Latest Conference Articles

A study that combined socioeconomic data and hospital-level data on quality care after myocardial infarction showed that hospitals that serve the poorest Americans adhere to high standards, but patient outcomes do not always reflect that high-quality acute care.

The study drug, Bendavia, was developed to improve mitochondrial response when oxygen returns to the tissue affected by a heart attack. Results showed some improvement, but not at levels that were statistically significant.

Patients in the study were given support through a weight loss clinic for a 4-year period. Those who had sustained weight lost and did not let their weight fluctuate were most likely to have arrythmia-free survival.

Amgen's cholesterol-fighting PCSK9 inhibitor was shown to reduce the likelihood that patients would suffer cardiovascular events. The question now is whether FDA will grant approval soon and how widely the drug will be used, given speculation about its cost.

Identifying which patients with diabetes will develop heart disease is not as straightforward as it might seem. This session explored the use of biomarkers, imaging, and how a population health-based model will do a better job of identifying women at risk.

Cardiologists treat patients who are older, sicker, and more reliant on Medicare. That means they must pay attention to new payment models from CMS that reduce reliance on fee-for-service and increase the presence of accountable care organizations.

Results from a study of long-term use of this dual anti-platelet therapy suggest patients may be able to switch to a 60 mg dose at the 1 year mark after a heart attack, rather than 90 mg.

A head-to-head comparison found patients receiving heart CT scans fared about as well as those receiving a variety of functional tests, although CT did a better job of identifying those who needed follow-up procedures. The study's lead author predicts a change in clinical guidelines, although critics question whether patients should receive so much radiation.

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.

The roundtable discussion on the second day of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network 20th Annual Conference spent a long time defining value in cancer care and how it can be incorporated into healthcare decision making.

Patients are looking for more transparency when it comes to their treatment options so they can make informed decisions and "take control of their journey," Kim Thiboldeaux, chief executive officer of the Cancer Support Community, said at the National Comprehensive Cancer Network 20th Annual Conference.

When the first National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines were developed 20 years ago, even the participating members who were there at the beginning were skeptical they would be able to come to an agreement and build something lasting.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Guidelines may be successful historically, but the network isn't resting on its laurels, Robert Carlson, MD, chief executive officer, said at the NCCN 20th Annual Meeting.

During his keynote speech at the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)'s 20th Annual Conference, Chief Executive Officer Robert Carlson, MD, spent the majority of his time discussing the NCCN Guidelines because they are the core of its services.

Monday's oral abstract sessions on multiple myeloma at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology featured final phase 1b/2 results on the elotuzumab combination that received breakthrough therapy status from FDA earlier this year.

Pomalidomide was approved by FDA in February 2013 for multiple myeloma patients whose disease has progressed despite having received at least 2 other therapies. On Monday, researchers at the American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting presented results of phase 2 studies on combinations with the immunomodulatory drug.

On the second day of the 56th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology, held December 6-9 in San Francisco, a session on tyrosine kinase inhibitors in treating chronic myelogenous leukemia included 5-year follow-up results from the DASISION trial and recognizing failure for major molecular response to guide treatment modification.

At an education session at the American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting, Christopher R. Flowers, MD, MS, discussed current thinking in the use of routine imaging for patients who have achieved a long-term complete response in non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

The plenary session on the second day of the 56th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology, held December 6-9 in San Francisco, saw the best presentations, selected by the Program Committee, from among the thousands of scientific abstracts that were accepted for the meeting. These talks included a JAK/STAT-mediated thrombopoietin regulation by the Ashwell-Morell receptor, lenalidomide-mediated casein kinase regulation in myelodysplastic syndrome, and the results of the SORAML trial in acute myeloid leukemia.

A novel treatment method unveiled at the 56th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology was among 4 important studies about reducing blood clots presented Sunday at the gathering in San Francisco.

Saturday's poster session on Health Services and Outcomes research featured results projecting an overall reduction in medical costs from the use of new oral anticoagulants, and new studies about the treatment of children with sickle cell disease.

Jesus F. San Miguel, MD, PhD, of the Spanish Myeloma Group, delivered the Han-Wasserman Lecture and discussed prognostic factors that allowed his research team to give early treatment to high-risk patients, improving their survival.

While medical oncologists, drug developers, and research scientists presented their research findings and novel treatment options in hematological cancers, a special session in the afternoon on the first day of the 56th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH), held December 6 to 9 in San Francisco, addressed the aspect of cost of care and the increasing financial burden faced by the cancer patient.

Final safety and efficacy results for vismodegib were reported at the Society for Melanoma Research, 2014 International Congress, for the 30-month mark of the ERIVANCE trial. The Congress is meeting November 13-16 in Zurich, Switzerland.