Oncology

PACE has launched an evidence-based online tool, Continuous Online Indicators, which will provide information on research progress in 12 tumor types.

Daniel F. Hayes, MD, outlines the 2 paradigms presented in medical oncology: one where people would rather be overtreated rather than miss a chance to benefit by being undertreated and another where a person might not be willing to do something until they learn there is a reason to do so.

There is an important distinction between diagnostic and screening tests, and they have different issues in regards to decision making-although the person making treatment decisions should ultimately be guiding the ship, according to Bryan Loy, MD, MBA.

Both Francisco J. Esteva, MD, PhD, and Daniel F. Hayes, MD, agree that the role of genetic counselors should be limited when order diagnostic tests in medical oncology.

The panelists discuss guidelines for diagnostic test use and the biggest challenge from a payer standpoint.

Daniel Hayes, MD, explains the implementation of the American Society of Clinical Oncology's CancerLinQ for beta testing.

Bryan Loy, MD, MBA, discusses how payers can measure diagnostic test use and results, and Daniel Hayes, MD, weighs in with how CancerLinQ from the American Society of Clinical Oncology can help.

Daniel F. Hayes, MD, discusses the FDA's announcement that it will begin to regulate laboratory-developed tests and his belief that it will not squash innovation in the field.

Kyprlois is currently approval for use in multiple myeloma patients who have progressed on 2 prior therapies.

The term financial toxicity is relatively new and is being used to draw parallels between the physical toxicities of chemotherapy and the cost-related burdens cancer patients face.

Screening for deadly illnesses does not necessarily save lives despite assumptions otherwise, according to a study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology.

Although the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into law more than 4 years ago, many aspects of it are fairly new, which makes it difficult to analyze the impact the law has had on the United States healthcare system.

After Steven Miller, CMO at Express Scripts, announced last week that his company would like to influence the oncology market, Pharma seems to have paid heed.

Targeted biopsy using new fusion technology that combines magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with ultrasound is more effective than standard biopsy in detecting high-risk prostate cancer, according to a large-scale study.

There are currently 2 ways diagnostic tests can make it to market in the US: either through the FDA or laboratory-developed tests. This dual-pathway situation has led to a "buyer beware" market, according to Daniel F. Hayes, MD.

Although there have been some accusations of "cookbook medicine" with regards to measurement guidelines, panelists Dennis Scanlon, PhD, Jess DeMartino, PhD, Phyllis Torda, and Laura Long, MD, do see progress to remedy the situation and make guidelines more effective.

Although the healthcare industry values what it tends to measure, what is measured is not necessarily what should have the most value, according to John Fox, MD, senior medical director and associate vice president of medical affairs at Priority Health.

Education of both patients and providers will be necessary to temper expectations of cancer care treatment outcomes, according to panelists Ted Okon, BS, MBA, executive director of the Community Oncology Alliance, Debra Patt, MD, MPH, partner at Texas Oncology, and Stacie Dusetzina, PhD, assistant professor at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

One of the early findings from various oncology medical homes throughout the country was that they work, claimed Ted Okon, BS, MBA, executive director of the Coalition Oncology Alliance.

The drug targets multiple proteins that are overexpressed in head and neck cancer, the study published in Clinical Cancer Research says.

The findings, published in the journal Cancer found that women diagnosed with breast cancer were not very aware of the disease characteristics such as tumor grade or stage. The researchers also found a bias based on the patient's race.

Wile several big and small pharmaceutical companies have invested research efforts in developing these complex, and expensive, treatment regimens, early results from trials indicate safety issues.

Daniel F. Hayes, MD, FASCO, has been elected president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

A one-minute look back at the week of January 19, 2015, in managed care, including Marilyn Tavenner's departure from CMS and oncology drug pricing.

Bayer is collaborating with MD Anderson in Texas to develop a questionnaire that will query a patient's disease-related symptoms, a step to include PROs in early drug development which could help reduce adverse effects in the final product.