Oncology

Opdivo (Nivolumab) recently received regulatory approval in Japan for the treatment of patients with unresectable melanoma, the first global approval for a PD-1 inhibitor.

The approval is a big gain for melanoma (Yervoy) and prostate cancer (Xtandi) patients in England and Wales.

However, a point to note is that this was a small cohort study without a comparator arm.

The drug has been approved for use in patient's with relapsed disease.

According to a recent survey, radiation oncologists are doing this for 7.9% less pay than they earned the year before.

The researchers found that the risk of developing cervical cancer within three years following a negative HPV test result was about half of the already low risk following a negative Pap test.

Aduro joins the exclusive group of companies, so far only the big pharma, that have a successful trail of immunooncology candidates.

Preventive mastectomy did not improve survival in the study population.

It is well known that oncology care pathways are the tools that practices can utilize to care for its patients. Ira Klein, MD, MBA, FACP, chief medical officer, National Accounts Clinical Sales & Strategy, Aetna, suggests that Aetna's only involvement in creating these pathways should be in helping these practices develop "reasonable care pathways."

The study, published in PNAS, showed that the peptide microarrays could classify complex heterogeneous cancers with upto 98% accuracy.

The study, published in Clinical Cancer Research, showed that the gel could prevent growth of breast cancer, with fewer side effects.

The authors sought to determine if tumor heterogeneity and biospecimen variables affect the evaluation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway markers in breast cancer.

The long-term study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, was conducted in more than 65,000 men over the age of 66 years with early-stage prostate cancer.

Genentech submitted the BLA for bevacizumab for the treatment of recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer.

Cobimetinib (MEK inhibitor), used in combination with Zelboraf (BRAF inhibitor), improved survival without disease progression.

In vitro studies demonstrated a reduced incidence of apoptosis in patients administered inhaled anesthetics compared with those administered propofol during surgery.

High expression of PD-L1 was associated with the presence of EGFR mutations in surgically resected NSCLC and was an independent negative prognostic factor for this disease.

One insurer's experimental reimbursement model proved to lower the total costs of care for patients with 3 types of cancer. As an alternative to the traditional fee-for-service payment model, the episode payment model-which reimburses physicians on a fixed-price, based on episodes of best-practices and patient outcomes-provided encouraging findings in the battle against the rising costs of cancer care in the United States.

Collaborative research conducted by scientists within the Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network have identified significant mutations that can influence tumor subtype classification.

Following approval in Japan, Nivolumab will be evaluated by the FDA for melanoma therapy in the US.

There has been a sharp increase in the number of cancer patients at one hospital using MyChart, the online, interactive service that allows patients to view laboratory and radiology results, communicate with their healthcare providers, and more.

UnitedHealthcare published these findings in the latest issue of Journal of Oncology Practice.

The study by researchers at MD Anderson Cancer Center raises the possibility of using the information provided by these dysfunctional genes.

Several cancer centers have programs in place to improve communication between PCPs and oncologists.

A lipid metabolite, associated with more than 70 percent of brain cancers, can help distinguish and excise cancerous tissue.

Nivolumab, the first PD-1 inhibitor, was approved in Japan for treating unresectable melanoma. It has been developed in Japan by Ono Pharmaceutical, which also has rights in Korea and Taiwan.

GSK has received marketing authorization from the European Commission for trametinib as monotherapy for unresectable or metastatic melanoma in adults with a BRAF V600 mutation.

This week, a coalition of 32 major pharmacies, health insurers, unions and pension plans asked the FDA not to require distinct names for biosimilar medications, arguing that such a move would not compromise patient safety, but could undermine the savings that are expected to be generated as these medicines are introduced into the US health care system.