News

Better care or just more high-tech? Defining the value of new radiotherapy treatments

Many patients are being treated with costly new radiotherapy treatments on the basis of hype rather than evidence that they stand to benefit. For others, lack of evidence is delaying access to new treatments that [more]
Shortages of generic cancer medicines are harming patients. So why can’t we fix it?

Despite more than a decade of efforts to address the problem, cancer patients across Europe and the US still cannot rely on essential drugs being available when they need them. Rachel Brazil looks at the [more]
Access to quality cancer care: Is the cross border healthcare directive helping or hindering?

The EU cross border healthcare directive – officially the ‘Directive on the application of patients’ rights in cross border healthcare’ – has been in force across member states for more than five years now. It [more]
‘Relentless and debilitating’: why is nausea still a problem, and how can we do better?

A whole armamentarium of antiemetic drugs has dramatically reduced the level of vomiting related to cancer treatment. But nausea, in particular, is still troubling patients. Sophie Fessl explores the causes, and asks: why is this still [more]
Better outcomes, better experiences: why cancer nursing is a job for specialists

The European Oncology Nursing Society has compiled the evidence to show the value of the work cancer nurses do, and the specialist training and education they need to do it. Now they’re calling on policy [more]
If it’s approved but not reimbursed, what do you say?

“There are doctors who do not inform the patients about [non-reimbursed options] because it is less stressful”. “I explain to them that if they were treated in more developed countries, the treatment strategy would be [more]
The unreported results that are still undermining evidence-based medicine

The scandal of unreported trials has been known about for decades, prompting a variety of initiatives, legislative changes and campaigns. Sophie Fessl asks what impact these have had on reporting practices, and how far patients [more]
Brachytherapy: halting the spiral of decline

Brachytherapy, a standard of care for some cancer indications, which involves delivering radiotherapy from a source within the tumour, is underfunded, increasingly marginalised and in decline across much of Europe. Janet Fricker talked to specialists [more]
New dawn in prostate cancer diagnosis

In expert hands, diagnostic multiparametric MRI is more effective than the dreaded prostate biopsy as the first step in identifying prostate cancers. It is certainly less unpleasant. Guidelines and practice are changing to reflect this, [more]
Matteo Lambertini: keeping the family dream alive

For many young women with breast cancer, the chance to have a child is a top priority. They want to know what different treatments could do to their fertility and the health of a future [more]