Oncology

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Patients in the cemiplimab group had superior disease-free survival vs placebo. | Image credit: Medical Works - stock.adobe.com
Cemiplimab Improves Disease-Free Survival in High-Risk, Advanced CSCC

June 13th 2025

Cemiplimab improved disease-free survival in patients with high-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) and performed well in patients with advanced CSCC in the real-world setting.

The approval covers use of pembrolizumab as a single agent in the neoadjuvant setting, followed by adjuvant treatment with pembrolizumab in combination with radiotherapy with or without cisplatin after surgery, and then continued as a single agent. | Image credit: wladimir1804-stock.adobe.com
FDA Approves Perioperative Pembrolizumab in Resectable HNSCC

June 13th 2025

FDA approval-Olivier Le Moal-stock.adobe.com.jpeg
Mitomycin Intravesical Solution Gains FDA Approval for Recurrent Low-Grade NMIBC

June 12th 2025

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Utilization and Costs Among Oncologists Participating in a Private Insurance Shared Savings Model

June 11th 2025

The new report suggests the C5a-C5aRq axis might be a useful target in combination with existing therapies for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. | Image credit: vladimircaribb - stock.adobe.com
C5aR1 Flagged as Biomarker in Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma

June 7th 2025

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Oncologists Overcome Hurdles to Deliver Cancer Care in Puerto Rico
January 29th 2018

Oncologists Overcome Hurdles to Deliver Cancer Care in Puerto Rico

Allison Inserro
Even though much more remains to be done on an island where half of its US residents still lack power, the situation is improving for cancer patients in Puerto Rico, doctors and organizations said recently in interviews with The American Journal of Managed Care®. In Puerto Rico, more than 75% of the cancer care is delivered in the community, not hospitals.
Dr Mark Fendrick: How Expensive Therapies Fit Into VBID for Oncology
January 29th 2018

Dr Mark Fendrick: How Expensive Therapies Fit Into VBID for Oncology

When a drug becomes first-line, I would like to think that as a clinician I would have access to that, but most importantly that my patients would not have to have a bake sale or take out a second mortgage on their homes to get therapies that are designed specifically for them, said A. Mark Fendrick, MD, director of the Center for Value-Based Insurance Design at the University of Michigan.
ASCO Provides CMS Recommendations on Revisions to Part D
January 28th 2018

ASCO Provides CMS Recommendations on Revisions to Part D

Kaitlynn Ely
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) recommends that CMS guard cancer patients from high out-of-pocket costs that will impede patient access to life-extending cancer drugs, according to the society’s comments regarding proposed financial revisions to the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program (Part D).
Gut Microbiome Diversity Associated With Blood Infections in Pediatric Patients With Cancer
January 27th 2018

Gut Microbiome Diversity Associated With Blood Infections in Pediatric Patients With Cancer

Laura Joszt, MA
Every year, central lines are associated with causing blood infections in an estimated 400,000 patients with cancer. However, new research has found that changes in the microbiome may be responsible for some or many of the infections usually attributed to central lines.
Bo Gamble Explains How COA Helps Practices Prepare for OCM
January 27th 2018

Bo Gamble Explains How COA Helps Practices Prepare for OCM

Bo Gamble, director of Strategic Practice Initiatives at the Community Oncology Alliance (COA), explains how COA plays a role in supporting practices in preparing for Oncology Care Model.
Via Oncology Acquisition Positions Pathway Provider for Growth
January 26th 2018

Via Oncology Acquisition Positions Pathway Provider for Growth

Mary Caffrey
Via Pathways covers more than 2000 different patient representations in cancer care.
Study Notes Racial Differences in Risk of Recurrence Among Patients With Breast Cancer
January 26th 2018

Study Notes Racial Differences in Risk of Recurrence Among Patients With Breast Cancer

Kaitlynn Ely
Non-Hispanic black women diagnosed with HER2-negative, lymph node-negative breast cancer who had recurrence score testing had higher estimated risks of distant recurrence than their non-Hispanic white counterparts.
High Cost Sharing Associated With Reduced Access to Targeted Therapies for Patients With mRCC
January 25th 2018

High Cost Sharing Associated With Reduced Access to Targeted Therapies for Patients With mRCC

Jaime Rosenberg
High cost sharing is associated with reduced and/or delayed access to targeted therapies under Medicare Part D for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma, suggesting that financial barriers play a significant role in treatment decisions, according to a study published in Cancer Medicine.
Patients Prefer End-of-Life Care in Their Location of Choice
January 24th 2018

Patients Prefer End-of-Life Care in Their Location of Choice

Kaitlynn Ely
Patients diagnosed with cancer want their doctors to ask them their desire location for end-of-life (EOL) care, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.
Dr Peter Aran on What Oncologists Implementing OCM Can Learn From Existing Models
January 24th 2018

Dr Peter Aran on What Oncologists Implementing OCM Can Learn From Existing Models

Over the next years, these spheres (ACOs, primary care, and oncology) that are going on in CMMI need to be coalesced together so that when we have learning collaboratives, not only do we have learning collaboratives within each of these spheres, but we learn from each other in these similar projects, said Peter Aran, MD, medical director of Population Health Management at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oklahoma.
Kyprolis Label Gets Updated Improved Survival Data for Patients With Relapsed/Refractory MM
January 22nd 2018

Kyprolis Label Gets Updated Improved Survival Data for Patients With Relapsed/Refractory MM

Laura Joszt, MA
The FDA has approved a supplemental New Drug Application to add new overall survival (OS) data for carfilzomib (Kyprolis). The label will now show that carfilzomib and dexamethasone reduced the risk of death by 21% and increased OS by 7.6 months compared with bortezomib and dexamethasone in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (MM).
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January 22nd 2018

The Fallacy of Estimating OCM Target Prices

Darcie Hurteau
Estimating episodic target prices for each patient in the Oncology Care Model (OCM) can be challenging and time consuming. Applying that time to quality-focused care management tactics, based on observed utilization and patient outcomes, may wind up being more valuable, and help to reduce unnecessary spending.
Treating Patients With Melanoma With Targeted Therapies Before Surgery Can Delay Relapse
January 20th 2018

Treating Patients With Melanoma With Targeted Therapies Before Surgery Can Delay Relapse

Samantha DiGrande
Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center recently reported in Lancet Oncology that a pair of targeted therapies given before and after surgery for melanoma produced a 6-fold increase in time to progression of the disease, compared with standard-of-care surgery for patients with stage 3 melanoma.
Podcast: This Week in Managed Care—Kentucky's Medicaid Work Requirement and Other Health News
January 20th 2018

Podcast: This Week in Managed Care—Kentucky's Medicaid Work Requirement 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.
Dr Roger Brito Discusses Implementing Alternative Payment Models and Its Challenges
January 20th 2018

Dr Roger Brito Discusses Implementing Alternative Payment Models and Its Challenges

Aetna is focusing on the healthcare triangle (patients, providers, and payers) and connecting those lines, said Roger Brito, DO, national director for oncology, Aetna.
This Week in Managed Care: January 19, 2018
January 19th 2018

This Week in Managed Care: January 19, 2018

This week in managed care, the top stories included the announcement that Kentucky is the first state approved to require patients work to receive Medicaid benefits; FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, reveals a new program to improve clinical trial transparency; research finds the worst cases of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder could lower life expectancy.
Risk-Targeted Lung Cancer Screening Shows Modest Benefits
January 19th 2018

Risk-Targeted Lung Cancer Screening Shows Modest Benefits

Samantha DiGrande
Although risk targeting may improve screening efficiency in terms of early lung cancer mortality per person screened, the gains in efficiency are modest in terms of life-years, quality-adjusted life-years, and cost-effectiveness, according to a study recently published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Terrill Jordan Discusses the Process of Customizing an EMR to Adapt to OCM
January 19th 2018

Terrill Jordan Discusses the Process of Customizing an EMR to Adapt to OCM

In order to adapt to the Oncology Care Model (OCM), Regional Cancer Care Associates had to undergo the process of adjusting and customizing its electronic medical records, explained CEO Terrill Jordan.
Horizon, RCCA Launch Pilot to Close Care Gaps Between Cancer Treatments
January 19th 2018

Horizon, RCCA Launch Pilot to Close Care Gaps Between Cancer Treatments

Mary Caffrey
New Jersey's largest payer will track a host of measures, including some that will evaluate the quality of end-of-life care.
Dr Mark Fendrick: Setting Cost-Sharing Based on Value, Not Price, in Cancer Care
January 18th 2018

Dr Mark Fendrick: Setting Cost-Sharing Based on Value, Not Price, in Cancer Care

We should try to remove barriers that are not only in place, but getting higher for clinicians and patients to get evidence-based care, said A. Mark Fendrick, MD, director of the Center for Value-Based Insurance Design at the University of Michigan.
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January 18th 2018

Electronic Health Record Problem Lists: Accurate Enough for Risk Adjustment?

Timothy J. Daskivich, MD, MSHPM Garen Abedi, MD, MS Sherrie H. Kaplan, PhD, MPH Douglas Skarecky, BS Thomas Ahlering, MD Brennan Spiegel, MD, MSHS Mark S. Litwin, MD, MPH Sheldon Greenfield, MD
Electronic health record (EHR)-based comorbidity assessment had low sensitivity for identifying major comorbidities and poorly predicted survival. EHR-based comorbidity data require validation prior to application to risk adjustment.
Study Finds Protein Markers May Better Predict Drug Response in Patients With AML Than Genetic Mutations
January 18th 2018

Study Finds Protein Markers May Better Predict Drug Response in Patients With AML Than Genetic Mutations

AJMC Staff
A study finds that protein markers may be a better predictor of drug response than genetic mutation are in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). As a result, some patients who could benefit from treatment may not be eligible under current approval specifications.
Poor Baseline LIPI Associated With Worse Outcomes for ICI Treatment in Patients With NSCLC
January 16th 2018

Poor Baseline LIPI Associated With Worse Outcomes for ICI Treatment in Patients With NSCLC

Jaime Rosenberg
Poor baseline Lung Immune Prognistic Index (combining derived neutrophils ratio greater than 3 and lactate dehydrogenase greater than upper limit of normal), or LIPI, was associated with worse outcomes for immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but not with results of chemotherapy, according to a study in JAMA Oncology.
What We're Reading: Language of Medicine; Uninsured Number Grows; 3D Mammograms
January 16th 2018

What We're Reading: Language of Medicine; Uninsured Number Grows; 3D Mammograms

AJMC Staff
The language used by doctors contributes to why patients don't understand what they are told; the number of American adults without health insurance grew 1.3 percentage points from the end of 2016 to the end of 2017; women are increasingly faced with the decision between 2D and 3D mammograms.
Julie Wolfson: Supporting AYAs Before and After Treatment
January 14th 2018

Julie Wolfson: Supporting AYAs Before and After Treatment

The challenges that adolescents and young adults face before and after treatment are all unique to an individual patient, according to Julie Wolfson, MD, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine.
FDA Approves Olaparib for Breast Cancer With a BRCA Gene Mutation
January 13th 2018

FDA Approves Olaparib for Breast Cancer With a BRCA Gene Mutation

Jaime Rosenberg
The approval expands the use of olaparib to include the treatment of patients with BRCA-mutated HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer. The FDA also expanded the approval of Myriad’s BRCAnalysis CDx, a companion diagnostic to olaparib, to include the detection of BRCA mutations.
Dr Jeff Patton Discusses Preparing for OCM, Seeing Improved Outcomes and Savings
January 12th 2018

Dr Jeff Patton Discusses Preparing for OCM, Seeing Improved Outcomes and Savings

It’s very unusual to see significant cost savings in the first year of a program; that was true of all the pioneer ACO programs, said Jeff Patton, MD, CEO of Tennessee Oncology.
Over Half of Octogenarians, Nonagenarians With NSCLC Do Not Receive Treatment
January 12th 2018

Over Half of Octogenarians, Nonagenarians With NSCLC Do Not Receive Treatment

Jaime Rosenberg
More than half of octogenarians and nonagenarians with stage III non–small-cell lung cancer did not receive treatment, according to a study in CANCER. Older age, black race, and living in a lower educated census tract were found to be risk factors for not receiving treatment.
Dr Peter Aran on Involving Providers in Development Process of New Reimbursement Models
January 11th 2018

Dr Peter Aran on Involving Providers in Development Process of New Reimbursement Models

Involving providers in the development process of new reimbursement models increases the chance that the initiative will be successful and works against caregiver burnout, said Peter Aran, MD, medical director of Population Health Management at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oklahoma.
AstraZeneca's Osimertinib on Track for First-Line Treatment of NSCLC With a Specific Mutation
January 11th 2018

AstraZeneca's Osimertinib on Track for First-Line Treatment of NSCLC With a Specific Mutation

Allison Inserro
AstraZeneca’s epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor, osimertinib (Tagrisso), is on the fast track in 2018 to become a first-line treatment for adult patients with locally-advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have EGFR mutations.
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