Oncology

With general consensus that those 70 years and older should not be routinely screened for prostate cancer, researchers argue that their study results identify an area for cutting low-value services to reduce healthcare spending.

September 17th 2018

Keytruda Earns Priority Review as Monotherapy in NSCLC

Last week, the FDA granted priority review to a new supplemental Biologics License Application for pembrolizumab (Keytruda) as a monotherapy for first-line treatment of locally advanced or metastatic nonsquamous or squamous non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in patients whose tumors express PD-L1 without EGFR or ALK mutations.

September 17th 2018

Low-Dose Aspirin Won't Prolong Life in Healthy Older People, Study Announces

Mary Caffrey

The study by the National Institute on Aging produced a few surprises and was stopped early when aspirin showed no benefit.

September 16th 2018

NCCN Working Group Policy Recommendations Address Changing Paradigms in Cancer Care

A National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) working group dedicated to analyzing current challenges under existing policy and treatment paradigms presented their findings and recommendations at an NCCN Policy Summit in Washington, DC.

September 15th 2018

Delivering High-Quality Care Under Value-Based Payment Models: Where Are We Now?

As the term “value” has become a norm in healthcare, specifically in oncology, panelists at a National Comprehensive Cancer Network policy summit offered perspectives on where we are now in delivering high-quality cancer care under value-based payment models.

September 15th 2018

Podcast: This Week in Managed Care—Pushback on Proposed Payment Rules and Other Health News

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.

September 14th 2018

NCCN Report on CAR T-Cell Therapy, Recommendations for Future Use

A recent report from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) investigated the current state of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy and future strategies to consider as the novel immunotherapy evolves and is used in the treatment of more patients.

September 14th 2018

This Week in Managed Care: September 14, 2018

This week, the top managed care news included medical groups asking CMS to halt or slow down its plans to cut physician reimbursement for evaluation and management services; the Senate weighs a package of bills to combat the opioid epidemic; new research shows the Affordable Care Act pushed the uninsured rate down to 10%.

September 14th 2018

Dr Don Dizon Highlights Services Insurance Should Cover for Women Who Had Breast Cancer

There are medications, procedures, and techniques that insurers could do a better job covering that would improve quality for women after breast cancer, said Don S. Dizon, MD, FACP, FASCO, director of Women's Cancers at the Lifespan Cancer Institute, director of medical oncology at Rhode Island Hospital, and associate professor of medicine at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

September 13th 2018

Preventing Transportation of Mutant Protein Can Inhibit Growth of Leukemic Cells

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine have found that preventing a mutated protein from leaving the nucleus and traveling to the cytoplasm of the cell can help inhibit the growth of leukemic cells in acute myeloid leukemia.

September 13th 2018

Cautious Optimism: OCM Participants Seem to Have Improved in Performance Period 2

An early review of the second performance period of the Oncology Care Model (OCM) seems to show improvements over the first period.

September 13th 2018

Study Discerns Rare Risks of Fatal Side Effects From Cancer Immunotherapy

Allison Inserro

Researchers determined the incidence and timing of rare, fatal side effects from immune checkpoint inhibitors, and said the number is still extremely low.

September 12th 2018

EU Approves Keytruda for First-Line Treatment of Metastatic Nonsquamous NSCLC

Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) earned European approval this week, in combination with platinum-based pemetrexed, for the first-line treatment of metastatic nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in adults whose tumors lack EGFR or ALK mutations.

September 11th 2018

OneOncology Launches to Enable Better Cancer Care in Communities Across America

Three leading oncology practices unite with partners in technology and finance to announce the launch of OneOncology, a patient-centric, physician-driven, and technology-powered company with a mission to improve the lives of everyone living with cancer.

September 9th 2018

Prescription Drug Coverage Improved Survival for Patients With MM

Patients with multiple myeloma (MM) who are enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan or other creditable prescription drug coverage have better survival than patients without prescription drug coverage. According to a study in Journal of Clinical Oncology, this improved survival seemed to be a result of patients having access to all treatment options.

September 6th 2018

HIV/AIDS Research Has Positive Impacts Across Other Medical Fields

In addition to the advances made in the HIV space, such as antiretroviral therapies and pre-exposure prophylaxis, the years of research has translated into advances outside the HIV field, including in oncology and other immune diseases.

September 5th 2018

Bringing Virtual Tumor Boards, Real-Time Data to the Point of Care

As the oncology landscape continues to rapidly evolve, access to real-time data has become increaisngly important, and technology-based medical startups have made their way to the front of the lines with point-of-care tools that use technology to transform cancer care.

September 4th 2018

Amgen Seeks Expanded Indication for Once-Weekly Kyprolis for Multiple Myeloma

Amgen has submitted a supplemental New Drug Application to the FDA to expand the prescribing information of carfilzomib (Kyprolis) to include a once-weekly dosing option in combination with dexamethasone for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.

September 2nd 2018

Lay Health Workers May Provide Value for Patients With Cancer in New Payment Models

As the healthcare system considers alternative payment models that reward high-value care delivery, programs that utilize lay health workers (LHW) may be valuable. A study in JAMA Oncology analyzed whether an LHW program can increase the documentation of patients’ care preferences.

August 31st 2018

What We're Reading: Calif. Drug Price Lawsuit Tossed; Testing ARBs for Cancer Link; Hope for Nonaddictive Painkiller

AJMC Staff

A judge tossed a lawsuit brought by pharmaceutical companies to block a California law requiring advance notice of big price increases; the FDA is testing all angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) over a discovered impurity that is linked to cancer; research in monkeys has suggested that an experimental painkiller is effective at easing pain without being addictive.

August 31st 2018

Dr Don Dizon: Discussing Sexual Health Needs With Patients With Cancer

Most oncologists aren’t comfortable discussing sexual health needs with their patients, but there are places where sexual health services for patients with cancer are starting to gain foothold, said Don S. Dizon, MD, FACP, FASCO, director of Women's Cancers at the Lifespan Cancer Institute, director of medical oncology at Rhode Island Hospital, and associate professor of medicine at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

August 31st 2018

Patients With Blood Cancer Less Likely to Understand Diagnosis Compared With Other Cancers

A survey of patients in the United Kingdom who were diagnosed with cancer found that patients with blood cancers were the least likely to say they completely understood what was wrong when the doctor explained it. They were also less likely to say that their treatment options were explained before treatment started compared with patients with other cancers.

August 30th 2018

Medicaid Expansion Helped Reduce Disparities Among Different Groups With Cancer

Allison Inserro

The expansion of Medicaid may mitigate health disparities in cancer diagnosis, according to a recent study that found state variation in reductions in the percentage of uninsured patients aged 18 to 64 years diagnosed with cancer. The researchers said that the results have implications for future disparities in state mortality rates, because health insurance coverage is linked to the ability to have better treatment and survival after diagnosis.

August 28th 2018

Childbirth Rates for Female Survivors of Hodgkin Lymphoma Similar to General Population

As cure rates for young patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) improve, the historically negative impact of treatments has to be considered. However, a new study has found that over time, childbearing rates for female survivors of HL have improved to the point of approaching the rates of the general population.

August 25th 2018

Podcast: This Week in Managed Care—Patient-Reported Outcomes With CAR T and Other Health News

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.

August 24th 2018

Utilizing Bioinformatics to Determine a Patient's Response to Immunotherapy

A recent study at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy discovered a new way to use bioinformatics to determine how a patient’s immune system responds to immunotherapy.

August 24th 2018

This Week in Managed Care: August 24, 2018

This week, the top managed care news included a panel mostly endorsed the use of patient-reported outcomes for coverage of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy; the US Preventive Services Task Force released new recommendations for cervical cancer screening; research found accountable care organization penetration may be changing how physicians work.

August 23rd 2018

NCCN Releases New Guidelines for Rare Cancers During Pregnancy

Earlier this month, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) released new treatment guidelines for a group of rare cancers that impact women during pregnancy.

August 23rd 2018

CURE Media Group Expands Strategic Alliance Partnership Program With The Biden Cancer Initiative

Sister publication American Journal of Managed Care® will also be a part of this collaboration.

August 22nd 2018

Tracking ctDNA Levels Can Quickly Predict Response to Lymphoma Therapy