Biomarker Testing Trends in Patients With Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Who Live in Rural Areas and Urban Clusters in the US.

Background: There is a paucity of data on biomarker testing rates in rural populations with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). To assess biomarker testing practices, oncologists in rural areas and urban clusters in the US were surveyed.

Materials And Methods: A web-based survey was administered to oncologists spending ≥40% of their time practicing in rural areas or urban clusters and who had treated ≥2 patients with stage IV mCRC in the prior month.

A prospective evaluation on the interaction of fluconazole and voriconazole on serum concentrations of budesonide in patients treated for gastrointestinal GVHD.

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is commonly affected by acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in patients who have undergone allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). For patients developing GI GVHD, nonabsorbable corticosteroids such as budesonide may be used alone to reduce the risk of systemic corticosteroid toxicities or combined with systemic steroids to enhance clinical responses and to allow more rapid tapering of systemic corticosteroid doses. This prospective crossover study was conducted to evaluate what effect two commonly used antifungal agents, fluconazole, and voriconazole, would have on the trough (Cmin) and peak (Cmax) levels of budesonide in adult patients who had undergone allo-HSCT who subsequently developed clinical GI GVHD.

Midostaurin: A New Oral Agent Targeting FMS-Like Tyrosine Kinase 3-Mutant Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a clonal hematologic malignancy that results in bone marrow failure, is the most common acute leukemia in adults (median age of diagnosis 67 yrs), and treatment options, especially in the elderly population, are limited. Induction chemotherapy with 7 + 3, the combination of continuous-infusion cytarabine and intermittent dosing of an anthracycline administered over 7 and 3 days, respectively, has remained the standard of care since its introduction in 1973 in the United States. Midostaurin is a first-generation FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) inhibitor (TKI) that was approved by the U.

The use of novel agents in multiple myeloma patients with hepatic impairment.

Novel drugs such as immunomodulators and proteasome inhibitors have improved the survival of patients with multiple myeloma. Like all therapeutic agents, appropriate dosing based on metabolism and clearance is important to maintain efficacy while avoiding toxicity. Hepatic impairment (HI) in multiple myeloma patients is rare but well described either due to disease or therapy-related factors.

Bosutinib: a second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor for chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Objective: To review clinical trials and main characteristics of bosutinib, a second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) for treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).

Data Sources: Pertinent data were identified through a search of PubMed (January 1990-April 2013) using the primary search terms SKI-606, bosutinib, and CML. Additionally, preliminary reports published in abstract form by the American Society of Clinical Oncology and American Society of Hematology (January 1990-April 2013) were screened for inclusion.

A survey of drug information references emergency medicine clinicians utilize for prescribing in pregnant patients.

Background: Clinicians practicing in Emergency Departments (EDs) using outdated pocket guides and other non-pregnancy-specific references when prescribing in pregnancy may place the pregnancy or fetus at risk.

Objective: To identify the references that emergency medicine (EM) clinicians use for prescribing in pregnant patients, the prescribing trends when clinicians are given the pregnancy category information, and clinician awareness of access to drug information references.

Methods: This cross-sectional survey was administered to EM clinicians.

Cardiac arrest with residual blindness after overdose of Tessalon® (benzonatate) perles.

Background: The extent to which benzonatate (Tessalon®), a structurally similar agent to other local anesthetics including tetracaine and procaine, poses a risk to the public is not fully appreciated as it is still one of the most widely prescribed antitussives available.

Objectives: To report a case of cardiac arrest with residual blindness after Tessalon® overdose, review its clinical manifestations, toxicology and management considerations, and describe the need for rational prescribing.

Case Report: A 17-year-old woman with no previous medical history presented to the Emergency Department (ED) status post cardiac arrest.