Oncology

GSK has received marketing authorization from the European Commission for trametinib as monotherapy for unresectable or metastatic melanoma in adults with a BRAF V600 mutation.

This week, a coalition of 32 major pharmacies, health insurers, unions and pension plans asked the FDA not to require distinct names for biosimilar medications, arguing that such a move would not compromise patient safety, but could undermine the savings that are expected to be generated as these medicines are introduced into the US health care system.

Autophagy inhibition may improve cancer therapy, but it is unclear which tumors will benefit. BRAF mutations cause brain tumor cells to depend on autophagy and display selective chemosensitization with autophagy inhibition. We present a pediatric case in which deliberate autophagy inhibition halted tumor growth and overcame acquired BRAF-inhibition resistance.

Clinical care pathways in oncology have gained notice with WellPoint's announcement of a $350 per patient, per month incentive. As WellPoint's effort starts this week, The American Journal of Managed Care convened a panel with the insurer's medical director for oncology care, ASCO President Peter Paul Yu, MD, and two other voices from the payer and provider realms to discuss how pathways are changing cancer care.

The lack of OS advantage is the reason for the discontinuation.

Despite increased spending, the breast cancer detection rate and stage did not change, according to a new JNCI study.

It could be the first anti-PD-1 therapy in Europe, if approved.

Breakthrough Designation Reinforces Significant Unmet Need in the Treatment of This Highly Aggressive Cancer

For patients with KRAS wild-type untreated colorectal cancer, adding cetuximab or bevacizumab to combination chemotherapy offers equivalent survival, researchers said at the ESMO 16th World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer in Barcelona

The panelists further explore feedback and its role in pathway adherence.

Dr Yu said that it is crucial for providers' voices to be heard in pathway development.

Patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma who have received 8 or more CT scans have a 2-fold risk for secondary primary malignancies, new research shows.

The panelists discussed and shared examples of how payers and providers are collaborating to develop pathway guidelines.

Seema Sonnad, PhD, associate editor for The American Journal of Managed Care, and director of Health Services Research at The Value Institute at Christiana Care Health System, led a panel discussion that focused on oncology clinical pathway adherence.

Caloric restriction in women with the triple negative disease was found to reduce incidence of metastases in a pre-clinical model.

Scientists in Germany have developed a vaccine that they say provides some protection against brain tumors in mice.

Avastin is the first biologic medicine to receive a CHMP positive opinion for the most difficult to treat form of ovarian cancer.

The longer a person took low-dose aspirin, the lower his or her risk for developing pancreatic cancer, according to a study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Hospital outpatient prices for standard blood tests, cancer screening and other services varied widely and were sharply higher, on average, than prices charged by ambulatory clinics and independent doctors, an analysis of autoworker health-plan spending across 18 cities has found.

Results indicate that nivolumab is likely to prolong survival in advanced melanoma.

Safety concerns over the PARP inhibitor warranted the request for additional data.

Phase II study findings show only marginal positive effects of third-line treatment with afatinib for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in patients with wild-type epidermal growth-factor receptor (EGFR) tumour status.

The FDA staff report questioned the unusually poor performance of the control group used in the study.