Oncology

A forced closing of Health Republic Insurance of New York has left many in need of immediate coverage.

Historically cancer survivorship programs have not emphasized cardiac follow-up and there is not a lot of long-term data on cardiac toxicity in patients who received certain drugs, but that is changing as patients live longer and fuller lives after treatment, explained Crystal S. Denlinger, MD, from the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia.

The approval comes after a priority review of the combination that blocks activity of 2 MAPK proteins: BRAF and MEK.

Published in JAMA Oncology, the trial found an association between loss of heterozygosity and cancer-free survival in patients who had been diagnosed with oral premalignant lesions.

Heterogeneity in quality of care and cancer patient survival based on insurance coverage are the highlight of a report by researchers at the Institute for Population Health Improvement at the University of California Davis.

Treatment of a recurrent brain tumor harboring a BRAF mutation with an inhibitor approved for melanoma resulted in dramatic tumor shrinkage.

Democratizing the complex field of cancer care is not easy. We are providing patients with key information that their own cancer is unique and needs to be treated as such, but there is a great deal of work to be done in putting that knowledge to work.

This week in managed care Kentucky elected a new governor who could bring big changes to the state's Medicaid program, researchers reported that costs of dementia in the last 5 years of life surpass even cancer, and the latest Hospital Safety Score report was released.

The FDA's meta-analyses, following results of the DAPT trial in 2014, have found no association between treatment with the blood thinner clopidogrel (Plavix) and increased incidence of, or death due to, cancer.

From CMS to private health plans, professional healthcare organizations to patients and advocacy groups, the discussion nowadays seems to end up with value.

As patients with cancer live longer and the disease becomes a chronic disease for many, it becomes important for providers to understand how the needs of the patient change from being newly diagnosed to active therapy to long-term therapy, explained Linda House, president of the Cancer Support Community.

A blood test that can detect mutations in the androgen receptor can predict response to abiraterone in prostate cancer.

New research, published in JAMA Oncology, presents evidence of how the use of disease-specific hashtags on Twitter can help those with common interests collectively share information.

Published in the journal Cancer, the study evaluated the short-term and long-term costs of treating patients with low-risk prostate cancer across the entire care spectrum.

According to a study published in The International Journal of Cancer, tubal ligation can reduce the risk of serous, endometrioid, and clear cell ovarian carcinoma.

Departing Governor Steve Beshear's full embrace of the Affordable Care Act brought health coverage to 500,000 people in Kentucky, including many who had never had insurance. Preventive services increased by more than 100%.

A new research study published in the Journal of Dermatology has found that propranolol, a commonly used antihypertensive agent, could substantially reduce proliferation of angiosarcoma.

Fifty organizations, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology, have expressed their confidence in Robert Califf, MD, to lead the FDA.

After melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer, the FDA has granted Breakthrough Therapy status to pembrolizumab in advanced colorectal cancer patients with mismatched repair deficiency.

This week in managed care, The American Journal of Managed Care celebrated 20 years and presented its first Emerging Leader award, plus confusion reigns after study links processed meats to cancer and death rates on the decline.

With the expansion, UnitedHealthcare will bring 5 more oncology practices on board to participate in its bundled program, which will grow the program to 650 oncologists across 7 states.

Although there have been a number of new value calculators created recently, UnitedHealthcare does not plan to use any just now. Instead, it will continue covering regimens recommended by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and in a few years the company will use data from its prior authorization tool to analyze performance of regimens, explained Lee Newcomer, MD, MHA, senior vice president, Oncology, Genetics and Women's Health, UnitedHealthcare.

The Community Oncology Alliance (COA) created its Payer Exchange Summit to get payers who are thinking about getting involved in oncology payment reform or want to know what to do exposed to successful pilots, explained Ted Okon, MBA, executive director of COA.

On November 3, at 11 a.m. EST, the president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology will host a tweetchat with The American Journal of Managed Care. Get a preview of Dr. Julie Vose's speech at Patient-Centered Oncology Care.

At the Payer Exchange Summit on Oncology Payment Reform, hosted by the Community Oncology Alliance, Daniel McKellar, MD, who chairs the Commission on Cancer, insisted on meaningful feedback from the community to ensure adequate transformation of practices into a medical home.