Maurie Markman, MD

Articles

It's Time for Action on Shortage of Elderly in Clinical Trials

March 17th 2017

It has long been recognized that the elderly are acutely underrepresented in the clinical trials that help to define the standards of care in oncologic management in the United States.

Dr. Markman on 2017 Goals for the Field of Ovarian Cancer

March 2nd 2017

Maurie Markman, MD, president, Medicine and Science, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, editor-in-chief, OncologyLive, discusses what he would like to see accomplished in the field of ovarian cancer over the next year.

Focus on Cancer Prevention Would Moderate Spiraling Costs of Care

February 24th 2017

Certain components of the cancer care continuum have the potential to favorably impact the rapidly encroaching crisis in cancer care costs at the societal level.

Clinical Trial Reform Is Urgently Needed

February 23rd 2017

The current status of clinical cancer research in the United States falls far short of what is necessary to effectively and efficiently change this amazing opportunity to improve both the quantity and quality of the lives of patients with cancer into an objective reality.

Practicing Oncology in the Gray Zone

February 1st 2017

"Uncertainty" is a routine dilemma when discussing a prognosis with a patient with cancer and his or her family. The prognosis is, at best, a statistical probability—assuming the available objective data are somewhat representative of the individual patient.

Dr. Markman on Combination Treatments in Ovarian Cancer

January 19th 2017

Maurie Markman, MD, president, Medicine and Science, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, editor-in-chief, OncologyLive, discusses combination treatments in ovarian cancer.

Dr. Markman on Immune Targeting in Ovarian Cancer

January 14th 2017

Maurie Markman, MD, president of Medicine and Science, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, editor-in-chief, OncologyLive, discusses the development of immune targeting in ovarian cancer.

When Values Collide: The Individual Versus the Common Good

January 9th 2017

It is perhaps a little unusual that an oncology commentary would begin with a highly provocative discussion about the future of driverless cars, but there are similarities in the sharp corners of the debate over this new technology and emerging trends in cancer care.

Dr. Markman on the Search for Actionable Biomarkers in Ovarian Cancer

January 5th 2017

Maurie Markman, MD, president, Medicine and Science, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, editor-in-chief, OncologyLive, discusses the search for actionable biomarkers in the treatment of patients with ovarian cancer.

Give Precision Medicine a Chance

December 28th 2016

Negative reports evaluating molecularly selected agents should not derail the process of developing future therapies by employing a precision medicine approach.

Patient-Friendly Policies Extend to Decision Making

December 12th 2016

It was not that long ago that decisions regarding cancer management were essentially made exclusively by the treating physician, with patients simply being informed of “the plan” for their treatment.

Challenging "What We Think We Know"

November 29th 2016

One of the basic tenets of science is the concept that all accepted “truths” are subject to objective testing and, through this process, can be shown to be false.

When Well-Meaning Health Policy Goes Awry

November 23rd 2016

Those responsible for developing and implementing governmental health policy have an extremely difficult job. Not only do they have to attempt to satisfy often highly unrealistic expectations of legislators for overall goals and timelines, but they also are frequently asked to accomplish a task with woefully inadequate funding.

Dr. Markman on Immune Targeting in Ovarian Cancer

November 10th 2016

Maurie Markman, MD, president, Medicine and Science, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, editor-in-chief, OncologyLive, discusses the current status of immune targeting as potential treatment for patients with ovarian cancer.

Is the "Best Therapy" Always Necessary Even If the Patient Can't Afford It?

October 29th 2016

In a most provocative commentary published in a recent issue of The Lancet, two authors present a strong argument that it is sometimes ethical to provide therapy that is known to be validated but less effective than the standard of care if this therapy is also so significantly less expensive that access is substantially enhanced.

Coffee Conundrum Shows How Trouble Is Brewing in Lifestyle Cancer Research

October 21st 2016

Twenty-five years ago, WHO declared that coffee was a potential carcinogen. Now, the public health agency has reversed course, raising a host of questions about the accuracy and value not only about the original research but also about the recent report.

Dr. Markman on Important Factors of BSO in Ovarian Cancer

October 3rd 2016

Maurie Markman, MD, president, Medicine and Science, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, editor-in-chief, OncologyLive, discusses the most important factors of bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) to convey to patients with ovarian cancer.

Prognostic Truths May Be in the Eye of the Beholder

September 28th 2016

Perhaps oncologists know that having a detailed understanding of population-based survival statistics is very different from such knowledge of the future clinical course of an individual patient.

Innovative Clinical Trial Designs Generate New Ethical Dilemmas

September 16th 2016

Fifty years after Henry Beecher’s landmark critique finally helped begin breaking the “code-of-silence” regarding the conduct of unethical clinical research in the United States—sadly including the oncology arena—many serious concerns linger.

Physicians Often Ignore Phase III Findings in Managing Patients

August 30th 2016

Oncologists eagerly await clinical trial results that will permit them to provide additional strategies to their patients. However, the impact of such randomized trial results can be quite limited where preexisting beliefs, training, economic interests, or well-established practices conflict with what the "evidence" demonstrates.