Oncology

An article published in JAMA Oncology underscores the need for efforts to improve quality of life for cancer patients.

Analysis of results from the CHAARTED trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, has found that 6 cycles of chemotherapy (docetaxel) before androgen-deprivation therapy early in the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer significantly improved overall survival than treatment with ADT alone.

A multicollaborative study conducted for the National Cancer Institute has resulted in a tool called the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (PRO-CTCAE). PRO-CTCAE can help integrate the patient perspective into adverse event reporting.

The basis for determining Medicare payment rates for clinical diagnostic laboratory tests is changing. These changes will be important for all payers and providers to follow for future reimbursement and contract negotiations.

A panel of healthcare experts invited by The American Journal of Managed Care participated in the Oncology Stakeholders Summit, Spring 2015 Peer Exchange, to discuss 340B and other issues in oncology care.

A study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that older women with breast cancer have a poor response to chemotherapy, while older patients with advanced colon cancer (both men and women) did well.

Precision medicine will perhaps establish some of the most important biomedical innovations of our generation. However, for that future to become a reality, we have to create an access and reimbursement environment that is conducive to precision care.

Evidence-Based Oncology spoke with Mark Capone about the challenges and opportunities in molecular diagnostics, and what's ahead at Myriad Genetics.

In his editorial piece, Joseph Alvarnas, MD, narrates the importance of precision medicine in oncology care.

Research published in the Journal of Oncology Practice found that factors unrelated to the individual patient accounted for the majority of variation in the cost of radiation therapy for breast, prostate, and lung cancer patients.

A novel risk-stratification index can help avoid unnecessary colonoscopies in individuals at low-risk for developing colorectal cancer.

A collaborative research study has discovered the effective use of magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the noninvasive diagnosis and molecular characterization of brain tumors in children.

An immunotherapy developed by Amgen and approved by the FDA for the treatment of acute lymhoblastic leukemia in December 2014 has now received coverage assurance from Medicare, following an initial rejection.

With unprecedented activity in the area of precision medicine, with the successful development of several targeted therapies, the FDA has been in the forefront of efforts to ensure timely access to, and the safe and effective use of, these therapies.

For many US community cancer centers, keeping the doors open has often meant making the difficult decision to consolidate with hospitals and large hospital systems. Site neutrality is a critical step in the journey toward better healthcare for all Americans and a healthy future for Medicare.

As personalized medicine rapidly becomes an effective tool for combating cancer, payers are exploring new, value-based payment paradigms. These trends will soon intersect, and depending on how they are structured, the new payment models could accelerate or stifle personalized medicine's progress.

Results from the CHAARTED trial have found that 6 cycles of chemotherapy combined with ADT early in the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer significantly improved overall survival than with ADT alone.

A retrospective study in The Lancet Oncology has identified a strong correlation between reduced risk of endometrial cancer and oral contraceptive agents.

As clinical targets in more common malignancies emerge, testing and treatment options will increase. Balancing these choices with the high costs of new technology will be the challenge to ensure value in oncology care.

While scientists agree that NGS is the way of the future, payers are as yet apprehensive on the value afforded by the tests to clinical decisions.

In oncology, the shift from a "companion diagnostic" to a "companion therapeutic" paradigm is in high gear. While the noise and confusion is leading many payers to avoid coverage, they can benefit by proactively taking steps to integrate precision oncology to better manage quality, access, and cost of cancer care.

A research team at the Barts Cancer Institute in London has identified a 3-protein molecular signature in pancreatic cancer patients.

The discovery could lead to targeted therapy in triple negative breast cancer patients.