Oncology

An international study has estimated that in 2013, there were 14.9 million newly diagnosed cases of cancer and 8.2 million deaths around the world.

Most of the research in cancer economics has been on total cost and cost effectiveness, which is why Veena Shankaran MD, MS, assistant professor in the division of medical oncology at the University of Washington, wanted to have a panel discussion on financial toxicity at the ISPOR 20th Annual Meeting.

Cancer patients under the age of 65 are much more likely to try alternative and complimentary medicine to ease their symptoms and the side effects of their cancer treatments.

A study published in the New England Journals of Medicine evaluated the ability of financial incentives in promoting smoking cessation.

With more than 35,000 people expected to attend the 2015 ASCO Annual Meeting, there are many highly anticipated aspects of the conference; however, Peter P. Yu, MD, FACP, FASCO, president of ASCO and director of Cancer Research at Palo Alto Medical Foundation, highlighted how the society has been going in a different direction with its keynote speaker.

Medical monitoring and counseling can help us track and contain many harmful effects of cancer drug-induced cardiotoxicity. Patient engagement from the very beginning, along with medically advanced testing methods, can help us surmount cardiotoxicity and better ensure that patients receive only the benefits of essential cancer treatment.

Improved survivorship rates among cancer patients has brought a growing awareness of a serious latent impact of chemotherapy and radiation: cardiotoxicity. Despite extensive research on the subject, our understanding of the tools for identifying and preventing these complications is limited.

To promote collaboration and efficiency, the MD Anderson Cancer Center developed an interdisciplinary team—based Heart Success Program to coordinate the management of concurrent cardiomyopathy and HF while the patient is receiving cancer treatment.

Steve Miller, MD, chief medical officer of Express Scripts, explained indication-specific pricing as an alternate pricing model for high cost specialty medications like oncology drugs.