Authors

Latest:

Key Features of the CMMI Oncology Care Model (OCM)

To date, enthusiasm for bundled pricing has consisted principally of cardiac and orthopedic procedures with a hospital inpatient component. Is oncology next in line for alternate/bundled payment?

By Sandra Hanner

Latest:

Synchronous Radiotherapy With Chemotherapy Improves Local Control in Early Breast Cancer Patients

Radiotherapy can be given between or during chemotherapy cycles, rather than sequentially, for women with early breast cancer.

By Sandra Kear

Latest:

Advances in Preventing and Diagnosing Cervical Cancer

Advances in screening and the approval of vaccines against the human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes 70% of cervical cancer cases, have brought us to a turning point with cervical cancer.

By Sandra Spoelstra, PhD, RN

Latest:

Nurses Leading the Way: Promoting Adherence to Oral Cancer Medications

Sandra Spoelstra, PhD, RN, of the Michigan State University College of Nursing, outlines the essential and growing role of oncology nurses in helping patients with cancer to manage their oral regimens

By Sara L. Thier, PhD, MPH

Latest:

Complexities of Translating PD-1/PD-L1 Agents to Clinical Practice Emerge

As varying immunotherapy options become available for different types of cancers, researchers will have to take the next steps in clinical studies and in practice before the growing excitement over emerging agents can truly be translated into beneficial new therapies for patients.

By Sara Thier, PhD, MPH

Latest:

Experts Discuss New Diagnostic and Management Approaches in Multiple Myeloma

With the advent of safer and more effective treatments, early diagnosis of multiple myeloma (MM) has become an important goal.

By Stanton R. Mehr

Latest:

Reimbursement and Managed Care News: June 2007

Topics covered in this issue include: 1) High Cancer Drug Costs Altering the Research and Treatment Dynamic 2) $128 Million Settlement to Physicians 3) Coinsurance Change for Medicare Beneficiaries for Colon Cancer Screening, and more

By Steve Dobbs

Latest:

The Value of Office-Based Prescription Dispensing

Steve Dobbs, the CEO of Urologic Specialists of Oklahoma, Inc, discusses the viability, legality, and successful implementation of an office-based medication-dispensing solution.

By Stuart Lichtman, MD

Latest:

Individualized Approach to Treatment for the Elderly Ovarian Cancer Patient

Stuart Lichtman, MD, and William Tew, MD, from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, discuss personalizing treatment for elderly patients with ovarian cancer.

By Susan Krigel, PhD

Latest:

Chemobrain-It's Real, It's Complex, and the Science Is Still Evolving

Talk with almost any cancer survivor, and she/he is likely to bring up the topic of "chemobrain," that fuzzy, murky state that patients blame for impaired memory.

By Tony Hagen

Latest:

New Oncology Care Model Reforms Payment System, Offers Performance-Based Incentives

The CMS announced the launch of an Oncology Care Model that contains goals and incentives for practitioners in cancer care.

By William K. Oh, MD

Latest:

Whole-Blood, 6-Gene Prognostic Signature May Help Personalize Prostate Cancer Treatment

Drs William Oh and Yixuan Gong discuss their research involving a whole-blood, 6-gene prognostic signature that has the potential to help personalize prostate cancer treatment.

By Yair Benita, PhD

Latest:

Patient-Contributed Tumor Genetics Data: A Pathway to Better Drug Development?

Developing companion diagnostics has several associated challenges related to cost, access to samples, and clinical trial recruitment.

Byoung Chul Cho, MD, PhD, Yonsei Cancer Center at Yonsei University College of Medicine

Byrne Lee, MD

Latest:

Dr. Lee on Data Regarding HIPEC in mCRC

Byrne Lee, MD, chief, Upper GI and Mixed Tumor Surgery Service, associate clinical professor of surgical oncology, Department of Surgery, and surgical oncologist, City of Hope, discusses data regarding the use of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).

C. Daniel Mullins, PhD

Latest:

Racial/Ethnic and Age Disparities in Chemotherapy Selection for Colorectal Cancer

Studies have evaluated racial/ethnic and age disparities in whether patients receive chemotherapy for nonmetastatic colo-rectal cancer

C. E. (Gene) Reeder, RPh, PhD

Latest:

NOW Initiative: Payer & Provider Collaborations in Oncology Benefits Management

Payers recognize the need to expand benefits management for oncology but struggle to find effective solutions amid the complexity of available therapies and skepticism from oncologists, who are facing their own set of economic pressures. The National Oncology Working Group (NOW) Initiative is trying to change the sometimes adversarial relationship between payers and oncologists through a collaborative model.

C. Kent Osborne, MD

Latest:

Dr. Osborne on Evaluating HER2 Positivity in Breast Cancer

C. Kent Osborne, MD, discusses the important take home message for physicians treating patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. Osborne says the role of HER2-positivity is complicated.

C Leora Horn, MD, MSc, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center

C. Ola Landgren, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center