Synchronizing radiotherapy treatments with chemotherapy cycles for women with early breast cancer significantly reduces the risk of cancer recurring in the breast or chest wall, while not producing additional adverse side effects that affect long-term quality of life, according to a U.K. trial presented at the 2011 European Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress Sept. 23-27.

CACI International signed a definitive agreement to acquire Advanced Programs Group, an Oracle Platinum Partner and provider of Oracle e-Business services in the federal market. The acquisition expands CACIs presence in business and government transformation.

"While the American College of Physicians (ACP) appreciates that Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) has put forward a comprehensive proposal to eliminate the sustainable growth rate with the intent of protecting access to primary care for Medicare beneficiaries, we have very substantial concerns that preclude us from supporting it," Virginia L. Hood, MPPS, MPH, president of ACP,  wrote in a letter in response to MedPACs recent proposal to fix the SGR.

The European Medicines Agencys (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use recommended the use of the anticoagulant rivaroxaban (Bayer, Xarelto) to prevent stroke and systemic embolism in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) patients and to treat deep vein thrombosis (DVT). The two positive opinions adopted Sept. 22 come on the heels of the FDAs Cardiovascular and Renal Drug Committee's recommendation that the drug be approved for use in non-valvular AF patients.

The Government Accountability Office has found deficiencies in Indian Health Services data collection on unfunded services, leading GAO to conclude that increased oversight is needed.

A newer type of MRI scan, diffusion-weighted MRI, can better differentiate benign lung lesions from those which are cancerous, and therefore, could be used to prevent unnecessary surgery by enabling more accurate diagnosis of the disease, based on a study presented Sept. 25 at the European Respiratory Society's annual congress in Amsterdam.

A new study being conducted at University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center in Cleveland is showing some promising signs in the effort to combat pancreatic cancer, though the results are very preliminary, according to Pablo Ros, MD, chairman of radiology at University Hospitals/Case Western Reserve University and the studys principal investigator.

Critical congenital heart disease screening will now be included on the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius said Sept. 21. The move will work toward providing universal screening to newborns, in hopes to earlier detect heart defects.