uses. Anecdotal reports have noted that some people on these injections drink less alcohol, prompting researchers to study whether semaglutide could help those struggling with alcohol dependence. A…
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Nosebleeds to Cancer: A Man’s Journey
From nosebleeds to a life-changing diagnosis What began as frequent nosebleeds in November 2024 for a 41-year-old safety manager in Singapore would soon unfold into a life-changing medical journey. A family doctor linked the bleeding to a fever he had, and the episodes recurred during times of stress and exhaustion. When the nosebleeds intensified to…
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Wegovy and Ozempic Could Help Alcohol Dependence: Early Findings
Background Wegovy and Ozempic are brand names for semaglutide, a GLP‑1 receptor agonist. While they are primarily used for obesity management and type 2 diabetes, researchers are beginning to explore whether these drugs might influence alcohol use disorders as well. In a small US study, investigators observed that some participants reduced their alcohol consumption while…
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Nosebleeds to cancer: A man’s journey
Understanding nasopharyngeal cancer Nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) is a cancer that originates in the nasopharynx, the upper part of the throat behind the nose. In Singapore, NPC remains one of the more common cancers, with roughly 300 new cases diagnosed each year. While NPC is more prevalent among Chinese men in this country, it does occur…
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Semaglutide Could Aid Alcohol Dependence: Wegovy & Ozempic
New clues on semaglutide and alcohol dependence In recent years, semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic, has drawn attention beyond weight loss and diabetes management. A small American study provides the first clinical hints that this GLP-1 receptor agonist could help people with alcohol use disorder by reducing the amount they drink during…
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Nose cancer journey in Singapore: A man’s battle and hope
What is nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC)? Nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) is a malignancy that develops in the nasopharynx, the upper part of the throat behind the nose. It can present with nosebleeds, a painless lump in the neck, hearing loss, and sometimes facial discomfort. In Singapore, NPC remains one of the more frequently diagnosed cancers, with roughly…