Oncology

The FDA has approved the first ever blood-based companion diagnostic test. The cobas EGFR Mutation Test v2 was developed by Roche for the drug erlotinib (Tarceva), which was developed by Astellas for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer.

The acquisition lets Myriad acquire the maker of EndoPredict, which just received reimbursement status from Aetna and meets ASCO guidelines for payment by Medicare contractors.

Hospitals that serve the more vulnerable population perform worse with their readmission rate following cancer surgery, and the subsequent penalties that they face can further strain the hospital’s already burdened finances.

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)’s Value in Cancer Care Task Force has published an updated value framework that can help clinicians and patients assess the relative value of cancer therapies that have been compared in clinical trials.

A single-patient study at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center found that combining ipilimumab and interleukin-21 (IL-21) in metastatic melanoma eradicated the tumors and the patient remained disease-free 5 years post treatment.

A substantial amount of US cancer diagnoses and deaths are preventable through lifestyle modification, according to a new study in JAMA Oncology, and the authors recommend that primary prevention remain a priority for cancer control.

This week in managed care, the top stories included new guidelines for treating obesity, updated guidelines for heart failure, and a study shed light on a shift in payment for opioids.

The patient will be the focus during the 2016 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), Collective Wisdom: The Future of Patient-Centered Care and Research.

Having psychosocial support for patients with cancer, and for their family members, is critical, because patients often feel that their emotional needs are overlooked in busy clinics, said Sophia K. Smith, PhD, MSW, associate professor at the Duke School of Nursing.

Bristol-Myers Squibb has challenged the recently released report by the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review that evaluates the clinical and cost effectiveness of newer treatments for multiple myeloma.

A new study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute has established that institutional volume can significantly influence survival in lung cancer patients receiving chemoradiation.

Oncologists at the Mayo Clinic have developed a more aggressive approach to treating patients with pancreatic cancer-combining surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, surgical oncologists have been successful in significantly improving survival in a small number of patients.

What we're reading, May 25, 2016: Senior citizens are expected to be sicker and more costly than the previous generation; men with early-stage cancer are increasingly choosing to avoid treatment; and the FDA is looking at an implantable treatment for opioid addiction.

A survey conducted by MaPS/Millward Brown Analytics, on behalf of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, has identified multiple concerns of American consumers with cancer clinical trial participation, which could be responsible for the dismal 4% national enrollment rate in clinical trials.

A phase 1 study in 225 patients diagnosed with breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, glioblastoma, melanoma, or colorectal cancer has concluded that abemaciclib, a selective inhibitor of the cell cycle regulators CDK4/6, has single-agent activity in specific tumor types.

An Oklahoma-based non-profit hospital is the latest medical facility to sue pharmaceutical giant Genentech,accusing the company of shipping less than the labeled claim of the anticancer drug trastuzumab (Herceptin) in each multi-dose vial.

Men and women diagnosed with colorectal cancer who were class I obese had the lowest risk of dying due to their cancer, according to a new study published in JAMA Oncology.

The sequence of events that led to Thursday's complaint points to a coordinated effort to challenge Myriad Genetics' long-held position that it does not share information on public databases.

A microchip sensor that can measure specific volatile compounds in the breath of those with lung cancer, is being developed by research groups in the United States and in Britain.

Stories on the potential health savings if more people quit smoking, and Louisiana's failed attempt to put nursing homes in managed care.

Survival rates increase as more quality measures are incorporated into care, but only 13% of eligible patients with Stage IIIA non-small cell lung cancer actually receive all 4 measures.

High levels of physical activity are associated with lower rates of cancer, according to a new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

A multigene test for breast cancer recurrence risk was used in a minority of eligible patients, yet was associated with a decrease in chemotherapy use.

A new study warns that symptoms associated with rare CNS tumors could lead to a misdiagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder among pediatric patients.

The FDA has approved the combination of lenvatinib and everolimus for use in patients with renal cell carcinoma who have failed at least 1 anti-angiogenic treatment. The approval raises questions around the sequencing these agents when a patient fails on first-line care.