Annual Evidence Update on Osteoarthritis: 13-17 October 2008

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common condition limiting function and mobility. It usually develops in people who are over 50 years but younger people can also be affected. OA mostly occurs in the knees, hips and hands but any joint can be affected.

Following last year’s extensive Annual Evidence Update, the Musculoskeletal Specialist Library in conjunction with the Trauma & Orthopaedics Specialist Library have searched and sifted through the guidance and evidence published during the last year and have produced an Annual Evidence Update which will be of particular interest to all health professionals. Included in this year’s update are guidelines issued by NICE, RCP and Clinical Knowledge Summaries and systematic reviews covering various treatment options including pharmacological therapies, physical therapies, complementary and alternative therapies and surgery.

The Annual Evidence Update is being released to coincide with World Arthritis Day on 12 October 2008.

Find out more at http://www.library.nhs.uk/musculoskeletal/

Annual Evidence Update on Breast Cancer: 13-17 October 2008

The Cancer Specialist Library will launch its 2008 Breast Cancer Annual Evidence Update on 13 October. The size of the literature in breast cancer is large so the scope of the Annual Evidence Update has been divided into sections, which will consider:

• Causes, risks and prevention
• Screening
• Assessment and diagnosis
• Service delivery and standards
• Treatment and disease management - Biological therapy
• Treatment and disease management - Chemotherapy
• Treatment and disease management - Hormone therapy
• Treatment and disease management - Radiotherapy
• Treatment and disease management - Surgery
• Other therapies
• Psychosocial, quality of life and decision making
• Follow-up and miscellaneous topics

The resources included in the update are mostly systematic reviews and some guidance published in the preceding year (2007-2008). Where possible we will provide links to the full text and where these are not available to the abstract. The Cancer Specialist Library conducts on-going literature searches and the resources presented in the Annual Evidence Update are the most recently published material that has been indexed in the international databases we search. We welcome feedback about the resources included in this update - do contact us if you would like to comment.

Find out more at http://www.library.nhs.uk/cancer