No abstract

In this phase 2 study of patients infected with HCV genotype 1 who had not been treated previously, one of the three telaprevir groups had a significantly higher rate of sustained virologic response than that with standard therapy. Response rates were lowest with the regimen that did not include ribavirin. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00372385.)

Administration of sofosbuvir and ribavirin before liver transplantation can prevent post-transplant HCV recurrence. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01559844.

No abstract

Background: The standard of care for early-stage breast cancer includes surgical removal of the tumor and axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). Despite increased use of breast-conserving surgery, lymphedema rates are similar to those with more radical surgery.Hypothesis: Women who experience breast cancerrelated lymphedema have a measurable reduction in quality of life compared with women without lymphedema.Design: In a retrospective cohort study, we explored the association between lymphedema and quality of life, controlling for patient demographics, surgical factors, and treatment types.Settings: An urban academic medical center and a community hospital.Participants: A total of 151 women surgically treated for early-stage breast cancer (stages 0-II) were assessed at least 1 year after their ALND. The women had been treated with either conservative surgery and radiation or mastectomy without radiation. Main Outcome Measures:Arm volume was measured by water displacement. Grip strength and rangeof-motion measurements assessed arm function. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B) quality-of-life instrument assessed breast, emotional, functional, physical, and social well-being.Results: Lymphedema (an arm volume difference Ն200 cm 3 ) was measured in 42 women (27.8%). Mastectomy or conservative surgery patients had similar lymphedema rates. Women with lymphedema in both surgical groups scored significantly lower on 4 of the 5 subsections than women without lymphedema, even after adjusting for other factors influencing quality of life.Conclusions: Lymphedema occurs at appreciable rates, and its impact on long-term quality of life in survivors of early-stage breast cancer should not be underestimated.