Oncology

A study published in Health Affairs shows that lung and colorectal cancer mortality was higher among veterans who were unhoused compared with those who were housed and higher yet in those who lost housing after they received a diagnosis.

The drugmaker is spending $15 million over a three-year period to address cancer care disparities in breast and prostate cancer.

Leaders at City of Hope, a cancer research and care center in Los Angeles, forecast that in 2024 more people will benefit from cancer breakthroughs.

Adherent patients accessed services only slightly more.

Researchers developed a new multi-cancer blood screening test to detect early-stage cancers and found it had a high level of accuracy.

Recent research finds that the prices of cancer drugs are rising, but the factors that contribute to the increases are difficult to pinpoint.

Results point to the benefit of adding Darzalex (daratumumab) to Velcade-Revlimid-dexamethasone triplet therpay, although serious side effects seem be slightly more common when Darzalex is added.

A combination of navitoclax and Jakafi (ruxolitinib) achieved spleen volume reduction, although adverse events led to some dose modifications and treatment interruptions.

The Choosing Wisely campaign has helped with overscreening and overtreatment. Some experts say better management of end-of-life care and value-based payment would also help steer oncology away from care with poor cost-benefit ratios.

The evidence for active surveillance is stronger, but advances in imaging have improved the ability to distinguish between indolent and aggressive forms of prostate cancer.

In a confirmatory trial, Exkivity did not meet the primary endpoint in treating patients with non-small cell lung cancer with EGFR exon 20 mutations. It will remain available while Takeda works with the FDA on withdrawal timing.

Medicare Advantage plans have been associated with increased screening rates. But managed care tactics and narrow networks may be a disadvantage for people needing care.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a risk factor for what is now the more common type of esophageal cancer, adenocarcinoma. Immunotherapy is coming on strong as a treatment.

This year's most-read cancer news included researchers finding a possible liver cancer immunotherapy, cancer patients facing many negative impacts from COVID-19 and more.

The researchers have several suggestions for how harm from screening should be reported in screening guidelines.

Positive results for Adcetris (brentuximab vedotin) were reported in The New England Journal of Medicine. Further research will include a look at the cost effectiveness of Adcetris.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute tool evaluates the probability of having genetic mutations that confer elevated risk for 18 cancers.

Overall survival is considered a more definitive end point. But according to Vinay Prasad, M.D., M.P.H., and colleagues , drugs approved based on progression-free survival and overall response rate were priced higher than those approved based on overall survival.

Escalating costs are hitting patients hard. CMS price negotiation and the $2,000 cap on Part D out-of-pocket expenses should benefit many patients with Medicare coverage.

More of these treatments have been approved, but supply chain issues and cost remain obstacles.

Although the Oncology Care Model produced some positive results, the value-based care model cost Medicare money. Now attention is turning to its successor, the Enhancing Oncology Model.

Bispecific antibody therapies are also in development.

If biosimilar acceptance is to grow, it’s going to take a great deal of work to improve the levels of trust between payers, patients, and oncologists.

Research and discussion about the high cancer rates among Black Americans used to be dominated by genetics and the search for biological differences. Now attention has shifted to the social determinants of health.

Patients with cancer who have a poor prognosis may face obstacles in accessing critical pain medications.

The American Cancer Society’s 2022 statistical report shows that the 30-year trend is continuing.

Biden is reviving the program he headed as vice president with the goal of reducing the cancer mortality rate and improving the experience of patients and their loved ones.

The introduction of an electronic tracking system decreased the time from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) diagnosis to treatment by more than a month.

The global cancer immunotherapy market is set to grow at a compound annual growth rate, or CAGR, of 12.6% to $277.1 billion by 2030.

But the future of value-based care in oncology is uncertain with no certain successor to the Oncology Care Model in sight.