Sharon Worcester is an award-winning medical journalist for MDedge News. She has been with the company since 1996, first as the Southeast Bureau Chief (1996-2009) when the company was known as International Medical News Group, then as a freelance writer (2010-2015) before returning as a reporter in 2015. She previously worked as a daily newspaper reporter covering health and local government. Sharon currently reports primarily on oncology and hematology. She has a BA from Eckerd College and an MA in Mass Communication/Print Journalism from the University of Florida. Connect with her via LinkedIn and follow her on twitter @SW_MedReporter.
News
Medicare Advantage patients get fewer CV procedures
Major finding: Angiography and PCI procedure rates were lower among Medicare Advantage vs. Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries (16.5 vs. 25.9,...
News
Early, late solid food exposures up diabetes risk
Major finding: Early fruit exposure and late rice/oat exposure are linked with increased risks for T1DM development (hazard ratios, 2.23 and 2.88...
News
CD30 expression in EBV+ DLBCL confers poor prognosis
Major finding: EBV+ DLBCL has unique gene expression profile and genetic signature.Data source: An analysis of data from 451 patients from the...
News
Ibrutinib shows promise for CLL del 17p
Major finding: A nodal response with a median 70% reduction in lymph node size was seen in 88% of evaluable patients.Data source: A phase II study...
News
Dose reduction bests maintenance therapy for first-episode psychosis
Major finding: The recovery rate after first-episode psychosis was 40.4% with dose reduction/discontinuation, compared with 17.6% with maintenance...
News
Rituximab plus chlorambucil extend event-free survival in MALT lymphoma
Major finding: Five-year event-free survival was 70% with chlorambucil plus rituximab, 52% for chlorambucil and 51% for rituximab.Data source: A...
News
USPSTF: Screen baby boomers for hepatitis C
Major finding: Key numerical finding (e.g., number needed to treat to prevent one death/event; number lived or died as result of intervention)....
News
Consider extended postop thromboprophylaxis when VTE risk reaches 0.88%
Major finding: Extended-duration thromboprophylaxis is preferable to inpatient-only thromboprophylaxis when VTE risk is 0.88% or greater.Data...
News
Creativity, collaboration required to address workforce issues, health care demands
Major finding: Between 1992 and 2012, the percentage of fellows in solo practice decreased from 32% to 19%, while the percentage employed by...
News
Telaprevir-based triple-drug therapy benefits CHC patients with ESRD
Major finding: SVR at 24 months after treatment was 63% and 50% with telaprevir triple-drug regimens vs. 25% with standard therapy.Data source: A...
News
EET and esophagectomy yield similar cancer-free survival
Major finding: No significant differences were seen between the groups with respect to 2-year esophageal cancer-free survival (93.5% and 89.6% in...
News
Nosocomial infection in cirrhotic patients boosts acute kidney injury risk
Major finding: Nosocomial infections were associated with length of stay (odds ratio, 23.34 per day) and acute kidney injury (odds ratio, 2.82)....
News
Cohort study shows link between colonoscopy, overall mortality
Major finding: 18.5% vs. 23% of deceased vs. living patients had a colonoscopy, 17.4% vs. 23.9% had colonoscopy plus FOBT, and 41.4% vs.