Oncology

Don’t underestimate the power that it takes to make sure a value-based program is working, said Sarah Cevallos, chief revenue cycle officer, Florida Cancer Specialists.

A report from the American Cancer Society estimated new cancer cases and deaths for 2018 and took a look at the most recent data to determine cancer incidence through 2014 and mortality through 2015.

The healthcare triangle (patients, payers, and providers) begins with the patient, so we should include the patient in some of the decision-making, said Roger Brito, DO, national director for oncology, Aetna.

The approval will expand the currently approved indication for the prevention of skeletal-related events in patients with bone metastases from solid tumors to also include patients with multiple myeloma.

A subset of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) with highly expressed CD49d have poorer outcomes while on Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor ibrutinib, which antagonizes B-cell receptor (BCR) signals. However, a team of researchers may have found a way to treat these patients.

The fact that you have certain drugs that treat numerous cancers, and that they may treat 1 cancer different or better than another, would suggest that we should probably have differential pricing models, said A. Mark Fendrick, MD, director of the Center for Value-Based Insurance Design at the University of Michigan.

New drugs to treat multiple myeloma (MM) have provided clinical benefits, but a study published in the Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy found not all of them can be considered cost effective.

New drugs to treat multiple myeloma (MM) have provided clinical benefits, but a study published in the Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy found not all of them can be considered cost effective.

While chemotherapy with thoracic radiation has been established as the standard of care for the initial treatment of non-metastatic small-cell lung cancer, a large proportion of patients do not receive these treatments and in turn have lower overall survival, according to a study published in JAMA Oncology.

Coverage of our peer-reviewed research and news reporting in the healthcare and mainstream press.

Bo Gamble, director of Strategic Practice Initiatives at the Community Oncology Alliance (COA), believes that broadening communication and education is COA’s main goal in 2018.

Southwest Airlines has set up a split fill program, pharmacy benefit manager, health advocacy program, and a cancer resource guide for employees, said Judy Berger, senior manager, benefits planning, Southwest Airlines.

A federal judge dismissed a move to block 340B cuts days before CMS’ final rule on it went into effect.

Carfilzomib was associated with higher rates of all-grade and high-grade cardiovascular adverse events (CVAE), and both later trial phase and higher doses of carfilzomib were associated with higher rates of CVAE, according to a study in JAMA Oncology.

Year 2 of the Oncology Care Model is about learning from the lessons of year 1 and extending implementation that has already been started, said Terrill Jordan, CEO of Regional Cancer Care Associates.

A pre-treatment signature of proteins used to predict survival in patients with metastatic melanoma receiving PD-1 inhibitors found that patients deemed sensitive by the test demonstrated significantly better overall survival.

New immuno-oncology agents are providing durable survival for some patients, but the cost of these treatments is very high, which is a cause for concern. In a new study in JAMA Oncology, researchers sought to assess how value frameworks defined the efficacy of new immuno-oncology agents.

A small pilot study from the Hollings Cancer Center at the Medical University of South Carolina found that smokers who are willing to use e-cigarettes tend to smoke less and have increased quit attempts.

Patients with cancer may have more options for oral cancer medications, but high out-of-pocket costs still present a barrier to access, according to a new study in Journal of Clinical Oncology.

This week, the top managed care stories included a road map to develop state-level programs to care for complex populations; the Physician-focused Payment Technical Advisory Committee backed 2 new alternative payment models; a new cancer gene profiling test may open doors to new targeted therapies.

A look at the most popular articles published in Evidence-Based Oncology™ in 2017.

Community oncologists have a major role in accelerating treatment development and providing them to patients, said Amy Abernethy, MD, PhD, the chief medical officer, chief scientific officer, and senior vice president of oncology at Flatiron Health.

While FoundationOne CDx, the comprehensive companion diagnostic test for solid tumors, gives patients the ability to be accurately matched with a targeted therapy, it also has potential benefits for patients with a less common types of cancers, said Stuart Goldberg, MD, chief scientific officer, Cota, in an interview with The American Journal of Managed Care®.

Until more data is available, it’s difficult for a practice or physician group to make an accurate assessment of whether or not 2-sided risk is appropriate, said Sarah Cevallos, chief revenue cycle officer, Florida Cancer Specialists. Physicians would need to see clear metrics in order to know if they will be achievable.

In this interview, recorded at the end of the first day of PCOC®, Torrie Fields, senior program manager at Blue Shield of California, and Michael Kolodziej, MD, of ADVI Health, discuss the move to value-based care in oncology, what practices need to do to be successful, and the role of team-based care.

Most primary side effects of CAR T therapies occur early on after treatment and resolve quickly, but there are some that require long-term monitoring, explained Shannon L. Maude, MD, PhD, of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

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.

Bobby Green, MD, MSCE, senior vice president of clinical oncology at Flatiron Health, discusses analyzing patient data to improve the overall care delivery and its challenges involved with being so early in the process.

This week, the top managed care stories included the elimination of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate; a new gene therapy for inherited vision loss that could cost $1 million; and a study found that social isolation can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Key drug approvals; alcohol cancer link.