http://www.imng.com IMNG Medical News Group has provided physician specialists with authoritative coverage of medical meetings, breaking medical news and analysis, clinical trial results, updates on drug prescribing, pertinent summaries of clinical guidelines, and perspective and opinion from medicine thought leaders. Copyright 2013 IMNG Medical News. All rights reserved. en-us Sat, 13 Apr 2013 09:10:16 GMT InfoDesk http://media.ny.idsk.com/multimedia/logos/rsslogo_imng.gif http://www.imng.com http://infoviewer.info/infodisplay/story/imn041220131605059901.html?APP=7&CU=imn5804 NATIONAL HARBOR, MD. (IMNG) – There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to selecting neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy for patients with gastric cancer, according to Dr. Daniel G. Coit. BY NEIL OSTERWEIL Fri, 12 Apr 2013 20:05:05 GMT imn041220131605059901 http://infoviewer.info/infodisplay/story/imn041220131505409889.html?APP=7&CU=imn5804 INDIANAPOLIS (IMNG) – Obesity adds an estimated $164 million annually to the total hospital cost of major nonbariatric/nonobstetric operative procedures, Dr. Rodney J. Mason reported at the annual meeting of the American Surgical Association. BY BRUCE JANCIN Fri, 12 Apr 2013 19:05:40 GMT imn041220131505409889 http://infoviewer.info/infodisplay/story/imn041220131431059881.html?APP=7&CU=imn5804 INDIANAPOLIS (IMNG) – Acute cholecystitis patients fared significantly better with early rather than delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the largest-ever randomized trial addressing surgical timing for this common condition. BY BRUCE JANCIN Fri, 12 Apr 2013 18:31:05 GMT imn041220131431059881 http://infoviewer.info/infodisplay/story/imn041020131342379806.html?APP=7&CU=imn5804 NATIONAL HARBOR, MD (IMNG) – Patients with stage IV melanoma treated with a combination of ipilimumab and surgical resection had a high rate of melanoma-specific and overall survival, a retrospective study of a single-center case series has shown. BY NEIL OSTERWEIL Wed, 10 Apr 2013 17:42:37 GMT imn041020131342379806 http://infoviewer.info/infodisplay/story/imn040920131156099756.html?APP=7&CU=imn5804 SAN DIEGO (IMNG) – Magnetic resonance-guided stereotactic laser ablation is a safe and effective option in the treatment of hypothalamic hamartoma, results from a multicenter pilot study showed. BY DOUG BRUNK Tue, 09 Apr 2013 15:56:09 GMT imn040920131156099756 http://infoviewer.info/infodisplay/story/imn040820131643039735.html?APP=7&CU=imn5804 HONOLULU (IMNG) – Almost one-fifth of patients who underwent aortic valve surgery experienced a stroke in a prospective, cohort study of 196 patients. BY PATRICE WENDLING Mon, 08 Apr 2013 20:43:03 GMT imn040820131643039735 http://infoviewer.info/infodisplay/story/imn040820131600009723.html?APP=7&CU=imn5804 Mortality is twice as high for cancer survivors undergoing cardiac surgery to correct damage done by thoracic radiation therapy as it is among matched patients who are undergoing the same procedures but who haven’t been exposed to radiotherapy, according to a report published online April 8 in Circulation. BY MARY ANN MOON Mon, 08 Apr 2013 20:00:00 GMT imn040820131600009723 http://infoviewer.info/infodisplay/story/imn040220131528359615.html?APP=7&CU=imn5804 NATIONAL HARBOR, MD. (IMNG) – Elevated levels of C-reactive protein may be a marker for poor response to palliative surgery, Dr. Andrew M. Blakely said at the annual Society of Surgical Oncology Cancer Symposium. BY NEIL OSTERWEIL Tue, 02 Apr 2013 19:28:35 GMT imn040220131528359615 http://infoviewer.info/infodisplay/story/imn040220131513339611.html?APP=7&CU=imn5804 NATIONAL HARBOR, MD (IMNG) – Designer T cells used in immunotherapy for the treatment of liver metastases are well tolerated and reduced tumor burden in a small phase I study, reported an investigator at the annual Society of Surgical Oncology Cancer Symposium. BY NEIL OSTERWEIL Tue, 02 Apr 2013 19:13:33 GMT imn040220131513339611 http://infoviewer.info/infodisplay/story/imn040120131522339573.html?APP=7&CU=imn5804 Almost 87% of physicians’ spouses or partners said that they were satisfied with their relationships, according to a survey of 891 individuals. BY RICHARD FRANKI Mon, 01 Apr 2013 19:22:33 GMT imn040120131522339573 http://infoviewer.info/infodisplay/story/imn032920130900019525.html?APP=7&CU=imn5804 An investigational serum biomarker panel accurately identified potentially resectable cases of pancreatic cancer, opening the possibility that a blood test could identify the cancer early and improve its dismal prognosis. BY MICHELE G. SULLIVAN Fri, 29 Mar 2013 13:00:01 GMT imn032920130900019525 http://infoviewer.info/infodisplay/story/imn032720131526019471.html?APP=7&CU=imn5804 Weight loss surgery patients should get routine copper supplements along with other vitamins and minerals, according to newly updated bariatric surgery guidelines from the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, the Obesity Society, and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. BY M. ALEXANDER OTTO Wed, 27 Mar 2013 19:26:01 GMT imn032720131526019471 http://infoviewer.info/infodisplay/story/imn032720131001069445.html?APP=7&CU=imn5804 SAN DIEGO (IMNG) – Percutaneous transluminal venous angioplasty – also known as “liberation therapy” – doesn’t help people with multiple sclerosis and may increase MS brain activity in the short term, according to a small, randomized, sham-controlled trial from the State University of New York at Buffalo, the first randomized trial to investigate the procedure. BY M. ALEXANDER OTTO Wed, 27 Mar 2013 14:01:06 GMT imn032720131001069445 http://infoviewer.info/infodisplay/story/imn032620131652099442.html?APP=7&CU=imn5804 NATIONAL HARBOR, MD. (IMNG) – It may sound like heresy, but select patients with locally advanced rectal cancer may be spared surgery and its associated complications, a cancer surgeon suggested at the annual Society of Surgical Oncology Cancer Symposium. BY NEIL OSTERWEIL Tue, 26 Mar 2013 20:52:09 GMT imn032620131652099442 http://infoviewer.info/infodisplay/story/imn032620131142329423.html?APP=7&CU=imn5804 Robotic-assisted surgery has been both celebrated as “revolutionary” and defamed as a “crutch.” No matter where your loyalties lie in this debate, what is not debatable is the dramatic increase in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) rates for hysterectomy since robotic-assisted surgery was approved for gynecology in 2005. Rates vary across samples and sources, but according to 2011 data from Solucient and 2010 data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, approximately 27% of hysterectomies are performed with the robot, 26% with standard laparoscopy, and 12% vaginally. BY THOMAS N. PAYNE, M.D. Tue, 26 Mar 2013 15:42:32 GMT imn032620131142329423 http://infoviewer.info/infodisplay/story/imn032520131359329398.html?APP=7&CU=imn5804 NEW ORLEANS – The continuing onslaught of digital demands is overwhelming many practices’ ability to keep up, driving efficiency down and costs up. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services wants to show that it feels physicians’ pain, and has launched what it calls its “eHealth” initiative to better coordinate and streamline the requests that come out of its offices. BY ALICIA AULT Mon, 25 Mar 2013 17:59:32 GMT imn032520131359329398 http://infoviewer.info/infodisplay/story/imn032220131010339343.html?APP=7&CU=imn5804 NATIONAL HARBOR, MD. (IMNG) – Seeing is believing, especially when enhanced visualization of tumors during surgery helps improve chances for complete resection, investigators said at the annual Society of Surgical Oncology Cancer Symposium. BY NEIL OSTERWEIL Fri, 22 Mar 2013 14:10:33 GMT imn032220131010339343 http://infoviewer.info/infodisplay/story/imn032120131543339339.html?APP=7&CU=imn5804 LOS ANGELES (IMNG) – Some patients with a total artificial heart can safely go home with the use of a small portable driver while awaiting heart transplantation, according to data from the first U.S. patient cohort in whom this was attempted. BY SUSAN LONDON Thu, 21 Mar 2013 19:43:33 GMT imn032120131543339339 http://infoviewer.info/infodisplay/story/imn032120131114429325.html?APP=7&CU=imn5804 A radioactive diagnostic imaging agent called Lymphoseek (technetium Tc 99m tilmanocept) Injection has been approved for locating lymph nodes in patients who have breast cancer or melanoma and are undergoing surgery to remove tumor-draining lymph nodes, the Food and Drug Administration announced. BY MARY JO DALES Thu, 21 Mar 2013 15:14:42 GMT imn032120131114429325 http://infoviewer.info/infodisplay/story/imn031820131420289221.html?APP=7&CU=imn5804 LAS VEGAS (IMNG) – Transplant surgeons need help from the mental health community to ensure that patients who undergo hand, face, foot, and other non-solid organ transplants succeed psychiatrically, a consultant for transplant teams says. BY M. ALEXANDER OTTO Mon, 18 Mar 2013 18:20:28 GMT imn031820131420289221