Dylann Cohn-Emery

During the 2020 Association of Community Cancer Centers Virtual National Oncology Conference, a cardio-oncologist and nurse navigator explained the importance of identifying cardiotoxicities in patients with cancer and how to implement a program to help these patients have improved care coordination and experience through employing a nurse navigator

In a post hoc analysis of the randomized phase 3 SURTIME trial of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma, early treatment with sunitinib demonstrated better control over the disease as well as detection of progression before planned cytoreductive nephrectomy.

Patients with newly diagnosed, advanced BRCA-mutated ovarian cancer who experienced complete or partial response following platinum-based chemotherapy continued to exhibit benefit in progression-free survival when receiving olaparib at long-term follow up versus placebo as first-line maintenance.

The combination of dabrafenib and trametinib in patients with biliary tract cancer and BRAF V600E mutations demonstrated clinical activity and a manageable safety profile, according to results from the phase 2 ROAR study.

Compared to other racial and ethnic groups, Black patients were the least likely to receive chemotherapy or surgical resection for colorectal liver metastases and experienced worse survival, according to a published research paper.

The efficacy of ixazomib with lenalidomide and dexamethasone versus lenalidomide and dexamethasone plus placebo was shown in the phase 3 TOURMALINE-MM2 trial for patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who were not eligible for autologous stem cell transplant, according to a press release from Takeda.

In the first reported trial of an immune checkpoint inhibitor with chemotherapy in patients with treatment naïve malignant pleural mesothelioma, durvalumab in combination with cisplatin and pemetrexed demonstrated clinical activity and tolerability, according to published study.

The American Society of Clinical Oncology gathered the most recent data on the supply of oncologist in comparison to the demand for them in the United States. A significant shortage of specialists was discovered.

Patients with myelofibrosis have complicated pathology and multiple pathways, creating the opportunity to use multiple targeted agents for treatment, but also leading to greater potential for resistance to monotherapy, according to Lucia Masarova, MD.

The FDA announced draft guidance, which provides recommendations for the design of clinical trials and biological products for product labeling for those with brain metastases regulated by the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research and the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.

A phase 2a study is recruiting patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma to receive the combination of MT-3724, a novel CD-20–targeting engineered toxin body and lenalidomide, according to a poster presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Advances in Malignant Lymphoma Meeting.

Short and longterm safety and a meaningful reduction in worst pain were reported in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, based on results from the REASSURE trial.

A quality improvement tool called “Improving Care Coordination: A Model for Lung Cancer” released by the Association of Community Cancer Centers is a model framework to be used by cancer care providers to improve care coordination for patients with lung cancer who are covered by Medicaid.

In the first pooled prospective study to show the long-term outcomes of cranial radiation in patients with limited brain metastases, it was observed that whole-brain radiotherapy was associated with worse cognitive outcomes and mixed quality of life compared with stereotactic radiosurgery for these patients over time, according to a presentation from Joshua Palmer, MD, at the 2020 Virtual Conference on Brain Metastases.

Debio 1143, a potential first-in-class inhibitor of apoptosis proteins, demonstrated a statistically and clinically significant overall survival improvement when used in combination with chemoradiotherapy as treatment of patients with high-risk locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, according to a press release from Debiopharm.

Positive data from the phase IIa COMBAT clinical trial indicate that CXCR4 and PD-1 blockade with the combination of pembrolizumab and BL-8040 can improved upon the benefit of chemotherapy as treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

The phase 3 IMpassion131 trial investigating atezolizumab plus paclitaxel versus placebo plus paclitaxel did not its primary end point of progression-free survival and was not statistically significant in the first line for patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer who had PD-L1-positive disease.

The final data of a personalized tumor lysate, particle-loaded, dendritic cell vaccine demonstrated that patients with stage III or IV melanoma with high-risk of recurrence after complete surgical resection had better survival benefit and disease-free survival rate with the vaccine over placebo, according to a press release from Elios Therapeutics.

A single-dose combination of netupitant/palonosetron demonstrated better efficacy compared with a 3-day aprepitant-based regimen, according to results of a pooled analysis of multiple phase 2/3 studies investigating the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in patients receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy.

A survey by MJH Life Science reveals how patient communication has evolved across clinical practices in the wake of COVID-19.

The expanded version of the BD Onclarity HPV Assay received approval for a pre-market approval supplement from the FDA, making it the only assay approved right now that individually identifies and reports human papillomavirus genotypes 31, 51, 52, 33/58, 35/39/68, and 56/59/66, as well as the standard 16,18, and 45.

Data from a treatment utilization study revealed racial disparities in treatments as well as the effects and clinical outcomes of treatments such as remdesivir and dexamethasone in patients with cancer who were diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019.

A retrospective 10-year analysis of 3 randomized clinical trials explored the question of whether BRAF V600E/K mutations or previous use of a BRAF inhibitor with or without a MEK inhibitor in patients with metastatic disease impacted patient response to pembrolizumab.

A nationwide group of clinical investigators teamed up to explore options on how to manage patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer in a multidisciplinary setting during the ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019.

An exploratory analysis of trastuzumab emtansine demonstrated activity and tolerability in patients with HER2-positive locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer who have brain metastases participating in the prospective KAMILLA trial.

The last patient with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma was enrolled on the phase 2 HEPANOVA trial, which is investigating the combination of Tumor Treating Fields and sorafenib. The combination showed safety and tolerability for patients in an interim analysis.

"Since 2008, 1748 community oncology clinics and/or practices have closed, been acquired by hospitals, undergone corporate mergers, or reported financial difficulties."

"Taletrectinib is a promising oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor highly selective for ROS1/NTRK mutations with potent activity against ROS1 resistance mutations like G2032R."

"In the case of sarcomas treated with the current standard of care, doxorubicin, tumors may be initially responsive in their primary location, but become unresponsive after metastasis to the lungs, which eventually becomes the most likely cause of patients' death."

Oncology practices like Northwest Medical Specialties are looking for ways to improve their patient care and are willing to transform their practice to do so.