Outcomes in NSCLC Rely on Equitable Access to Treatment: Frank Weinberg, MD, PhD

Frank Weinberg, MD, PhD, assistant professor and head of the thoracic oncology program at the University of Illinois Cancer Center, discussed the importance of teaching patients about their options for treatment in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with The American Journal of Managed Care®. Making treatment more equitable can improve both outcomes and research by establishing outcomes in different demographics, he explained

This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity; captions are auto-generated.

Transcript

How important is it that treatments for NSCLC are equitable across demographics?

It's really essential because lung cancer outcomes aren't determined on biology alone. They're shaped by access. If certain communities don't get biomarker testing or can't reach the right specialists or oncologists, they're going to miss out on the best therapies for them. Equity really ensures everyone has a fair chance at the best possible outcome. It strengthens the science actually, because by including all of a large, diverse population and participation, you're going to be able to make treatments more effective for all patients.

How can treatments be made more equitable and how can doctors play a part in that?

We did talk a little bit about, especially when it came to biomarker testing, some of the institutional challenges that we have. But I think equity really starts with access, making sure every patient gets biomarker testing [and] knows about clinical trial options, which we didn't really touch on, but I do think that that's a key component. On a larger scale, I think we need policies that make it easier for community practices in particular to deliver cutting-edge care. Whether that be making biomarker testing more reachable in those community settings or clinical trials. For doctors, I think our role we kind of play, we have 2 primary roles. I think one obviously to always advocate for our patients to get the right therapy, and then also communication with our patients and that's the way that we build trust. We know, even at the University of Illinois Cancer Center, we know that even that little communication on what a clinical trial even is, that small step can ensure patients understand their options, and that can make a real difference in their care.