Impressive phase II results from MDA, confirming many of our prior anecdotal experiences with this drug. Not a randomized study but it is now approved in the locally advanced and metastatic setting. Responses were seen across all subgroups including PD1-neg patients.
Very well-tolerated therapy with impressive clinical and laboratorial improvement of this uncommon disease process.
Another study showing that ctDNA will absolutely change how we manage and follow patients in a myriad of neoplasms, with decreased utilization of CT scans in the next decade.
Very interesting study with potential practical use of MRD surveillance instead of expensive maintenance therapies with toxicities for patients with lower risk disease from a genomic standpoint. Larger studies may be needed to confirm this strategy.
Interesting lack of deepened response with chemotherapy intensification. Expected increase in GI toxicity, increased cost and diminished options upon progression place this truly a quadruple combination on the shelf.
Fascinating report/study making salient points on the continued need to characterize patients’ neoplasm from a genomic standpoint and the impact of direct management of oligometastatic disease in patients with high-risk mutational signature.
Another PDL-1 drug demonstrating improved outcomes with far less toxic events. More agents in the same class are welcome additions for patient care, to drive costs down and increase options.
Impressive response rates and complete response in this setting, with moderate toxicities. Randomized trial is necessary to document survival, PFS differences. Cost will be very considerable in the setting value-based strategies. The clinical benefit must be quite superior in a randomized setting.
While price transparency across sites of care on its face is a step in the right direction, datapoints when viewed discretely are less informative when it comes to the actual costs associated with cancer care. Additional work, analysis and research is much needed across the stakeholder continuum to fully understand the costs associated with the treatment of cancer, and to further achieve the transparency goals set forth by CMS in 2019 with this initiative.
STAT News published the below Op Ed from COA that does that highlights the dysfunction of the 340B system and how Hospital Systems and PBMs are profiting Billions of dollars a year off of a program that was intended to help underserved patients. Is a great “high level” review to help understand the overall impact on the US medical system and the importance of health care reform in this area.
FCS Hematology Oncology Review creates a platform for our physician network to observe the most recent articles and studies available in the oncology and hematology world. By sharing these articles we are building our wealth of knowledge of new observations and treatments as they come available.
