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Dr. Abramson reviewing test results

Neil Abramson, MD of the Baptist Cancer Institute provides an invaluable service by publishing newsletters on a monthly basis. You can see the full content of the newsletter by clicking on the link below.

Newsletters Listed by Date

SELECT Deselects Selenium and Vitamin E (November 2008)
Prospective clinical trials are often performed to prove or disprove epidemiological or statistical information and hypotheses. The last several decades of clinical research have solidly affirmed this role. The position of the epidemiologists is to identify associations or contributing factors to a scientific question. More...

Fingerprinting tumors (September 2008)
The fingerprints of tumors that identify the genetic characteristics associated with the cancer's ability to grow, persist, and take the life of the host are not new scientific discoveries. They were begun more than a decade ago when the research scientists first developed the fields of genomics and proteomics. More...

Is Extending Life (Just a Little) Worth The Cost?(August 2008)
Some of the questions are simple to answer, but some are much more difficult. However, this Newsletter will focus only one issue: How can those in clinical research recommend the use of a drug when it produces only slight benefits in survival and at a tremendous cost? More...

Wegener's Granulomatosis (July 2008)
Several weeks ago, I had an opportunity to listen to Dr. Eric L. Matteson, Rheumatologist and Professor of Medicine of the Mayo Clinic, talk about Dr. Friedrich Wegener, for whom the disease Wegener's Granulomatosis is named. More...

Heparin Safety (June 2008)
Heparin is very commonly used throughout the world in hospitals, dialysis clinics, and in other medical facilities. The recent newspaper articles that reported more than 81 deaths in patients receiving heparin have alarmed the medical community and their patients. More...

Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (May 2008)
This is an unusual clinical disorder wherein an adverse drug reaction not only threatens a life, but also takes lives in 5-20% of the cases. Fortunately, its occurrence is rare. I became acquainted with a case because the patient developed thrombocytopenia. More...

Value of laboratory screening (April 2008)
In today's health care, there is great reliance on the laboratory, perhaps an over-reliance. At times, laboratory tests are obtained even before a patient is seen. Laboratory screenings are commonplace. More...

Five Great Lies of Medicine (March 2008)
A good friend, who is also a superb oncologist and an "olde-time" physician, sent me an article by Dr. Joseph V. Simone entitled "Five Great Lies of Medicine." I concurred with my friend's interest in this paper. Dr. Simone took 5 common statements by doctors that he characterized as "lies." But, there are other ways to look at these "Lies." More...

Another Angle on Angiogenesis (February 2008)
In last month's Newsletter, when Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia was discussed, there was a comment that angiogenesis factors are produced in this disease with resulting vascular prominence of the marrows. In the non-malignant or pre-malignant state referred to as monoclonal gammopathy of uncertain significance (MGUS), there are no features of angiogenesis. More...

I Am Only A Clinician (January 2008)
Last month was the anniversary of the death of Dr. Jan Gosta Waldenstrom, who died in 1996. While I was a fellow in hematology, I had the pleasure of hosting this famed Swedish physician on one of his visits to Boston. More...

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Newsletters - 2007

More is better than less or is it?(December 2007)
This Newsletter offers a few thoughts on the principle that "More is better than less" in regards to cancer therapy. The subject will be looked at in terms of chemotherapy, hormonal agents, targeted drugs, and pharmacogenetic and genotypic opportunities with genomics and proteomics. More...

Treatment associated cardiac disease (November 2007)
Two years ago, a newsletter focused on a newly diagnosed patient with Hodgkin's disease and the determination of treatment to assure successful therapy with the least possible damage. This newsletter focuses on a man who reappears 20 years after the initial (and successful) therapy with a treatment related complication, aortic stenosis. More...

New(er) view on hemostasis: PZ/ZPI (October 2007)
In the last ten years, there has been renewed interest in the discipline of hypercoagulability, both in research and the clinic, because of the descriptions by Dutch hematologists of several commonly found abnormalities of the activated protein C pathway that are responsible for an increased propensity for thrombosis. More...

Anemia – Case development #2 (September 2007)
In a recent Newsletter, the approach to anemia was reviewed in the form of a case development exercise. This Newsletter will identify another example of anemia, one that is unique because of the types of patient and the surgical treatment of the underlying disorder. We see this kind of patient in our office every one to two months. More...

Subjects or Objects: Volunteers or Captives (August 2007)
The New England Journal of Medicine recently published an editorial review on the ethics of research performed on prisoners at a variety of detention centers.The ethics concerning the inclusion of prisoners and other confined individuals into research studies centers on coercion. Those who are in captivity may have a number of motives to participate in research that separate them from the usual patients with an illness. More...

Common (Overlooked) Answers In Patients Referred to Hematology (July 2007)
Sometimes, an abnormal laboratory test per se results in a referral for a consultation. The more appropriate approach to a laboratory abnormality should be a personal review by the referring physician, either in the presence of the patient or with the patient's chart. Laboratory abnormalities should result in a clinical assessment rather than a referral. In some instances, the patients who are sent to hematologists have answers for those problems which were not addressed or were overlooked by the referring physicians. More...

Decision Time for Breast Cancer Prevention (June 2007)
There are 29 million American women who are at high-risk to develop breast cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, there were 265,000 new cases in 2005. The National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) studied the prevention of breast cancer in women at high-risk and showed that the incidence was lessened by 50% with the use of tamoxifen. Last year, NSABP reported on the 2nd prevention study that compared tamoxifen with another SERM, raloxifene. The results indicated that raloxifene was as effective as tamoxifen, but safer (Study of Tamoxifenand Raloxifene-"STAR"). More...

Erythropoietin - The Return of von Hipple and Lindau (May 2007)
Now, molecularoncology has placed the syndrome described by von Hippel and Landau -- an autosomal dominant,neurocutaneous dysplasia characterized by retinal angioma, cerebellar hemangioma, renaland pancreatic cysts, and endolymphatic sac tumors -- at center stage. This disease became known as Von Hippel-Lindau Syndrome (VHL).This purpose of this Newsletteris to comment on the interesting biologic information that has been derived from theVHL tumor suppressor gene and its transcription factors. More...

Erythropoietin - Caution on White Cell Growth Factors (April 2007)
The focus will be on white cell growth factors, G-CSF (granulocyte colony-stimulating factor) and GM-CSF (granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor). In some ways, the clinical use of these drugs parallels that of erythropoietin. With G-CSF and GM-CSF, however, clinical effectiveness is less dramatic and there are few concerns, until recently! More...

Erythropoietin - A Debatable Needed Stimulant (March 2007)
The last 15 years has witnessed a radical change in the treatment of anemia. Except for hypovolemia and acute bleeding, blood transfusions have been replaced with the red blood cell growth stimulant, erythropoietin. More...

Cancer Cells Circulating in the Bloodstream (February 2007)
A new laboratory test, used within weeks after initiation of treatment, is being investigated to determine if it is more useful than standard methods. More...

Public Health Crisis: Bleeding Disorders in Premenopausal Women (January 2007)
... this month's Newsletter (is) on the example of gender medical disparity. A few features will be outlined that relate to the lack of attention given to premenopausal women in the evaluation of bleeding disorders. . More...

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Newsletters - 2006

Use of Targeted Therapy Alone for Adjuvant Colon Cancer (December 2006)
In an earlier Newsletter, a review was given of the thirty-year history during which time stepwise increases in the dosages and numbers of chemotherapeutic drugs were applied for adjuvant treatment of colon cancer. . . . Perhaps, this is the time to consider a departure from the old approach of more (chemotherapy) is better than less. It might be time to consider that less treatment may be more worthwhile, especially since a few targeted drugs available. ... More...

Breast Cancer Prevention - What's Next? (November 2006)
The Breast Cancer Prevention Project (BCPT) began 15 years ago and was unblinded 5 years later to demonstrate the benefits of tamoxifen. A few years ago, the Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene (STAR) was initiated and, at the 2006 ASCO Annual meeting, the results showed an equivalence of the drugs for the prevention of invasive breast cancer, but greater safety with raloxifene. Today's question is, "What's Next?" ... More...

Anticoagulants as 2006 Ends (October 2006)
It has been more than three years since the last Newsletter on anticoagulants. agents that are now available include only a few more than we had before. Many new drugs are actively being studied, a few of which will become FDA approved. This review will provide information on the current foci of anticoagulation interest ... More...

Racial and Ethnic Disparity in Cancer Care (September 2006)
The statement that racial and ethnic disparity in cancer care exists is obvious, but the reasons for this disparity are not... More...

Easy Bruisability (August 2006)
Physicians often see patients who complain of "easy bruising." The skill of the clinician is to identify those patients likely to have a potentially serious underlying disorder from those who do not.. More...

Vitamin C (July 2006)
Why the reluctance to find funding sources to study vitamin C? Are there possible beneficial effects of vitamin C in cancer therapy? Can a vitamin be bad? Many questions, but none is new. Vitamin C had been promoted in the past, discounted by clinical studies, and yet, vitamin C is emerging again. More...

MGUS: Monoclonal Gammopathy of Uncertain Significance" (June 2006)
Much work has been done to try to identify distinguishing features of MGUS More...

Just Another Kinase" or Is It Special? (May 2006)
Every few years, a new biologic player arrives that allegedly gives the key to all our questions in hematology and oncology. The latest is JAK-2. More...

Terrorism and Cancer (April 2006)
Cancer is an act of terror that affects patients and family members. More...

Man's Search for Meaning (March 2006)
...the psychological approach to living that he [Dr. Viktor Frankl] forumulated therein have important meaning for patients and families who deal with cancer. More...

Colon Carcinoma: (Slow) Progress in the Making (February 2006)
This Newsletter reviews the current use of 5FU for colon carcinoma and identifies a few of the newer agents that have been added to it. More...

Hepcidin Answers Questions about Iron Metabolism (January 2006)
Four years ago, a new peptide (hepcidin) appeared on the scene. Hepcidin may be the pivotal player in the handling and transport of iron. This Newsletter will review (briefly) the role of hepcidin and a few other transport proteins. More...

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Newsletters - 2005

Liver mass: Brief look at Neuroendocrine Tumors (December 2005)
A patient presenting with a liver mass is not unusual. This case is used to review an infrequent type of tumor. More...

Trastuzumab Data Causes Treatment Modification (November 2005)
This Newsletter highlights some of the recently published information on this monoclonal antibody. More...

Embryonic Stem Cells (October 2005)
The purpose of this Newsletter is to clarify a few important terms and raise a few issues. More...

Fatigue and Sleep Disorders after Cure of Malignancy (August 2005)
...we are now learning about problems that may indeed occur in long-term survivors of cancer. More...

"Progress at last!" in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia; but, a few more years will tell! (June 2005)
The purpose of this month's Newsletter is to review comments about Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) ... and to look at data in a somewhat different light. More...

Melanoma: 2005 Review (May 2005)
Where are we with melanoma? Has progress been made in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment? More...

Do No Harm (April 2005)
Today, we are at a point in which several available initial options are all highly effective with excellent long-term survivals. There is an essential remaining question. Which of the treatment plans have fewer short-term and long-term toxicities? More...

A System of Checks and Balances Going Awry (March 2005)
The system of checks and balances between research, government and the pharmaceutical industry is going awry. More...

Homocysteine In Modern Clinical Practice (February 2005)
This review will try to highlight homocysteine metabolism, current pathophysiologic associations and therapy of hyperhomocysteinemia. More...

Back to the Basics (January 2005)
Certainly, times are different. Values are different. Medicine is different. Patient assessments are different. Surely, we need not go back to the "good olde days," but we need to return "Back theThe Basics." More...

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Newsletters - 2004

Changes in Treatment for Hormone Refractory Prostate Cancer (November 2004)
This Newsletter will highlight some of the new treatments for Prostate Cancer and provide a few words as caution. More...

Current State of Clinical Hematology(October 2004)
This Newsletter will review the types of hematologic patients that are seen. Additionally, several educational comments and suggestions will be made about some of these referrals. More...

Uses of Gene Arrays in Modern Oncology (September 2004)
This newsletter contains illustrations that highlight the predictive ability of techniques using gene arrays of patients some of which equate to treatment outcomes. In addition, the same techniques are beginning to identify which chemotherapy drugs best suit particular patients..... More...

Relationship between COX enzymes and Cancer (August 2004)
Patients have been asking about COX-2 inhibitors and their use in cancer.... More...

Coagulation Factor Replacement for Surgery or Trauma (July 2004)
This issue will focus on new information: the use of antihemophiliac factors for non-hemophiliacs who have excessive bleeding from trauma or surgery.... More...

A Divergence Between Hematology and Oncology (June 2004)
This Newsletter is a brief look at Hematology and Oncology - disciplines that were unified originally but are now rather distinct specialties... More...

Colon Cancer Therapy: A Test of Acronyms (May 2004)
Oncologists probably take the prize for the creation of the most acronyms. More...

Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (April 2004)
Several incisive and brilliant bedside observations, followed by a number of important scientific studies have led to recent descriptions of immunotherapy for an unusual disorder. More...

Update 2004: Thoughts on Breast Cancer Adjuvant Therapy (March 2004)
The purpose of this Newsletter is to identify a few of the current items associated with breast cancer adjuvant treatment. More...

Programs to Prevent Cancer (February 2004)
I am not an "expert", but I was a naysayer on the effectiveness of prevention pograms - until a few years ago. More...

Phase I Research: What Is It? What Are The Concerns? (January 2004)
This newsletter reviews Phase I research in humans, a topic that will be discussed at the next American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual meeting (June, 2004). More...

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Newsletters - 2003

Clotting and Homocysteine (December 2003)
A recent issue of The Medical Letter (October 27, 2003) provided comments on the treatment of hyperhomocysteinemia. This prods me to make additional comments on the modern work-up of a patient with hypercoagulability, the infrequency of finding elevated levels of homocysteine and the need to try simple and inexpensive measures for its treatment when found. More...

A Picture (in the Microscope) is Worth a Thousand Words (November 2003)
Many of us (especially the olde-timers) went into hematology with the realization that this specialty provided a unique opportunity to correlate "bedside medicine" with a picture portrayed in the microscope. More...

Smoking: To Stop or Not (October 2003)
What should we say when a patient with lung cancer associated with smoking asks us about whether or not to stop smoking? More...

Cancer in the Elderly (September 2003)
What is the true story about the elderly? Are decisions concerning them made differently? Are impressions made because of chronological age? More...

Herbie Mann (August 2003)
Many in Jacksonville had the privilege of meeting Herbie Mann in February 2002 when he came here to put on a musical presentation. We also met his lovely wife, Janeal, at that time; she recounted to the audience the details that led to the diagnosis of Herbie's prostate cancer. We were all thrilled to listen to Herbie Mann's creative and artistic flute accompanied by his group that included his son. He both reminded and instructed us to be sure to get proper prostate examinations. At that time and since, we have encouraged men to participate in the prostate cancer prevention study (SELECT). More...

Imatinib: Use for Yet Another Disease(July 2003)
Imatinib (Gleevac^R) is a chemical agent of which we reported in an earlier newsletter (March 2000) as being the first molecularly specific drug. Within a year of our report, it was FDA-approved for use in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). In the meantime, this "highly selective" and "specific" molecular drug is now being used for diseases associated with genetic abnormalities that are distinct from the original applicable molecular marker. More...

Proteasome pathway inhibitor; new drug FDA approved (June 2003)

Afro-American Malignancy Rates and Mortality: Separate is not equal! (May 2003)

Polycythemia: Clinical Assessment as of 2003 (April 2003)

Thrombosis and Cancer: What Is This CRP About? (March 2003)

Factor VII deficiency (February 2003)

Moschcowitz to ADAMTS13 (January 2003) Newsletters - 2002

Cancer Prevention Through Molecular Oncology (December 2002)

Too many platelets - what to do? (November 2002)

Ending Life (October 2002)

Diagnosis of Deep Venous Thrombosis (September 2002)

Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) (August 2002)

Bone Support for Women - and Men (July 2002) Colo-Rectal Cancer Surveillance Testing (June 2002)