Here are the top stories covered by DocWire News this week in the Hematology & Oncology section. This week the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that certain active ingredients in sunscreen are absorbed into the blood, anticancer drug approvals may be supported by data that do not prove superiority, and coffee may decrease the risk of breast cancer due to a certain acid.
Active ingredients found in sunscreens are absorbed into the bloodstream at levels that exceed the FDA’s recommended threshold without a government safety inspection, according to a study by the FDA that was published in JAMA. Systemic concentrations greater than 0.5 ng/mL were reached for four sunscreen products that were tested. Under maximal use conditions, plasma concentrations exceeded the threshold established by the FDA for potentially waiving some non-clinical toxicology studies for sunscreens.
A study published in JAMA Oncology found that a substantial number of recently approved anticancer drugs are supported by data that do not prove the drug’s superiority over the standard of care. Of the 96 anticancer approvals, 16 (17%) were based on randomized, controlled trials with suboptimal control arms. In addition, just one trial was conducted in the United States.
Research presented at the European Congress on Obesity found that a high intake of phenolic acids—found in things like coffee, cereal grains, fruits, and vegetables—is associated with a decreased risk of developing postmenopausal breast cancer. The tertile of women with the highest consumption of hydroxycinnamic acids had a breast cancer risk that was 62% lower than the tertile with the lowest intake.
Many patients with cancer undergoing treatment incur a risk of cardiotoxicity, and these patients are not being made aware by physicians who may be unaware of the dangers themselves, according to a new study presented at the EuroHeartCare 2019, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology. Results of the study suggest that out of 11 patients who were interviewed, no patient could communicate their cardiology health needs, while more than half lacked an understanding on how to maintain a balanced, healthy diet.