Oncology

Tecemotide, a synthetic lipopeptide immunotherapy was being developed as a cancer vaccine against the MUC1 glycoprotein that is often aberrantly overexpressed in NSCLC.

Despite reported glitches, CMS plans to launch the database that will provide information on payments for research, gifts, meals, or speaker fees received by providers and teaching hospitals from the pharmaceutical industry.

The study, published in BMC Medical Genomics, identified ethnicity-based variability in microRNA expression that could lead to health disparities in cancer across the globe.

The study, which evaluated the top 20 pharmaceutical companies, identified Amgen, AstraZeneca, and Celgene as the most dedicated to clinical trial data sharing.

The panel, developed in collaboration with immunooncology scientists around the world, including at INSERM, will help researchers create a profile of the human immune response in all cancer types.

The FDA approval will greatly influence the reach of the drug which was approved for use in advanced prostate cancer patients.

The retrospective study, conducted at the Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, found that watchful waiting among black men with early stage prostate cancer who had undergone surgery, resulted in a more aggressive disease.

A joint statement by ASCO and CCO published new guidelines in the treatment of metastatic CRPC.

NICE does not deem Abraxane more effective than FOLFIRINOX, in addition to the fact that it causes severe side effects.

The statement points to the increased complexity of some of the LDTs and highlights patient safety issues that are at stake.

With the objective of reducing drug abuse, especially by teenagers, the D.E.A. will now allow patients and their relatives to mail-in their unneeded stockpiles of prescription drugs back to the pharmacies.

A meta-analysis comprising 16 studies and 891,426 participants from various regions of the world shows that prediabetes increases the risk of cancer by 15%, with differing risks depending on the type of cancer.

The results of the genomic data can guide treatment decisions post-surgery in prostate cancer.

Although family history is a risk factor, a new study has shown that it should not be the primary determinant of mutation screening for breast and ovarian cancer.

Growing up in a smoke-free home is now the overwhelming norm for most Americans, with the share of smoke-free homes nearly doubling in the 20 years that ended in 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said today in a new study. Overall, the prevalence of smoke-free home rules increased from 43 percent during 1992—1993 to 83 percent during 2010—2011, according to the study, which appears in today's Mortality and Morbidity Weekly Report, published by CDC.

The write believes that the episodic reimbursement model might introduce bias among radiation oncologists who own their own treatment equipment.

Impact of multidisciplinary team care on reducing utilization of emergency department visits for patients with lung cancer.

Does $50,000 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) hold value in today's age of high-priced specialty drugs? The authors evaluate this yardstick and recommend changes that could aid cost-effectiveness decisions.

Yesterday's government report that healthcare spending will start rising faster after a decade of historically slow growth raises questions: Will rising numbers of insured people drive the spending? Or are healthcare costs going up on their own? The answer is likely some of each, based on a look at trends within yesterday's report and a just-released study of spending by commercial health plans, published in The American Journal of Managed Care.

Following a breakthrough therapy designation, pembrolizumab was included in FDA's accelerated approval program to allow early patient access.

While Sovaldi is still fresh on the mind, Ono Pharmaceutical's Opdivo (nivolumab), marketed jointly with BMS in Japan, has analysts projecting what the treatment might cost in the US.

Survival at 10 years was no better when women had double mastectomies.

The guidelines suggest various treatment options available, following consideration of the patient's status and preference.

The program is being developed to treat metastatic prostate cancer.

Dr Peter P. Yu, MD, Emphasized the importance of value when considering the implications of cancer care.