Oncology

Bristol-Myers Squibb announced that the FDA has placed a clinical hold on 3 combination trials evaluating its programmed death-1 inhibitor nivolumab (Opdivo) in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

After presenting research on the use of a patient-reported distress survey to guide the timing of palliative care discussions, lead author Stuart Goldberg, MD, chief scientific officer for Cota, Inc, discussed how it represents a shift in the paradigm of end-of-life conversations.

A single blood draw that combines the detection of DNA and protein markers could be more sensitive to the earlier detection of pancreatic cancer, according to a new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Cellectis, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, was asked by the FDA to place a clinical hold on 2 phase 1 trials evaluating its allogeneic chimeric antigen receptor-T (CAR-T) cell treatments following the report of a fatality in the first patient treated in one of the studies.

The FDA has approved the first 2D digital mammography system that lets patients adjust the level of compression applied to their breast during the imaging procedure.

According to a study published in The BMJ, while e-cigarettes can assist smokers to quit, the number of days of e-cigarette use will determine quit attempt and quit success.

The assumption in the United States is that once someone with cancer is cured, done with treatment, and healthy, that they are now okay. However, the reality is that survivors contend with lingering challenges that aren’t visible and make it difficult for them to ask for help or admit they need it.

Kashyap Patel, MD, CEO of Carolina Blood and Cancer Care, explains how previous experience with alternative payment models helped a smooth transition into the Oncology Care Model (OCM).

Every week, The American Journal of Managed Care® recaps the top managed care news of the week, and you can now listen to it on our podcast, Managed Care Cast.

The treatment, which was approved nearly 2 decades ago but withdrawn due to safety and efficacy concerns, now has a new indication.

Charlie Fazio, MD, senior vice president and medical director of HealthPartners discusses how to balance different payment models in order to understand their impacts on cost and patient outcomes when they are implemented.

A look at some of the major developments in the chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell space.

This week, the top managed care stories included responses to the disaster in Houston after Hurricane Harvey; the approval of the first gene therapy in the United States; and a new cardiovascular indication for a popular drug to treat type 2 diabetes.

Less than 2 months after it ordered a stop to 3 trials of pembrolizumab (Keytruda) in multiple myeloma due to safety concerns, the FDA has released a more detailed analysis of what went wrong in these trials.

Results of a combination trial evaluating epacadostat with pembrolizumab in advanced melanoma, to be presented at the upcoming European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2017 Congress, has found that the treatment is well tolerated and has promising clinical activity.

A new study finds that individuals with advanced cancer have high rates of hospitalization in the year after diagnosis. Palliative care aimed at preventing hospital admissions may be a useful tool, especially for the populations most at risk of rehospitalization.

The FDA has approved the first chimeric antigen receptor-T (CAR-T) treatment, tisagenlecleucel (Kymriah), for the treatment of B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia in certain pediatric and young adult patients. The therapy represents a new frontier in cancer care.

AstraZeneca announced that the FDA has expanded the indications for fulvestrant (Faslodex). The drug is now approved as first-line monotherapy for women with certain types of breast cancer.

A study published in JCO Precision Oncology has identified an association between genetic inheritance and patients’ response to efficacy and toxicity in the phase 3 ECOG-ACRIN-5103 trial.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells can re-expand in a lymphoma patient months after the initial infusion and can also be active against the patient’s cancer, according to a new study.

A new study points to an association between use of high-dose vitamin B6 and B12 supplements and an increased risk of lung cancer in men, especially in those who smoke.

A new study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology identifies an increased role for physicians in boosting human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates among childhood cancer survivors to reduce their risk of a second cancer.

A new study indicates that palliative care can significantly reduce end-of-life hospitalizations and aggressive procedures among Medicare beneficiaries with advanced cancer.

According to a new study published in Cancer, an annual screening mammogram starting at age 40 has the greatest impact on reducing mortality.

High out-of-pocket (OOP) medical costs in survivors of childhood cancer can influence their treatment choices and care-related behavior, and ultimately affect their health outcomes, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.