LOS ANGELES The hepatitis C related national mortality rate is hovering near a record high and all signs point to a worsening, researchers here said.

HONOLULU Proton pump inhibitors may hold some advantage for stress ulcer prophylaxis in the ICU compared with H2 receptor blockers, researchers said here.

ORLANDO In the post imatinib Gleevec era, treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors has shifted from serial surgeries to refinement of kinase inhibitor dosing, according to this presentation from the ASCO GI symposium here.

ORLANDO Higher circulating levels of imatinib Gleevec correlated with better clinical responses in patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors GIST , but proper initial doses were unpredictable.

HONG KONG In a randomized head to head trial of therapy for chronic hepatitis B infection, telbivudine Tyzeka suppresses the virus significantly better than lamivudine Epivir , researchers here affirmed.