Oncology

New immuno-oncology agents are providing durable survival for some patients, but the cost of these treatments is very high, which is a cause for concern. In a new study in JAMA Oncology, researchers sought to assess how value frameworks defined the efficacy of new immuno-oncology agents.

December 31st 2017

Smokers Willing to Try E-Cigarettes More Successful at Smoking Less, Study Says

Allison Inserro

A small pilot study from the Hollings Cancer Center at the Medical University of South Carolina found that smokers who are willing to use e-cigarettes tend to smoke less and have increased quit attempts.

December 29th 2017

The Impact High OOP Costs Have on Patients Filling Prescriptions for Oral Cancer Drugs

Patients with cancer may have more options for oral cancer medications, but high out-of-pocket costs still present a barrier to access, according to a new study in Journal of Clinical Oncology.

December 29th 2017

This Week in Managed Care: December 29, 2017

This week, the top managed care stories included a road map to develop state-level programs to care for complex populations; the Physician-focused Payment Technical Advisory Committee backed 2 new alternative payment models; a new cancer gene profiling test may open doors to new targeted therapies.

December 29th 2017

Top 2017 Articles in AJMC®'s Evidence-Based OncologyTM

A look at the most popular articles published in Evidence-Based Oncology™ in 2017.

December 27th 2017

Dr Amy Abernethy Discusses Community Oncologists' Role in Modernizing Evidence Generation

Community oncologists have a major role in accelerating treatment development and providing them to patients, said Amy Abernethy, MD, PhD, the chief medical officer, chief scientific officer, and senior vice president of oncology at Flatiron Health.

December 27th 2017

Cancer Gene Profiling Test Can Open Doors to New Targeted Therapies

While FoundationOne CDx, the comprehensive companion diagnostic test for solid tumors, gives patients the ability to be accurately matched with a targeted therapy, it also has potential benefits for patients with a less common types of cancers, said Stuart Goldberg, MD, chief scientific officer, Cota, in an interview with The American Journal of Managed Care®.

December 26th 2017

Sarah Cevallos: Physicians Need More Data to Determine if 2-Sided Risk is Appropriate

Until more data is available, it’s difficult for a practice or physician group to make an accurate assessment of whether or not 2-sided risk is appropriate, said Sarah Cevallos, chief revenue cycle officer, Florida Cancer Specialists. Physicians would need to see clear metrics in order to know if they will be achievable.

December 25th 2017

The Role of Oncologists in Moving to Value-Based Care: Torrie Fields Interviews Dr Michael Kolodziej

In this interview, recorded at the end of the first day of PCOC®, Torrie Fields, senior program manager at Blue Shield of California, and Michael Kolodziej, MD, of ADVI Health, discuss the move to value-based care in oncology, what practices need to do to be successful, and the role of team-based care.

December 25th 2017

Dr Shannon Maude Discusses Side Effects of CAR T Therapies

Most primary side effects of CAR T therapies occur early on after treatment and resolve quickly, but there are some that require long-term monitoring, explained Shannon L. Maude, MD, PhD, of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

December 23rd 2017

Podcast: This Week in Managed Care—Individual Mandate Eliminated and Other Health News

Every week, The American Journal of Managed Care® recaps the top managed care news of the week, and you can now listen to it on our podcast, Managed Care Cast.

December 23rd 2017

Dr Bobby Green on How Flatiron Is Working to Improve Care Delivery

Bobby Green, MD, MSCE, senior vice president of clinical oncology at Flatiron Health, discusses analyzing patient data to improve the overall care delivery and its challenges involved with being so early in the process.

December 22nd 2017

This Week in Managed Care: December 22, 2017

This week, the top managed care stories included the elimination of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate; a new gene therapy for inherited vision loss that could cost $1 million; and a study found that social isolation can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.

December 22nd 2017

Medical World News®, December 2017

AJMC Staff

Key drug approvals; alcohol cancer link.

December 22nd 2017

Articles That Gained the Most Traction on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn in 2017

Articles on type 2 diabetes management, colon cancer screenings, and anti-rheumatic drug approvals topped the list.

December 22nd 2017

Terrill Jordan: Year 1 Feedback on OCM

Based on CMMI's year 1 feedback on OCM, it is clear that a lot of planning is needed and education is crucial, said Terrill Jordan, CEO, of Regional Cancer Care Associates.

December 22nd 2017

5 Aspects of How Diet Does, and Does Not, Impact Health

For the most part, it’s well known that eating healthy and in moderation is more beneficial to our health. In 2017, there were a number of news stories that drove that knowledge home.

December 21st 2017

FDA Grants Approval to Pertuzumab for Adjuvant Treatment in Patients With HER2-Positive Breast Cancer

The FDA's 2013 accelerated approval of pertuzumab for neoadjuvant use was converted to full approval as part of treatment for patients with HER2-positive, locally advanced, inflammatory, or early-stage breast cancer.

December 20th 2017

Will 2-Sided Risk Be a Reality in the OCM?

Kelly Davio

December 20th 2017

AJMC®tv Interviews, December 2017

The Center for Biosimilars&reg Laura Joszt, MA

AJMC®TV interviews let you catch up on what’s new and important about changes in healthcare, with insights from key decision makers—from the clinician, to the health plan leader, to the regulator. When every minute in your day matters, AJMC®TV interviews keep you informed. Access the video clips at ajmc.com/interviews.

December 20th 2017

Insights From Top 5 AJMC.com Contributor Articles of 2017

Allison Inserro

Contributors to AJMC.com delved into data to share their knowledge about important topics in managed care, and in 2017, these were the top 5 most-read articles they wrote and published on our online managed care network.

December 20th 2017

Nat Turner on Using Data for New Payment Model Requirements

Nat Turner, co-founder and CEO of Flatiron Health, discusses how oncologists use data to assist them in meeting the requirements in new payment models.

December 20th 2017

Real-World Economic Value of a 21-Gene Assay in Early-Stage Breast Cancer

Stanley E. Waintraub, MD Donna McNamara, MD Deena Mary Atieh Graham, MD Andrew L. Pecora, MD John Min, BS Tommy Wu, BA Hyun Gi Noh, MSC Jacqueline Connors, RN, OCN Ruth Pe Benito, MPH, BS Kelly Choi, MD Eric Schultz, BS Stuart L. Goldberg, MD

Universal gene expression profiling of patients with stage II breast cancer resulted in outpatient savings of $11,000 (inclusive of testing costs) within 6 months of initiation of medical therapy.

December 19th 2017

High-Impact Workflow Changes for Value-Based Care Success

Charles Saunders, MD Charles Alcorn, MS Catherine Cowan, MSN, RN Maria Fabbiano

As oncology practices transition to value-based care, they are challenged to take on more holistic responsibility for their patient. Fortunately, the examples of practices participating in CMS’ Oncology Care Model can offer valuable insight into the most impactful workflow changes providers can implement as they strive to achieve cost and quality improvements.

December 19th 2017

The Commercial Payer OCM Experience: Year 1

Coverage from the Community Oncology Alliance (COA)’s Payer Exchange Summit on Oncology Payment Reform, held October 23-24 in Tysons Corner, Virginia.

December 19th 2017

How Has the OCM Evolved? Year 1 Provider Updates

Stakeholders Weigh in on Payment Reform in Cancer Care

December 19th 2017

Coverage from the Community Oncology Alliance Payer Exchange Summit on Oncology Payment Reform, held October 23-24 in Tysons Corner, Virginia.

December 19th 2017

Increased CD8+ TIL Counts Linked to Prolonged Survival in Patients With Certain Ovarian Cancers

Increasing levels of CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes are associated with prolonged survival in patients with high-grade serous ovarian cancer, endometrioid ovarian cancer, and mucinous ovarian cancer, according to a study published in JAMA Oncology.

December 19th 2017

Tesh Khullar on the Importance of Community Oncology Patients Being Involved in Clinical Trials

Community oncologists face a challenge in getting patients into clinical trials, but new technology could help them get access to those trials, explained Tesh Khullar, senior vice president of provider solutions at Flatiron Health.

December 19th 2017

New Drug Approvals in Leukemia and Lymphoma Presented at ASH 2017