‘Cancer Alley’ Lawsuit; Brown Fat and Survival; Moral Distress in Radiology

The residents of an area of Louisiana running along the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, known as “Cancer Alley,” have filed a federal lawsuit against their local government, alleging that petrochemical plants built in the area are akin to “environmental racism,” and asked for a moratorium on the construction of new plants and extension of existing facilities. (ABC News)

Meanwhile, the Department of Justice, on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency, is seeking a preliminary injunction against Denka Performance Elastomer, a synthetic rubber manufacturing plant in the area, and asked a judge to force the plant to reduce the emission of chloroprene, a likely carcinogen.

Pfizer and Astellas Pharma announced that the phase III EMBARK trial showed that the combination of enzalutamide (Xtandi) and leuprolide resulted in a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in metastasis-free survival in men with non-metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer compared with placebo plus leuprolide.

Speaking of enzalutamide, the NIH said it will not force drugmakers to lower the price of the androgen receptor inhibitor through the government’s emergency “march-in” authority. (Reuters)

The head of the NCI’s investigational drug research branch said that recent draft guidance from the FDA on identifying the optimal dose for cancer drugs could slow drug development. (Regulatory Focus)

NFL tight end Foster Moreau is stepping away from football while he undergoes treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma. (ESPN)

A study showed that brown adipose tissue — or brown fat — is not linked to cachexia or worse survival in people with cancer. (American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism)

Does the language in Florida’s new bill targeting gender-affirming care ban treatment for breast cancer? (New Republic)

Eric Larsen, one of the world’s leading polar explorers, has survived a terminal colon cancer diagnosis and is returning to the North Pole — this time as a guide. (CBS News)

A survey of radiologists found that almost all have experienced an episode of moral distress, and 18% left a clinical position due to moral distress, while another 28% considered leaving a position. (American Journal of Roentgenology)

An Apple watch can be used to predict pain experienced by individuals with sickle cell disease during vaso-occlusive crises. (Journal of Medical Internet Research Formative Research)

Solid tumor cancer patients can expect mild to moderate local or systemic side effects associated with COVID-19 vaccination, similar to those reported in the general public, a systematic review showed. (Clinical Oncology)