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Determining Appropriate Duration of Treatment
Immunotherapeutic agents have demonstrated effectiveness at delivering sustained treatment responses; however, these agents are associated with substantial costs. Furthermore, prolonged use of immunotherapy can increase the likelihood that a patient will experience treatment toxicities.
Richard W. Joseph, MD, explains how clinical studies designed to assess appropriate duration of immunotherapy treatment can help reduce these patient burdens.
Dr Joseph notes that clinical trials of immunotherapy in different types of cancer have demonstrated durable response rates. Keeping patients on immunotherapy for a long period of time may not always be necessary, and studies that evaluate the appropriate duration of treatment with immunotherapeutic agents are needed. If cancer recurs, he adds, patients may still respond when immunotherapy is restarted.
By appropriately limiting the length of treatment with immunotherapy based on data from clinical trials, healthcare professionals can reduce the cost burden and the likelihood of experiencing treatment toxicities, Dr Joseph remarks.
AI in Health Care: Balancing Governance, Innovation, and Trust
September 2nd 2025In this conversation with Reuben Daniel, associate vice president of artificial intelligence at UPMC Health Plan, we dive into how UPMC Health Plan builds trust with providers and members, discuss challenges of scaling AI effectively, and hear about concrete examples of AI's positive impact.
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Infertility Coverage Boosts ART Use and Pregnancy Success: Richard A. Brook, MS, MBA
August 26th 2025In this episode, Richard A. Brook, MS, MBA, discusses his study showing that infertility treatment coverage increases assisted reproductive technology (ART) use and improves pregnancy outcomes.
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Health Care Utilization and Cost of Diagnostic Testing for Respiratory Infections
September 17th 2025Syndromic reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction tests for respiratory infections were associated with lower health care resource utilization and costs, implicating potential for improved value in patient care.
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