Oncology

A study conducted at the Johns Hopkins University demonstrates improved detection of prostate cancer metastasis following the injection of 18F-DCFBC, which binds PSMA.

The agreement will help develop Rosetta's thyroid neoplasia assay.

Nearly 10% of women treated with herceptin were found to be susceptible to heart risks, which reversed once treatment was halted.

Patients who want to compare prices for prostate-cancer surgery may find it rough going: a study has found a 13-fold difference in prices quoted by 100 hospitals across the United States. Moreover, most provided little more than broad estimates, and only three gave a hard copy of the charges.

The continued advances in cancer treatment are improving patient survival, but the healthcare industry is bursting at its seams.

Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., parent company of Taiho Oncology, announced recently that its combination drug for refractory metastatic colorectal cancer met its primary endpoint in a phase 3 global RECOURSE trial.

New studies suggest that privately insured patients may receive better cancer care than Medicaid beneficiaries. Although a variety of factors impact patient access to cancer treatment, low-income patients were found to have greater difficulty with navigating health systems.

Weight loss surgery might have more value than simply helping morbidly obese people to shed unhealthy extra pounds. It reduces their risk of cancer to rates almost similar to those of people of normal weight.

A study conducted at the GW Cancer Institute identified issues faced by cancer care institutes in adopting patient-centered care programs.

Pristine nanotubes produced through a new process can be modified to carry drugs to tumors through gaps in blood-vessel walls that larger particles cannot fit through. The nanotubes may then target and infiltrate the cancerous cells' nuclei, where the drugs can be released through sonication.

Onartuzumab (MetMab)did not improve PFS when combined with erlotinib (Tarceva) in the METLung trial.

The American Society of Clinical Oncology's algorithm to help oncologists evaluate the clinical benefits, side effects and costs of a cancer drug or therapy will be fine-tuned over the summer and should be available for public comment by the fall, said Dr. Lowell Schnipper, chair of the society's Value in Cancer Care Task Force.

A physician-scientist who developed a personalized immunotherapy for leukemia using patients' own T cells is the recipient of the 2014 Taubman Prize for Excellence in Translational Medical Science, awarded by the A. Alfred Taubman Medical Research Institute at the University of Michigan Medical School.

Despite promising results, experts believe it's too early to use ipilimumab for early-stage melanoma, high toxicity being one of the limiting factors.

Lilly's CYRAMZA (ramucirumab) significantly improved overall survival in phase 3 non-small cell lung cancer study. Results from the REVEL trial were published in The Lancet and also presented at ASCO 2014.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) will likely improve insurance coverage for most young adults, but subsets of young adults in the United States will face significant premium increases in the individual market. We examined the association between insurance status and cancer-specific outcomes among young adults.

A recent study found evidence suggesting that genetically modifying immune cells might effectively treat multiple myeloma.

In this final segment, the panelists analyze the need for physician education. Dr Kumar says there is always a need for physician education because the field of multiple myeloma treatment is constantly evolving.

Dr Chernew asks panelists how patients might learn about clinical trials, and how trials handle treatment placebos.

Dr Chernew asks panelists about the role of insurers and Medicare for patients in the treatment of multiple myeloma. While insurers may not have necessarily been a barrier to care, costs of drugs have been.

The panelists discuss how diagnosis and treatment of multiple myeloma might vary within different patient populations. They also analyze the costs associated with care for the disease within different populations.

The panelists debate the costs of multiple myeloma treatment. There are costs for initial treatment, maintenance care, and the price that comes with taking multiple drugs.

Ms Young notes that while there is no cure, there has been tremendous progress in the development of newer drug classes.

The conversation shifts from diagnosis of multiple myeloma to the various benefits and risks associated with treatment. Dr Chernew comments that multiple myeloma treatment is an area of great innovation, where options for patients are constantly changing.