- Center on Health Equity and Access
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- Value-Based Care
Integrating Immunotherapy in Lung Cancer
Immunotherapy has demonstrated efficacy in lung cancer, for which there are drugs approved as second-line therapies, states Andrew L. Pecora, MD. First-line doublet chemotherapy is given for metastatic non—small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). If the patient has an ALK or EGFR mutation, treatment would include a targeted therapy.
Chemotherapy is never curative in metastatic NSCLC, says Pecora. An anti-PD-1 agent can be given once chemotherapy fails, although there is some debate regarding whether to give immuno-oncology agents up front in order to stimulate the immune system earlier in the disease process.
When nivolumab is added to ipilimumab, there is an increase in the rate of response, adds Pecora. The combination has the potential to improve survival. One issue with combining a PD-1 inhibitor with an anti-CTLA4 agent is toxicity. Once the immune system is stimulated, it can produce adverse effects that must be addressed quickly, says Pecora. Using these agents at a lower dose and/or altering the sequencing could, in theory, help reduce these effects.
Specialty Pharmacists at the Forefront: Elevating Care for Rare Diseases
May 1st 2024In the US, a disease is considered rare when it affects fewer than 200,000 persons, or 1 in every 1500 individuals, with an estimated total of 25 to 30 million Americans overall living with a rare disease at any given time.
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Examining Low-Value Cancer Care Trends Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
April 25th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the April 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on the rates of low-value cancer care services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Navigating Health Policy in an Election Year: Insights From Dr Dennis Scanlon
April 2nd 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with Dennis Scanlon, PhD, the editor in chief of The American Journal of Accountable Care®, about prior authorization, price transparency, the impact of health policy on the upcoming election, and more.
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Diving Deep Into Specialty Pharmacy: Insights and Forecasts From IQVIA’s Doug Long
May 1st 2024Doug Long, MBA, vice president of industry relations at IQVIA, covered a bevy of stakeholder investment–related topics in his presentation at AXS24 on trends in specialty pharmacy, chief among them challenges facing the industry, obesity medications, generics and biosimilars, new product launches, and the outlook for the US market.
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