Adult Services, Oncology/Hematology

Lumps in the neck are typically harmless, but sometimes can be cause for further investigation. Here’s what providers should know.

A painless lump on the side of the neck can have many causes, including benign conditions, infections or more serious diseases. Most commonly, swollen lymph nodes are the result of  infection. Less commonly, it can be cancer. “Benign causes of a painless mass or neck swelling can include thyroid nodules, swelling of a saliva gland…

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Oncology/Hematology, Pediatric Services

Norton Children’s names new pediatric cancer chief

Norton Children’s has named a new physician to lead its cancer institute. Michael J. Ferguson, M.D., will serve as chief of Norton Children’s Cancer Institute and division chief of the University of Louisville School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics Division of Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation. In these roles, Dr. Ferguson will lead Norton…

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Adult Services, Oncology/Hematology, Research

Norton Cancer Institute enrolling patients for gotistobart (ONC-392) Phase 3 trial

Norton Cancer Institute is enrolling metastatic lung cancer patients in a Phase 3 clinical trial to test a promising new anti-CLTA-4 antibody, gotistobart (ONC-392). The study will test whether gotistobart is more effective than the chemotherapy agent docetaxel in prolonging life in patients with metastatic, non-small cell lung cancer whose disease progressed on anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibody…

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Adult Services, Oncology/Hematology

Diagnosing early stage lung cancer with robotic bronchoscopy lung nodule biopsy

The patient A 67-year-old woman with a past medical history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema presented with a spiculated right upper-lobe nodule that was previously 8 millimeters in size on CT scan of the lung. In six months, it had increased in size to 1.1 centimeters. The challenge The lung nodule was small,…

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Adult Services, Oncology/Hematology, Pulmonology

Lung cancer screening guidelines

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force updated its lung cancer screening guidelines in 2021 to include younger patients and those who smoked less than the previous recommendation. The current USPSTF lung cancer screening guidelines are for adults between ages 50 and 80 who have a 20-pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within…

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Adult Services, Health Equity, Oncology/Hematology

Late-stage lung cancer diagnoses weigh heavily on the socially disadvantaged

As a medical oncologist at Norton Cancer Institute, I’ve seen remarkable advances in how we treat lung cancer. Lung cancers caught early can now often be successfully treated. Unfortunately, Kentucky has a massive lung cancer problem. We have the highest rate of lung cancer in the nation, and we rank 45th among the 49 states…

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Adult Services, Gastroenterology, Oncology/Hematology

Updates in screening and treatment of leading gastrointestinal cancers

“Gastrointestinal cancers can occur anywhere from the esophagus to the rectum. This includes cancers of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, rectum and anus, as well as the bile duct, pancreas and liver,” said Robert C.G. Martin, M.D., Ph.D., surgical oncologist with Norton Cancer Institute. “They include the second- and third-deadliest cancers in the United…

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Oncology/Hematology, Pediatric Services, Research

DFMO medulloblastoma clinical trial examines drug’s effectiveness for high-risk cases

Researchers are recruiting pediatric medulloblastoma patients for a novel use of difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) to prevent relapse. The multisite study, sponsored by the Beat Childhood Cancer Consortium and led by Michael Angelo C. Huang, M.D., pediatric neuro-oncologist at Norton Children’s Cancer Institute, affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine, looks at whether DFMO offers a new…

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Adult Services, Oncology/Hematology, Research

Natural killer cell leukemia trial underway

A human Phase 1 immunotherapy clinical trial is underway using natural killer cells, or NK cells, to target relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia. Acute myeloid leukemia patients who have exhausted other treatment options are potential candidates for the trial, ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT05470140. The trial uses cytokine-reprogrammed, non-engineered, “off-the-shelf” NK cells from a healthy donor….

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Adult Services, CME, Oncology/Hematology

Garlove Lectureship features advancements in medicine, a look at new discoveries and technologies

The 28th Gail Klein Garlove Lectureship on Nov. 1 is titled “Advancing Precision Medicine Through New Discoveries and Technologies,” and will be presented by Sameek Roychowdhury, M.D., Ph.D., medical director of the cancer genomics laboratory and medical oncologist at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James. The event is hosted by Norton Healthcare…

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Adult Services, Oncology/Hematology

When to consider genetic testing for breast cancer

At some point in their life, 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer. Approximately 20% of breast cancer cases are familial, affecting two or more women in the same family, usually at a later age. An estimated 5% to 10% of breast cancers are caused by a genetic mutation, called hereditary breast cancer. Red…

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Adult Services, Oncology/Hematology

Benefits of ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy

Fine needle aspiration (FNA) can provide a timelier evaluation of neck masses than open biopsy, thus saving time, money and potentially improving health outcomes with earlier diagnosis and treatment. Fine needle aspiration for head and neck masses Masses felt by the clinician or detected with imaging scans often require further testing. Options for obtaining tissue…

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