Practice & Policy

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved asparaginase Erwinia chrysanthemi (Erwinaze) for the treatment of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), who have developed hypersensitivity to E. coli derived asparaginase and pegaspargase chemotherapy.

The episode-of-care project is the first program in which a payer has partnered with the oncology community to reduce costs while paying for the demanding and complex cognitive work of the medical oncologist. The episode-of-care payment system seems to be working smoothly and we have not experienced the same erosion of our income that we have seen with other payers.

As insurers, clinicians and the U.S. government attempt to slow the increasing rise of health care costs, many experts have identified the tool entitled “clinical pathways” as a solution. Oncologists who adhere to such pathways are thought to improve patient care and reduce expenses.

This article addresses the practical application of palliative care (PC) in the outpatient oncology setting. While information on this topic is scarce, data published by a few outpatient practices provide the basis for potential models of integrated care.
• Palliative Care Is Adaptable to a Wide Variety of Oncology Practice Settings
• The Hope of Integrated Palliative Care in Oncology Private Practice
• Independent Physician Associations and Outpatient Palliative Care

The US Food and Drug Administration announced today that it has revoked the approval of bevacizumab for breast cancer due to the potentially life-threatening side effects associated with the treatment. It was approved for metastatic breast cancer in February 2008, but data later showed that along with an increase in side effects, there was no increase in overall survival.

Nationally, the number of drug shortages has tripled since 2005. Other generic drug shortages in our clinic have included paclitaxel, leucovorin, and doxorubicin. We have had limited ability to order fluorouracil (5-FU) and mitomycin.

In this review, we discuss the potential applications and limitations of GIS software in oncology research. Our aims are to help clinicians and policy makers interpret studies generated using GIS, and to help clinical investigators implement GIS in future research.
• Examining the Geography of Cancer Incidence and Care

This article summarizes some of the most important federal coverage provisions and safeguards that promote access to preventive services for individuals with cancer or individuals who are at risk for cancer.

A study has been released that demonstrates the cost-effectiveness of Medicare-funded cancer care treatment programs.

A recent epidemiology study by the NCI has found an almost four-fold increase of cancer survivors since 1971: 11.9 million in 2008 compared with 3 million in 1971, and the authors of the study expect a 42% increase in the number of older adult survivors in the next 10 years.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved two new indications for the osteoporosis drug denosumab, as a treatment for bone loss in men receiving androgen deprivation therapy for nonmetastatic prostate cancer and in women receiving adjuvant aromatase inhibitor therapy for breast cancer.

A new study of collaborative oncology practice models showed that the greater use of nonphysician practitioners (NPPs) led to an increase in productivity for the practice and was satisfying for both physicians and the NPPs. This provides one potential solution for the predicted shortage of oncologists in the next decade.

QOPI measures are evidenced-based and consensus-based measures that are derived from published research studies, peer-reviewed guidelines, and expert consensus. The mission of QOPI is to provide a means by which oncology practices can continually examine the care they provide, to ensure that each patient receives the best care possible.

The FDA has approved crizotinib (Xalkori) for the treatment of late-stage non–small-cell lung cancer patients who express the abnormal anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced last week the approval of brentuximab vedotin, a CD30-directed antibody drug-conjugate, for the treatment of refractory Hodgkin lymphoma and systemic anaplastic large-cell lymphoma.