Maggie L. Shaw

The top 5 most-read news stories of 2019 for The American Journal of Managed Care® ran the gamut, from the ongoing opioid epidemic to hoped-for new drug approvals to treat type 2 diabetes.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is an inherited condition in which mutations in genes that encode the sarcomere proteins in the heart cause an abnormal thickening of that muscle, with no known cure. In black patients, HCM is usually diagnosed at a younger age and accompanied by a greater burden of symptomatic heart failure. These patients, however, are not well represented in surveys of the condition, which tend to focus on white patients.

Despite a 20% drop in mortality since 2009, colorectal cancer accounted for 9.8% (881,000) of deaths worldwide in 2018 and represents 10.2% of all cancer cases worldwide. It is No. 3 on the list of most prevalent cancers worldwide—1.8 million new cases in 2018—behind only lung cancer and breast cancer.

In cases of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), there is a greater risk of symptomatic heart failure in the first year following initiation of anthracycline treatment.

HIV-positive individuals face greater risks of kidney and liver diseases, cardiovascular events, osteoporosis, hepatitis C, and cancer. Clinical trials and research advances into the cause and development of the comorbid conditions are needed.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells are lymphocytes genetically engineered to recognize and bind to specific proteins on cancer cells. Studies are currently underway for applications in other fields.

There was a 37% increase in childhood cancer survival between 1975 and 2010. With more children receiving chemotherapy and radiation to treat their diseases, leading to more survivors, awareness has grown of the belated effects of those treatments once patients reach adulthood.

A second study, slated for next year, will continue these infants on antiretroviral treatment with 2 experimental monoclonal antibodies, hoping the medications produce viral suppression—and testing the effects of temporarily stopping them—so that they don’t have to eventually initiate the standard triplet therapy that most older patients typically take. For adults, most treatments for HIV come from the cancer field, and are inflammatory, and are not safe enough to apply in children. An ongoing debate is when is it appropriate to begin these therapies in children.

The painless procedure is still in its experimental stages; however, it is inexpensive and safe, and the equipment is portable.

Karmanos Cancer Institute, in Detroit, Michigan, established a specialty pharmacy to help alleviate the financial burden many patients face when paying for their oral novel therapeutics.

Treating venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients can be tricky due to greater risks of major bleeding episodes and recurrent VTE.

The first disease-modifying therapies were introduced in the United States and Canada in the 1990s.

Heart issues in patients with cancer and survivors can present themselves months or years after treatment.

The cost of the expensive treatment varies, based on insurance coverage or lack thereof, and is often out of financial reach of the uninsured.

Disease severity also influences how these patients interact with and react to everyday stimuli.

After a request for additional input from oncologists, practice administrators, payer representatives, and experts in physician payment and business analysis, ASCO has issued updated guidance on PCOP. With CMS’ Oncology Care Model set to end in 2021, the current draft of ASCO’s Community-based Oncology Medical Home model would be an option to take its place.

With their ongoing study, the authors also hope to show the physical effect of exercise on function, quality of life, pain, and bone disease.

Predisposing risk factors include less than a high school education and hepatitis C coinfection.

Quality of life and 6-minute walk test also improve with this treatment combination.

Under the ACA, patients with HIV in Medicaid expansion states have greater access to care.

Tumor inflammatory response is significantly associated with poor prognosis in patients with multiple myeloma.

Researchers aim to eliminate leukemia stem cells safely.

Greater rates of adherence and persistence seen among patients on a single-tablet regimen.

Updated Carthadex trial results show improved responses at the 58-month mark and build on findings from other studies.

For their study, the authors wanted to expand on previous research results that suggest outcomes are improved among patients with multiple myeloma treated at high-volume facilities.

CDC recommends that young men who have sex with men have an HIV test every 6 months.

The rate of decrease in deaths from heart disease (HD) slowed between 2011 and 2014 versus 2000 and 2011, while the population above 65 years jumped 22.9% and there was a concurrent 38% rise in deaths from HD among this patient population.

A recently published commentary examined issues surrounding biosimilars in the treatment of multiple sclerosis from an international point of view, noting the tremendous opportunity for cost savings while wondering if patient concerns are being adequately considered.