Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain
the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in
Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles
and JavaScript.
Ablative therapies such as cryotherapy, Mohs' micrographic surgery and radiation have long been considered the standard of care for actinic keratoses and superficial basal cell carcinomas, but imiquimod is now approved for these indications in the US and Europe. Daniel Sauder discusses the mechanisms of action and clinical potential of this promising agent.
Although the current classification schemes and prognostic algorithms for defining myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are valid for defining disease subgroups, they do not take into consideration the significant biological diversity of MDS. Numerous pathophysiological pathways involved in MDS are being unraveled, and new molecular targets are being identified. This review provides a concise update of some of the most up-to-date targeted agents being investigated in MDS that may offer durable benefits to patients with MDS.
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common complication in patients with malignant disease. Despite the use of anticoagulant drugs, cancer patients have an increased risk of recurrent VTE following initial treatment of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. The potential roles of an activated coagulation system in the biology of solid tumors have started to emerge. Petraliaet al. review the current understanding of the role of the blood coagulation system in tumor biology, the mechanism of action of low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs), and emerging evidence from contemporary clinical trials that indicate a potential survival benefit for cancer patients who receive LMWHs.
The use of adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III colorectal cancer is well established, but the use of this approach in patients with stage II colon cancer is more controversial. Midgley and Kerr highlight data from the QUASAR 1 trial, which provide compelling evidence for the use of adjuvant chemotherapy. The use of combination therapeutic options, the rationale for considering morphologic or molecular features to select and individualize therapy, and the crucial question of which patients would benefit most from adjuvant chemotherapy, are discussed.
