Oncology

While keeping pace with the 2014 rate, the FDA is steaming ahead with approvals for a several breakthrough molecules. Everyone is not happy though, especially the payers who are looking at the $100,000 price tag on some of the specialty medications.

Dendreon's prostate cancer immunotherapy Provenge is now being backed by IQWiG just months after the German health technology assessor was poised to reject the treatment.

The Association for Molecular Pathology has provided comments to the FDA, urging increased regulation of next generation sequencing diagnostic tests to ensure consistent and proper performance of the tests.

Published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, the study found that most Asian subgroups were less likely to die from cancer than non-Hispanic white patients.

During laboratory experiments, while growing these leukemic cells, the authors observed that some of the cancer cells in culture were changing shape and size into what looked like macrophages. Subsequent experiments confirmed that by manipulating some of the transcription factors, these human cancer cells could be transformed into macrophages, which can engulf and digest cancer cells and pathogens.

A retrospective review of evidence from studies that assessed the use of mind—body interventions, nutrition, physical activity, and combined complementary and alternative medicine approaches in cancer patients found not just improved disease support in cancer patients, but often times, improved survival as well.

In a show of solidarity, state oncology societies from across the United States today joined the American Society of Clinical Oncology in its call on Congress to repeal Medicare's Sustainable Growth Rate formula before the current payment patch expires at the end of the month.

Zarxio was approved earlier this month, the first biosimilar to be approved in the United States.

The study, conducted by Elissa Ozanne, PhD, at Dartmouth found that 11 of the 15 women, aged 45-79 years, interviewed before and after using the mHealth tool preferred it to a paper tool and found it easy to use.

Payers, oncologists, and oncology policy experts provide their feedback on the Oncology Care Model developed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, which aims to link payment to the quality of care, improve access to care, and enhance information sharing.

"It's so ironic that CMMI, the innovation arm of CMS, is trying to sell us on implementing a new payment model for oncology while community oncology practices are struggling financially to keep their doors open because of CMS payment cuts," said Ted Okon, executive director, Community Oncology Alliance.

Training sessions with a psychologist, in women treated for breast cancer, helped women with their memory and to maintain their ability to pay attention to things-the so called "executive function and planning" activities.

The paper, published in the latest issue of the Journal of Economic Perspectives, found that while drug price was related to quality improvement over existing therapies, the price increase surpassed quality.

Developed at the Cancer Therapy & Research Center at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, the technology uses tiny radioactive liposomes, inserted directly into a tumor with a thin catheter. The first-in-human trial was just initiated.

Researchers have discovered one way in which melanoma becomes resistant to a particular form of targeted therapy, and understanding this phenomenon may lead to a new melanoma target or prompt new designs of these treatments, they say. The results were published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research.

The Cardio-Oncology Intensive during the Annual Scientific Session of the American College of Cardiology reflects the increased need for improved diagnostic tools and cardioprotective strategies as cancer patients live longer. Besides a second malignancy, heart disease accounts for most morbidity and death in cancer survivors.

The report by IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics says countries that use a QALY formula to assess cost-effectiveness have less access to new cancer drugs compared with countries that use an alternative system.

Improved survival without disease progression prompted independent reviewers to unblind the study comparing Imbruvica against a placebo, in combination with bendamustine and rituximab.

The diagnostic test, which has been validated in breast, lung, colorectal, skin, and prostate cancers, requires sample submission to Guardant's CLIA-certified laboratory. The test, currently priced at $4900, maybe covered by payers where genomic profiling is needed and conventional biopsy is not an option.

Hagop Kantarjian, MD, from MD Anderson is at it again. A special publication online, written in collaboration with S. Vincent Kumar, MD, from the Mayo Clinic, highlights the dismal state of the economics behind high oncology drug costs and recommends solutions.

During the session "Principles of Immunotherapy" at the National Comprehensive Cancer Network 20th Annual Conference, Anthony J. Olszanski, RPh, MD, from the Fox Chase Cancer Center, described the complex interplay between the immune system and cancer, and some of the current immunotherapies being used today.

Over the years, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines have become the market leader for clinical guidelines to consult, but with that success comes responsibility and scrutiny, according to Clifford Goodman, PhD.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines bring the practices of cancer care thought leaders out to the community, said Mary Lou Smith, JD, MBA, co-founder of the Research Advocacy Network.

The most recent Surgeon General Report on Smoking and Health initiated the decision to create smoking cessation guidelines for cancer patients, Peter G. Shields, MD, said during his session announcing the new NCCN Guidelines.

Patient-provider dialogue before making treatment decisions affects how satisfied patients are with their overall care, Linda House, RN, BSN, MSM, president of the Cancer Support Community, said at the National Comprehensive Cancer Network 20th Annual Conference.

Resource constraints may confine the ability of physicians to deliver optimal cancer care to all patients across the world, which the National Comprehensive Cancer Network is acknowledging by resource stratifying its Guidelines.

While the cost of introductory cancer drugs is increasing rapidly, there has not been a commensurate increase in benefit, according to Peter Bach, MD, with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

According to Dr Amy Cyr from the Siteman Cancer Center at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, while Oncotype DX is both prognostic and predictive, none of the other tests currently available have shown both capabilities.

The findings of this study, conducted in Finland, may prove significant for the assessment of breast cancer prognosis and treatment planning.

Two out of three people with metastatic disease survive 5 years or more, the report shows. The authors hope the data can help researchers develop better cancer control programs.