A Reproductive Endocrinologist Discusses Need to Cover Fertility Intervention in Cancer Care
October 11th 2017The 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.
European Study Questions Survival, QOL Benefit of Marketed Cancer Drugs
October 6th 2017A 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.
Survey Quantifies Precision Medicine Awareness Among Health System Leaders
October 5th 2017A 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.
Updates to Treatment Options During Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October 2nd 2017October 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.
Navigating the Quality Landscape in Oncology: Pitfalls and Lessons Learned
September 29th 2017Ensuring access to appropriate data and then using the information to improve healthcare outcomes remains an ongoing challenge-this was the conclusion drawn by panelists participating at the National Comprehensive Cancer Network’s Oncology Policy Summit on Redefining Quality Measurement in Oncology.
Early Imaging Can Identify Positive Immunotherapy Responders in Advanced Melanoma
September 28th 2017Combining positron emission tomography and computed tomography early in the treatment plan for patients diagnosed with advanced melanoma can help identify the potential benefit of a specific immunotherapy and avoid the risk of non-beneficial intervention.
New Advance Value Framework Offered as a Decision-Support Tool for Reimbursement
September 25th 2017Researchers at the London School of Economics and Political Science have developed a multiple criteria decision analysis model, The Advance Value Framework, that payers can utilize for evaluating new medicines that come to the market.
Physicians Develop Guidelines to Manage CAR T-Cell Toxicity
September 20th 2017Physicians across different institutes who have been involved in clinical trials of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells in B-cell lymphomas have developed a guideline for monitoring and managing the symptoms associated with this treatment.
NPC Responds to ICER—VA Collaboration on Drug Coverage for Veterans
September 19th 2017Robert Dubois, MD, PhD, chief science officer of the National Pharmaceutical Council (NPC), has advised the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to be cautious when using the information provided by the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER)’s drug assessment reports to inform formulary decisions.
New CDC Report Provides Update on Incidence Rates of Pediatric ALL
September 18th 2017New results published in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report have identified a surge in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) during the period 2001 to 2008, followed by stabilization during 2008 to 2014.
Real-World Data Used to Inform Approval of Low-Dose Cabazitaxel for Prostate Cancer
September 15th 2017Cabazitaxel can now be used at a dose of 20 mg/m2 every 3 weeks in combination with prednisone in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who have received a docetaxel-based treatment regimen.
First Anticancer Biosimilar Treatment Approved for Multiple Indications
September 14th 2017The FDA has approved bevacizumab-awwb (Mvasi) as a treatment for multiple cancers. The drug has been approved as a biosimilar to its reference biologic, bevacizumab (Avastin), but it has not been approved as an interchangeable product.
MACRA Survey Finds Oncology Physicians Unprepared for Payment Changes
September 12th 2017A recent survey conducted by Integra Connect has found that a majority of specialty physicians have not yet invested in operational changes that may be essential for their success under value-based care reimbursement models.
ESMO 2017: Nivolumab-Ipilimumab Combination Reduced Risk of Death in RCC by 37%
September 11th 2017CheckMate-214 results presented at the European Society of Medical Oncology meeting show improved overall survival in patients with renal cell carcinoma treated with the nivolumab-ipilimumab combination, compared with sunitinib.
Cost Conversations in Oncology Care Led to Alternate Cost-Reducing Interventions
September 8th 2017Oncologist- as well as patient-initiated conversations on the cost of cancer care led to conversations on cost-reducing strategies 38% of the time, according to a new study published in the Journal of Oncology Practice.
ctDNA Plus Protein Biomarker Test Allows Early Detection of Pancreatic Cancer
September 6th 2017A 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.
Companies Continue to Face Challenges With Developing CAR-T Treatment
September 5th 2017Cellectis, 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.
Pembrolizumab Plus Epacadostat Yields Durable Response in Advanced Melanoma: ESMO
August 31st 2017Results 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.
Study Finds HPV Vaccination Underutilized by Childhood Cancer Survivors
August 24th 2017A 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.
Financial Concerns Influence Care-Seeking Behavior of Childhood Cancer Survivors
August 21st 2017High 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.