Today I would like to share with you some thoughts on the topic of the costs of cancer treatments. It is the result of a moment on Saturday morning while, in the midst of listening to hurricane coverage on television, I was scanning the pages of my morning paper. There in the headlines was the comment that the Food and Drug Administration on Friday-presumably a bit later in the day, since the article was posted online at 8PM-approved a new drug called crizotinib (Xalkori®) for the treatment of lung cancer.
 
The news didn’t get much attention, likely because it was overwhelmed by the hurricane. But at any other time, I suspect it would have been all over the media since this drug in fact represents a breakthrough treatment for some patients with lung cancer (more on th…

Original post by Dr. Len’s Cancer Blog and software by Elliott Back

www.oncopathology.info.
Atrophy

looks suspicious for adenocarcinoma at first glance.
the nuclei are small and hyperchromatic.
No prominent nucleoli are seen.
Some glands are lined by obviously benign flattened atrophic epithelium.
The immunostain for high molecular weight cytokeratin can be helpful in distinguishing between atrophy (fragmented basal cell layer) from atrophic variant of prostatic adenocarcinoma (no basal cell layer).

Atypical adenomatous hyperplasia

It may show the infiltrative architecture of cancer,
lacks the cytologic features such as prominent nucleoli.
The immunostain for high mol. wt. Cytokeratin will show fragmented basal cell layer in most cases.

Post-Atrophic Hyperplasia

Post-atrophic hyperplasia architecturally mimics adenocarcinoma
lacks the cytolog…

Original post by pathtalk.org and software by Elliott Back

Mimics of Prostate Cancer â??

Atrophy

looks suspicious for adenocarcinoma at first glance.
the nuclei are small and hyperchromatic.
No prominent nucleoli are seen.
Some glands are lined by obviously benign flattened atrophic epithelium.
The immunostain for high molecular weight cytokeratin can be helpful in distinguishing between atrophy (fragmented basal cell layer) from atrophic variant of prostatic adenocarcinoma (no basal cell layer). 

Atypical adenomatous hyperplasia

It may show the infiltrative architecture of cancer,
lacks the cytologic features such as prominent nucleoli.
The immunostain for high mol. wt. Cytokeratin will show fragmented basal cell layer in most cases.

Post-Atrophic Hyperplasia

Post-atrophic hyperplasia architecturally mimics adenocar…

Original post by Oncopathology and software by Elliott Back

The concept of cost-effectiveness in medicine is elastic. Oneâ??s view on this issue depends upon who is paying the cost. Of course, this is true in all spheres of life. When youâ??re in a fine restaurant, you order differently when the meal will be charged to someone else. Under these circumstances, the foie gras appetizer and the jumbo shrimp cocktail are no longer luxuries, but are considered as essential amino acids that are necessary to maintain life.
In the marketplace, except in the medical universe, goods and services are priced according to what the market will bear. If an item is priced too high, then the seller will have fewer sales and a bloated inventory. Consumers will not pay absurd prices for common items, regardless of supernatural claims of quality.

Would you pay $100 fo…

Original post by Better Health and software by Elliott Back

The surgeon who blogs as Skeptical Scalpel writes that he (she?) is unable to contain him(her)self any longer and then lunges into a review of evidence (or lack thereof) for robotic surgery.
You may disagree with Skeptical Scalpel’s decision to be anonymous, but he/she explains:
“I’ve been a surgeon for almost 40 years and a surgical department chairman for over 23 of those years. During much of that time, conforming to the norms, rules and regulations of government agencies, accrediting bodies, hospitals, societies, and social convention was necessary for survival. I was always somewhat outspoken but in a controlled way most of the time. I now have a purely clinical surgery practice with no meetings, site visits or administrative hassles. I am free to speak my mind about…

Original post by Better Health and software by Elliott Back

Earlier this year, a Dendreon investor named Brad Loncar took the maker of the Provenge prostate cancer vaccine to task for what he believes are basic managerial shortcomings and criticized the board for failing to provide sufficient oversight and advice. The sort of complaints he expressed (read here) are familiar to investors in many stocks – repeatedly missing forecasts, failing to disclose important info and ignoring worthwhile suggestions. Irked that his missive to the Dendreon board was ignored, he went public (see this) and generated some heat, but faded from view again after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services endorsed reimbursement. But last week, his criticism seemed all the more relevant when Dendreon shocked investors by disclosing that sales were slower than plan…

Original post by Pharmalot and software by Elliott Back