Pelvic Neoplasms

TUESDAY, Aug. 12, 2024 -- An experimental drug based on ancient Chinese herbal medicine can help ease the toxic side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy in cancer patients, the results of a small new trial results suggest. A small group of 24 patients experienced fewer GI side effects from their treatment for rectal cancer after they took YIV-906, researchers reported recently in the Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology . YIV-906 is based on an 1,800-year-old treatment for stomach ailments that combined licorice, dates, peonies and skullcap, researchers said. “This study is the first demonstration of YIV-906’s effectiveness in reducing GI toxicity caused by chemotherapy and radiation, showing the medicine’s potential of improving the patient’s quality of life while increasing treatment effectiveness,” said co-researcher Yung-Chi Cheng , a professor of pharmacology at Yale School of Medicine who helped develop the drug. For the four-year, phase 2 study, the patients were given capsules of YIV-906 along with chemo and radiation prior to surgery. At the time of surgery, about 17% of patients had a complete or near-complete response to their cancer treatment, while the overall survival rate at five years was 82%, results show. Only two cases of severe diarrhea were reported among the patients. YIV-906 is meant to ease side effects like diarrhea, fatigue and nausea. “We didn’t have any serious toxicity associated with the drug and patients found taking the drug in pill form very easy and tolerable,” senior researcher Dr. Susan Higgins , a professor of therapeutic radiology and of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at Yale. The results warrant further testing of YIV-906 in more patients with other types of cancer, such as pelvic cancer, researchers said in a Yale new release. People taking YIV-906 might be able to withstand harsher doses of both chemo and radiation therapy, making their cancer treatment more effective, the researchers added. Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.

Study recommends that patients be monitored a minimum of three years after cancer treatment CARLSBAD, Calif., July 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Some breast cancer patients remain at risk for developing lymphedema well after their cancer treatment is concluded and should be monitored a minimum of three years, according to data published in the Annals of Surgical Oncology. Lymphedema, a disabling swelling that is a common consequence of cancer treatment, poses significant challenges in healthcare. According to the American Cancer Society, 58% of cancer patients diagnosed with breast cancer, melanoma, or pelvic area cancers are at risk for developing limb lymphedema. Additionally, over 80% of breast cancer patients can be at risk based on the type of cancer treatment they have received. Among the paper's co-authors are Steven Chen, MD, MBA, Chief Medical Officer of ImpediMed, a pioneer in the field of medical technology that has the only FDA-cleared bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) technology for the clinical assessment of breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) - the SOZO® Digital Health Platform. "BCRL can develop years after cancer treatment is concluded and can progress from the subclinical stage, where intervention is possible to reverse progression, to chronic lymphedema, where this can become a lifelong condition," Chen said. "This study highlights the importance of continued monitoring for BCRL post cancer treatment for at least 3 years using the most accurate technology available for early detection." Evidence from the study, titled "Timing of Breast Cancer-related Lymphedema Development Over Three Years: Observations from a Large, Prospective Randomized Screening Trial," is drawn from PREVENT, the largest randomized control trial for lymphedema assessment. PREVENT monitored progression to BCRL following intervention for BCRL assessed by BIS versus a tape measure. The results demonstrated that early detection and intervention using BIS resulted in lower progression to chronic lymphedema compared to using a tape measure. The results provide additional evidence supporting the need for continued lymphedema follow-up and the use of BIS as the preferred method, when available, as stated in national and international clinical practice guidelines. ImpediMed's platform is broadly accepted and recognized for effective and accurate screening of lymphedema, with U.S. payors now providing coverage for over 140 million covered lives. "Late-developing chronic breast cancer-related lymphedema is a particularly harsh blow to patients who thought they had put their treatment behind them," said Chirag Shah, MD, Co-Director of the Comprehensive Breast Cancer Program, Cleveland Clinic, lead author of the study, and scientific adviser to ImpediMed. "Early detection and intervention are the keys to preventing chronic lymphedema. By showing that patients can develop breast cancer-related lymphedema from a few months to even years after treatment, this analysis highlights the need for careful screening for years following treatment." The study comes on the heels of new guidance from the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC), which also underscored the importance of regular monitoring for BCRL using BIS. The consensus-based recommendation by MASCC, coupled with supportive findings from the PREVENT trial, underscores the effectiveness of ImpediMed's technology in preventing the progression of lymphedema. The company's commitment to innovation and patient care is further evidenced by its active role in the medical community, including its participation in upcoming U.S. conferences and contributions to ongoing clinical research. As ImpediMed continues to champion early lymphedema detection and prevention, its efforts are paving the way for a new standard in breast cancer survivorship care, ensuring that survivors can look forward to healthier, more comfortable futures. About SOZO Digital Health Platform SOZO, the world's most advanced, non-invasive bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) device, delivers a precise snapshot of fluid status and tissue composition in less than 30 seconds. Using ImpediMed's BIS technology, SOZO measures 256 unique data points over a wide spectrum of frequencies from 3 kHz to 1000 kHz. Results are available immediately online for easy data access and sharing across an entire healthcare system. The FDA-cleared, CE-marked and ARTG-listed digital health platform aids in the early detection of secondary lymphoedema, provides fluid status for patients living with heart or renal failure, and can be used to monitor and maintain overall health – all on a single device. About ImpediMed ImpediMed is a leading global medical technology company that designs and manufactures medical devices that employ bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) technology for use in the noninvasive clinical assessment and monitoring of fluid status and tissue composition in patients. The company consistently drives innovation, directing its primary efforts toward addressing the specific challenges and devastating burden of secondary lymphedema with a focus on breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL). With its SOZO® Digital Health Platform and L-Dex®, ImpediMed is the only company to offer an FDA-cleared technology that uses BIS and is setting new standards in early detection and management of BCRL. For more information, please visit . Media Contact: Jodi Perkins Amendola Communications, on behalf of ImpediMed [email protected] SOURCE ImpediMed

New research shows patients at risk of developing breast cancer-related lymphedema should be monitored for minimum of three years following completion of cancer treatment CARLSBAD, Calif., April 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ImpediMed, a leader in medical technologies to clinically monitor and manage fluid and body composition, announced today that it will present new results from a breast cancer-related lymphedema study during a poster session at the American Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBrS) Annual Meeting in Orlando, FL on Friday, April 12, 2024. The study, titled "Timing of Breast Cancer-related Lymphedema Development Over Three Years: Observations from a Large, Prospective Randomized Screening Trial," revealed that patients at risk of developing breast cancer related lymphedema (BRCL) should continue to be monitored for three years following the completion of cancer treatment, as patients could trigger at any time over this period. "Chronic breast cancer-related lymphedema can represent a risk to patients who have undergone breast cancer treatment with meaningful impact on their quality of life," said Chirag Shah, MD, Co-Director of the Comprehensive Breast Cancer Program, Cleveland Clinic, lead author of the study, and scientific adviser to ImpediMed. "Early detection and intervention are critical to preventing chronic lymphedema. The intent of our analysis was to illustrate that patients can develop breast cancer-related lymphedema from a few months to a few years after treatment, emphasizing the need for careful screening for years following treatment." The results are part of PREVENT, the largest randomized control trial to assess lymphedema prevention, in 1200 women, which monitored progression to BCRL following intervention for BCRL assessed by both bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) and a tape measure, demonstrating lower progression to chronic lymphedema with early detection using BIS and intervention versus using tape measure. ImpediMed Chief Medical Officer, Steven L. Chen, MD, MBA, one of the study's authors, will present the findings at ASBrS. "This study confirms that patients continue to be at risk for developing BCRL years after treatment and thus may continue to progress to chronic breast cancer-related lymphedema (cBCRL) even 3 years after surgery," said Chen. "We look forward to discussing this important research with our colleagues in Orlando." Lymphedema, a common consequence of cancer treatment, poses significant challenges in healthcare. According to the American Cancer Society 58% of cancer patients diagnosed with breast cancer, melanoma, or pelvic area cancers are at risk for developing limb lymphedema, and over 80% of breast cancer patients are at risk. ImpediMed has the only FDA-cleared BIS technology for the clinical assessment of lymphedema. The Company's SOZO® Digital Health Platform is broadly accepted and recognized for effective and accurate screening of lymphedema, with US payors now providing coverage for over 140 million covered lives. About SOZO Digital Health Platform SOZO, the world's most advanced, non-invasive bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) device, delivers a precise snapshot of fluid status and tissue composition in less than 30 seconds. Using ImpediMed's BIS technology, SOZO measures 256 unique data points over a wide spectrum of frequencies from 3 kHz to 1000 kHz. Results are available immediately online for easy data access and sharing across an entire healthcare system. The FDA-cleared, CE-marked and ARTG-listed digital health platform aids in the early detection of secondary lymphedema, provides fluid status for patients living with heart or renal failure, and can be used to monitor and maintain overall health – all on a single device. About ImpediMed ImpediMed is a leading global medical technology company that designs and manufactures medical devices that employ bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) technology for use in the noninvasive clinical assessment and monitoring of fluid status and tissue composition in patients. The company consistently drives innovation, directing its primary efforts toward addressing the specific challenges and devastating burden of secondary lymphedema with a focus on breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL). With its SOZO® Digital Health Platform and L-Dex®, ImpediMed is the only company to offer an FDA-cleared technology that uses BIS and is setting new standards in early detection and management of BCRL. For more information, please visit . About the PREVENT Trial The PREVENT trial is a pivotal study and the largest randomized controlled trial to assess lymphedema prevention. The study enrolled 1,200 patients across 10 trial sites in the US and Australia, involving 13 hospitals, including Vanderbilt University, Mayo Clinic and MD Anderson. The trial was conducted over six and a half years and patients were followed for up to three years, with the primary aim to determine if early intervention in patients with subclinical detection of extracellular fluid accumulation via bioimpedance spectroscopy results in a lower rate of lymphedema progression versus the rate when tape measure is used for subclinical detection. The manuscript is published in Lymphatic Research and Biology. The results of the trial demonstrated that patients with early detection with L-Dex™ technology and at-home intervention with compression garments resulted in a 7.9% rate of chronic lymphedema compared to a 19.2% rate of chronic lymphedema using tape measure. The difference is statistically significant (p=0.016) as well as being clinically significant for patients and clinicians. This represents an absolute reduction of 11.3% and relative reduction of 59% in lymphedema progression at three years. Media Contact: Jodi Perkins Amendola Communications, on behalf of ImpediMed [email protected] SOURCE ImpediMed