American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting 2019

Results of the CLL14 trial, which were presented today at the 2019 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago, Illinois, resulted in the approval of the venetoclax combination for these patients in May.

A number of abstracts at the 2019 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, held May 31 to June 4, 2019, in Chicago, Illinois, featured studies that focused on using real-world data to advance research and cancer care in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

During the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Annual Meeting which took place May 31-June 4, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois, oncologists and representatives from UnitedHealthcare and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) took the stage to discuss oncology reimbursement reform and whether there are changes on the horizon for the promotion of higher value care.

The follow-up to the landmark TAILORx trial shows that adding a clinical risk evaluation of the breast cancer tumor may have prognostic value; the authors' recommendations are drawn from other studies.

Parth Shah, PharmD, PhD, of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, led a discussion on the uptake challenges of the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Annual Meeting by first explaining the known percentages of attributable cancers to the virus in the United States: cervical cancer 91%, vagina cancer 75%, and vulva cancer 69%, among others. Although multiple cancers are attributable to the virus, explained Shah, of the population ages 13-17 in the United States that should be vaccinated, both boys and girls, only 49% actually receive the vaccine.

Oncologists, patient advocates, patients, and other stakeholders from around the world gathered to hear different perspectives regarding the use of cannabis in symptom management for patients with cancer. Panelist after panelist went up to present available data, and each reiterated the same point: We need more research.

Patients with advanced pancreatic cancer linked to germline genetic mutations did not see their disease worsen for an additional 3.6 months when treated with olaparib, but an early interim analysis did not show a statistically significant difference in overall survival (OS), according to study results presented Sunday at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting 2019.
 

Drug pricing seemed like an appropriate topic for ASCO's town hall as the Trump administration has made lowering the cost of medications a major objective. By doing so, the administration has put out a series of proposals looking to address the cost of drugs, such as the International Pricing Index (IPI), and the recently finalized rule around direct-to-consumer advertising for pharmaceutical companies.

“How do you currently collaborate with your primary care colleagues in caring for patients with cancer?” This was how Larissa Nekhlyudov, MD, MPH, opened a session titled “Bringing the Primary Care Physician Back Into Cancer Care,” during the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Annual Meeting, held in Chicago, Illinois from May 31-June 4, 2019.