Clinical

An update on the latest developments in the world of oncology care: product approvals, clinical developments, health policy changes, and more.

While many lung and bladder cancer patients respond well to immunotherapy, they eventually succumb to the disease because the immune system can not detect the cancer cells. Two clinical trials will combine immunotherapy with epigenetic agents in order to allow the immune system to recognize and destroy the cancer cells.

Evidence-Based OncologyTM sat down with Brandon R. Shank, PharmD, MPH, BCOP, clinical pharmacy specialist, Division of Pharmacy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, to understand a pharmacist's role in administering chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells.

The effects of air pollution on heart health are well known now, and it can be an issue for people in both urban and rural areas of the United States, explained Jeanette Stingone, PhD, of Mount Sinai Health System.

Patients with stage III colon cancer with deficient DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes who are treated with FOLFOX have a more favorable prognosis than those with proficient MMRs.

The American Journal of Managed Care® spoke with Jane L. Frederick, MD, FACOG, a reproductive endocrinologist and fertility specialist, about the changing landscape of cancer treatment, partnering with oncologists, and helping patients gain financial assistance for their fertility preservation and treatment.

Naiyer A. Rizvi, MD, director of thoracic oncology and immunotherapeutics at Columbia University Medical Center discusses the effectiveness of PD-1 antibodies in lung cancer.

A new study highlights how the beliefs of surgeons and radiation oncologists influences radiotherapy use in early-stage breast cancer among older women.

The American College of Cardiology (ACC) is entering into novel digital health partnerships to innovate cardiology care and improve cardiovascular health, explained John Rumsfeld, MD, PhD, chief innovation officer at the ACC.

A recent survey by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society found that the majority of adults are surprised by the prevalence of blood cancers-specifically the prevalence of acute lymphocytic leukemia among children and young adults.

A new study in the journal BMJ concludes that most oncology drugs approved by the European Medicines Agency between 2009 and 2013 failed to display a benefit on survival or quality of life, even at 3.3 years following market entry.

A research study conducted in a mouse mammary cancer model has found that optimal timing, based on sequencing of immunotherapy agents, is important for treatment efficacy.

A new survey conducted by The Health Management Academy has identified a rapid investment by leading healthcare systems in precision medicine programs, with significant expectations of the impact of real-world outcomes on physician decision making.

Current drugs for pulmonary hypertension treat 3 pathways, but currently there aren't any new drugs to treat different pathways, although there likely will be some in the future, said Simon Gibbs, MD, Reader in Pulmonary Hypertension at the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London.

Individuals who develop neutropenia are at higher risk of infection, and they should understand the symptoms to look for that might mean they need to seek urgent medical care, explained Ruben A. Mesa, MD, of the Mayo Clinic.

Intuniv, a once-daily non-stimulant from Shire and Shionogi for adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, met its primary endpoint and showed a superior change from baseline compared with placebo in a phase 3 study.

October is breast cancer awareness month, and as September ended, a new treatment received the FDA’s approval for advanced breast cancer and another was granted priority review for the adjuvant treatment of early breast cancer.

Skin conditions affect millions of Americans, but patients who seek treatment for their skin condition often face the difficulty of finding an available specialist in their area, according to a new paper published by Derma Care Access Network.

There is an ongoing debate about how aggressively to lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, but Steve Nissen, MD, of Cleveland Clinic, argues that studies have shown an aggressive approach to lowering LDL always shows benefits.

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.

Key lessons learnt at the National Comprehensive Cancer Network's policy meeting: Redefining Quality Measurement in Oncology.

This week, the top managed care stories included the end of the latest attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act; a call to better include the patient's voice in cancer quality metrics; and an argument for caution regarding the newly approved CAR T-cell therapy, Kymriah.