Orlando, Fla. - Studies examining ongoing controversies in the field of clinical oncology were released this week at the 45th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

"There are many ongoing debates in cancer research and care, and the best care for our patients is not always clear-cut," said Julie Gralow, MD, an associate professor in the oncology division of the University of Washington School of Medicine and moderator of the press briefing. "The studies presented today shed light on ongoing controversies in the field, and on the challenges physicians face when launching clinical trials, evaluating trial results, advising patients on screening, and determining the most appropriate treatment."

Studies highlighted in the press briefing include:

- Lung cancer screening: The effectiveness of lung cancer screening in reducing death rates has been widely debated in recent years. A new study finds that lung cancer screening using low-dose computed tomography results in a high rate of false positives (33 percent after two screenings) and significant follow-up testing, data that should help people at high risk for the disease, make informed decisions about screening.
- Impact of common antidepressants on tamoxifen effectiveness: Hot flashes are a common side-effect of tamoxifen treatment to prevent breast cancer recurrence, and are often managed with the antidepressant drugs Paxil and Prozac. Two new studies report differing results about whether these antidepressants have an adverse impact on the effectiveness of tamoxifen. Additional research is needed to resolve these differences, though women may want to consider alternative antidepressants in the meantime.
- Treatment of breast cancer micrometastases: Not all women with breast cancer undergo surgery to remove all of the axillary (underarm) lymph nodes upon detection of tiny micrometastases in the lymph node nearest the tumor (the "sentinel" node), given a lack of conclusive data to date demonstrating the effectiveness of such treatment. However, a new study finds significantly higher rates of cancer recurrence among women with micrometastases who do not undergo axillary lymph node dissection, supporting routine use of the procedure to prevent the return of cancer.
- Patient accrual in clinical trials: Low rates of patient enrollment in cancer clinical trials have been an ongoing challenge in cancer research, with just five percent of cancer patients participating. A new analysis of federally- unded cancer trials finds that a full 40 percent of trials examined did not meet their enrollment goals, threatening their ability to report statistically significant results. The study found that the longer a trial takes to develop, the less likely it is to meet its accrual goal, emphasizing the importance of finding ways to shorten clinical trial development time.

For more news coming out of the meeting, go to: ASCO.org.

For consumer-oriented information on these studies and more than 120 cancer types, please go to: ASCO's patient website at www.Cancer.Net. 

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