Oncology

Pembrolizumab significantly improved overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) as first-line treatment for squamous non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the pivotal phase 3 KEYNOTE-407 trial.

Immune cells that promote clotting within tumors in a specific type of lung cancer are actually assisting the tumor to spread throughout the body, according to a recent study published in Nature Communications.

During a press cast hosted by the American Society of Clinical Oncology ahead of the annual meeting, women with HER2-positive early-stage breast cancer who were treated with trastuzumab (Herceptin) for 6 months had a similar rate of disease-free survival as women who received the drug for 12 months, which is the current standard of care.

In general, practices and health systems don’t do a good job of integrating technology into practice, partly because most of the technology they use isn’t well suited to their needs, explained Charles Saunders, MD, CEO of Integra Connect.

Donna Hansel, MD, PhD, of University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, explains her use of human bladder cancer cells in her research.

A new study analyzed the burden of multiple myeloma around the world, as well as access to effective treatments. From 1990 to 2016, incident cases and deaths from the disease have grown substantially.

Here is a preview of 5 of the biggest trial results to be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)'s Annual Meeting to be held on June 1 to 5, 2018, in Chicago, Illinois.

Technology can be used to make it easier for patients and practices to participate in clinical trials, while also easing some of the burden on research staff, said James Hamrick, MD, MPH, Kaiser Permanente and Flatiron Health.

Only a small percent of patients eligible for assistance programs actually enroll, and Vivor is working with pharmaceutical companies to make the process of using patient assistance programs smoother, said Ian Manners, founder and CEO of Vivor.

While cancer incidence rates have decreased among men, they've remained stable among women and have increased among children; however, there has been an overall decline in mortality rates among men, women, and children.

Posters presented at the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) 23rd Annual International Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland, highlighted healthcare costs for patients with treatment-resistant depression, off-label drug use in children with depressive disorder, and incidence of depression in patients diagnosed with late-stage cancer.

Rucaparib, the PARP inhibitor approved for the treatment of ovarian cancer, may have potential clinical benefit for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer and a BRCA1/2 mutation.

The 21st Century Cures Act, in many ways, helps drugs in other disease areas going through review with FDA get to the same standard of the oncology area, said Mark Fleury, PhD, MS, principal of Policy Development and Emerging Science at the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN).

Beyond helping with co-payment assistance for patients with cancer, CancerCare helps with practical and emotional supports for patients, explained Michele McCourt, senior director of the CancerCare Co-Payment Assistance Foundation.

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.

This week, the top managed care stories included President Donald Trump's plan to drive down drug prices; the FDA approved the first biosimilar of the year; a study found rapid uptake of PD-1 agents after FDA approval.

While immune checkpoint inhibitors significantly improve overall survival in both sexes, the magnitude of benefit is dependent on sex, according to new study findings.

Integrated care teams will create more value for the patient, but there are multiple challenges in the creation of these teams, said Mark Soberman, MD, MBA, FACS, former president of the Association of Community Cancer Centers.

Creating integrated cancer care teams is part of a paradigm shift that requires thinking of care delivery in a different way, explained Thomas Asfeldt, MBA, RN, director of Outpatient Cancer Services at Sanford Cancer Center.

In the 4 months following their approvals, pembrolizumab and nivolumab reached more than 60% of eligible patients with melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, and renal cell carcinoma.

An interdisciplinary approach to patient care is very important because the treatment of gynecologic cancers can be very complex, explained Oliver Dorigo, MD, PhD, associate professor, obstetrics and gynecology, Stanford University Medical Center.

We have to decide if we’re prepared to not cover low-value treatments as we shift to value-based care, said Robert Navarro, PharmD, clinical professor, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida.

The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that men aged 55 to 69 make their own decision on whether or not to be screened periodically for prostate cancer after they have had a conversation with their physician on potential benefits and harms.

There are 3 legislative priorities for the Community Oncology Alliance (COA) that keep the focus on the patient and ensure better care, explained Ted Okon, executive director of COA, at the 2018 Community Oncology Conference.

A new case study found that an acute myeloid leukemia patient has remained cancer free for 9 months following treatment with the chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell treatment, CYAD-01, and a bone marrow transplant.

The purpose of evidence-based guidelines is to reduce the level of variation, improve outcomes, and reduce costs, said Derek Raghavan, MD, PhD, FACP, FRACP, president, Carolinas HealthCare System's Levine Cancer Institute.

Aimee Tharaldson, PharmD, a senior clinical consultant in Emerging Therapeutics for Express Scripts, discusses specialty drugs that have recently been approved, and which we will likely see approved in the remainder of the year.

Sean C. Dowdy, MD, chair, division of gynecologic surgery, department of obstetrics and gynecology, Mayo Clinic, discusses identified factors that cause prolonged delays between discovering an improved treatment or practice and the application of it.

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.

This week, the top managed care stories included a report that insurance coverage gains are reversing; a deal to lower the cost of Praluent for Express Scripts members; findings that synthetic opioids are playing a bigger role in overdose deaths.