June 21, 2002 

In This Issue: 
News on Lung, Prostate, Skin and Colon Cancers , Protections for HMO Patients and Medicaid Patients, 
Death Rates for the Poor, FDA Hearings, COX-2 Inhibitors 

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THE LATEST NEWS 
Supreme Court Says Patient Has Right to Challenge HMO

Death Rate Higher for Poor Men Versus Rich

Pharmaceutical Company's Problems Highlight Flaws in FDA Reviews

Vasectomy Does Not Increase Prostate Cancer Risk

Secondhand Smoke Causes Lung Cancer

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SPECIAL TREATMENTS FOR COLON CANCER PATIENTS
The National Cancer Institute announced recently that about 60 cancer centers around the country will enroll colorectal cancer patients in a special clinical trial of a promising drug that is not yet commercially available: oxaliplatin. "These expanded access programs provide a vital treatment option to people with advanced colorectal cancer who are out of approved treatments," said Kevin Lewis, chair of the Colon Cancer Alliance, in a press release. Priscilla Savary, executive director of the Colorectal Cancer Network, agreed. "The trial results show that oxaliplatin is a valuable new weapon for colon cancer patients, and the expanded access program will help patients -- sooner rather than later." For information on this trial see: 

NCI
http://www.cancer.gov/clinical_trials/doc.aspx?viewid=fbd81f89-9e50-44b8-ae35-875b84b6bb7f

Colon Cancer Alliance
http://www.ccalliance.org/news/news_sect/major.html

Colorectal Cancer Network
http://www.colorectal-cancer.net/


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NEW REGULATIONS PROTECT MEDICAID PATIENTS
HHS issued new protections for Medicaid beneficiaries in managed-care plans, guaranteeing them grievance processes, access to second opinions, and coverage for emergency care --as available to private patients. HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson said the rules would "give Medicaid beneficiaries enrolled in managed care plans the same types of protection that participants in private plans would receive" under proposed legislation. The Wall Street Journal reports that the Bush administration rules "scale back considerably" the standards written by the Clinton administration but never enacted. 
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=11741


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PAIN MEDICATION MAY HELP FIGHT CANCER, TOO
COX-2 inhibitors may also help prevent skin cancer, according to the results of a new study by Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. There also appeared to be no advantage to the higher dose of the generic celecoxib over lower doses in the skin cancer study in mice. COX-2 inhibitors --such as celecoxib marketed as Celebrex and rofecoxib marketed as Vioxx-- represent a newer class of painkillers with less severe side effects than other pain medications, but patients still report diarrhea and indigestion. Celecoxib, approved in January 1999 to treat pain associated with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, has already been shown to slow polyp growth in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis, a precursor to colon cancer and it may reduce lung cancer risk.
Read the story here.
21 Studies of Celecoxib for Skin, Lung, Colon, Prostate, Breast, 
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/gui/action/SearchAction?JServSessionIdzone_ct=y1bc624rx1&term=celecoxib