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To Treat or Not to Treat: The Overdiagnosis Debate
Rapid advances in detection technology, coupled with an increased awareness about screening, have ignited a debate on overdiagnosis and overtreatment of precancerous lesions. Should physicians use their discretion and implement a "wait-and-watch" approach?
Early detection has long been seen as a powerful weapon in the battle against cancer. But some experts now see it as double-edged sword.
While it's clear that early-stage cancers are more treatable than late-stage ones, some leading cancer experts say that zealous screening and advanced diagnostic tools are finding ever-smaller abnormalities in prostate, breast, thyroid and other tissues. Many are being labeled cancer or precancer and treated aggressively, even though they may never have caused harm.
As a result, these experts say, many people may be undergoing surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and other treatments unnecessarily, sometimes with lifelong side effects.
Meanwhile, an estimated 586,000 Americans will die of cancer this year—many from very aggressive, fast-moving cancers that develop between screenings and spread too quickly to stop.
Read the commentary: http://on.wsj.com/1nWa7j7
Source: The Wall Street Journal
Other Resources: ASCO 2014 session: http://bit.ly/1uOBqjv
Source: Evidence-Based Oncology ASCO 2014 special issue
Exploring Racial, Ethnic Disparities in Cancer Care Prior Authorization Decisions
October 24th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the author of a study published in the October 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® that explored prior authorization decisions in cancer care by race and ethnicity for commercially insured patients.
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Uniting to Support Patients With Cancer Beyond Treatment
November 17th 2024Kasey Bond, MPH, of Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone Health, speaks to why it’s vital to keep patients at the center of all strategic partnerships between academic institutions and community-based oncology practices.
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Examining Low-Value Cancer Care Trends Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
April 25th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the April 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on the rates of low-value cancer care services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Bridging Cancer Care Gaps and Overcoming Medical Mistrust
November 13th 2024In this clip from our interview with Oscar B. Lahoud, MD, cochair of our Institute for Value-Based Medicine® evening hosted with NYU Langone Health, he addressed medical mistrust in underrepresented communities.
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How English- and Spanish-Preferring Patients With Cancer Decide on Emergency Care
November 13th 2024Care delivery innovations to help patients with cancer avoid emergency department visits are underused. The authors interviewed English- and Spanish-preferring patients at 2 diverse health systems to understand why.
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