Oncology

Researchers discovered age, race, and ethnicity representation disparities in patients taking part in research on advanced renal cell carcinoma (aRCC), further exemplifying how certain groups are underrepresented in clinical studies.

A webinar presented by the Global Liver Institute highlighted areas of improvement needed in research for liver cancer, but also left listeners with hope for future treatments focused on strengthening immunity.

Texas Oncology's Travis Brewer, vice president of payer relations, discusses how collaboration between primary care providers and oncologists can improve population health outcomes by focusing on payer initiatives and strategies.

Mark Fendrick, MD, and Nicholas Bagley, JD, discuss how the ruling in Braidwood v Becerra could affect availability of preventive care.

An investigation of management patterns after initial radiographic diagnosis of small renal masses showed that early urologist referral was associated with guideline-concordant care.

Addressing racial disparities in skin cancer involves education, understanding rates of risk and ethnicity, and knowledge of the different types of melanoma, which makes skin cancer disparities complex to attack, said Sancy Leachman, MD, PhD, professor and chair in the Department of Dermatology and director of the Melanoma Research Program at the Knight Cancer Institute at Oregon Health and Science University.

The partnership will help develop standards for data transfer to eliminate manual steps used in clinical trials.

Under the transaction, TPG, an asset management firm, will acquire a majority interest in OneOncology and AmerisourceBergen will have a minority interest; OneOncology physician leaders and practices will retain minority interests as well.

Results for ribociclib, ponatinib, brexucabtagene autoleucel, and allo-HCT.

The Community Oncology Alliance celebrated its 20th year at the Community Oncology Conference held March 23-24, 2023, in Kissimmee, Florida.

Coverage from the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) 2023 Annual Meeting and Cancer Center Business Summit.

Coverage from the session of the Institute for Value-Based Medicine®, held in New York, New York, on February 8, 2023. The American Journal of Managed Care® presented the event in partnership with New York Cancer and Blood Specialists.

Evidence-Based Oncology™ (EBO) spoke with TailorMed's Ian Manners about the financial assistance and consumer protection landscape, and what the cost of cancer care means to patient experience and outcomes.

Each patient needs to weigh the benefits and risks of genetic testing for melanoma and have someone who can take the time to explain everything, including insurance risks, said Sancy Leachman, MD, PhD, professor and chair in the Department of Dermatology and director of the Melanoma Research Program at the Knight Cancer Institute at Oregon Health and Science University.

Sashi Naidu, MD, is director of research at Carolina Blood and Cancer Care Associates, where the No One Left Alone (NOLA) initiative is working to break down cancer health disparities among its patients and prevent care fragmentation.

In a value-based cancer care model, patients can more easily access the best quality care and practices can get adequately paid for the services they offer.

Ryan Huey, MD, gastrointestinal medical oncologist at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, discussed the vital roles multiple health care providers play in improving outcomes for patients with cancer.

Close to 80% of what influences how long someone is going to live is where and how they live, and we need to pay more attention to that or we’re not paying attention to everything that affects their lives, explained David A. Eagle, MD, of New York Cancer & Blood Specialists.

There is a “spectrum” of problems and obstacles in a patient’s way once melanoma has been detected before that patient sees the right physician and receives treatment, said Sancy Leachman, MD, PhD, professor and chair in the Department of Dermatology and director of the Melanoma Research Program at the Knight Cancer Institute at Oregon Health and Science University.

The FDA has granted full approval to pembrolizumab for the treatment of some patients with unresectable or metastatic microsatellite instability–high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair–deficient (dMMR) solid tumors that have progressed following previous treatment.

The FDA wants to discourage the use of single-arm trials for accelerated approvals of oncology drugs; Cigna’s review system allows doctors to reject claims without reading them, an investigation shows; US bishops want to restrict gender transition care in Catholic hospitals.

Samyukta Mullangi, MD, MBA, oncology fellow at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and incoming medical director at Thyme Care, discussed how the transition to value-based care can contribute to operational and financial risks among oncology practices, and the effectiveness of care navigation platforms in addressing these concerns.

Manmeet Ahluwalia, MD, MBA, chief, Solid Tumor Medical Oncology; deputy director; and chief scientific officer at Miami Cancer Institute, spoke on the short- and long-term goals for Miami Cancer Institute’s Center for Equity in Cancer Care & Research in improving minority patient enrollment in clinical trials.

Growing bipartisan awareness of issues with the 340B drug pricing program will hopefully lead to reform, says Nicolas Ferreyros, BA, managing director of policy, advocacy, and communications at the Community Oncology Alliance.

Many people believe health equity is such a big issue that there is not much an individual practice can do to address it, explained Susan Sabo-Wagner, MSN, RN, OCN, executive director of clinical strategy, Oncology Consultants of Houston.

Osimertinib (Tagrisso; AstraZeneca) now has shown a statistically significant and clinically meaningful overall survival benefit in both the early adjuvant and late-stage metastatic settings.

Samyukta Mullangi, MD, MBA, oncology fellow at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and incoming medical director at Thyme Care, explained Thyme Care’s value-based care (VBC) system in oncology and the benefits of care navigation.

Spending on novel therapies in high-risk bladder cancer had minimal impact on Oncology Care Model payments to practices, according to this cohort study and an average performance estimation.

Manmeet Ahluwalia, MD, MBA, chief, Solid Tumor Medical Oncology; deputy director; and chief scientific officer at Miami Cancer Institute, addressed disparities in genomic testing among minority patients with cancer, as well as equitable care strategies at his organization’s Center for Equity in Cancer Care & Research.