- Medicare is proposing to offer annual CT scans for those who have smoked an average of a pack a day for 30 years, since studies have demonstrated that very small lung tumors, if found early, can be treated successfully. MSK’s Dr. Peter Bach, who has advocated for the screening, acknowledges that people who will never have lung cancer will be subjected to the test and follow-up evaluations which have risks.
- Scientists soon will develop drugs that will relieve severe pain but will not be addictive as is the case with current opioid painkillers. MSK’s Dr. Gavril Pasternak who conducts research on opioids, reported that as many as 12 non-addictive or significantly less addictive drugs are in the development stage.
- MSK researchers analyzed cancer DNA from melanoma patients who were treated with ipilimumab, an immunotherapy drug . The analysis revealed genetic mutations in some of the patients which cause the cancer cells to be visible to immune response. Once the cancer cells are identified, the body’s immune system can destroy them.