- In a recent Nature article, MSKCC researchers in collaboration with researchers from several other institutions offered a genetic explanation for why people with lung cancer respond differently to erlotinib.
- James P. Allison, head of the immunology program at MSKCC, was quoted in a New York Times article about the recent FDA approved drug Yervoy, the first drug shown to prolong the lives of people with the skin cancer melanoma.
Cancer Research News: March 16 – March 29
- NYU’s Clinical Correlations blog has a very comprehensive post about educating patients about sun exposure to prevent skin cancer, and references about the science behind sunscreen use. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends an SPF of 30 or higher.
- While vitamin D plays an important role in bone health, a New England Journal of Medicine editorial claims that research done on whether vitamin D prevents cancer has been inconsistent and inconclusive so far.
- A recent KevinMD.com blog post highlights research published in Nature Medicine in July 2010 by Dr. Vincent Tuohy of the Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Vincent Tuohy brings an immunologist’s perspective to cancer research, proposing an autoimmune-mediated strategy for prophylactic breast cancer vaccination.
- Dr. Bruce Chabner of Mass. Gen. Hospital also wrote an editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine proposing early accelerated approval by the FDA for highly targeted cancer drugs.
By the Numbers: Are Usage Statistics the Only Way to Measure a Library’s Value?
While reviewing our Library metrics for 2010 and comparing these numbers with past years, I started to reflect about whether or not collecting quantitative data about our services, resources use, and our Library community can paint the full picture of our contributions to the Center. Collecting statistics is certainly a fact of effective library management and helps determine resources most used.