Oncology Business Management | Specialty

The OncLive Oncology Business Management condition center page is a comprehensive resource for news and expert insights on business-focused updates and topics in oncology practices, including diversity efforts, telehealth, gaps in care, payment models, and more. This page features news articles, interviews in written and video format, and podcasts that focus on updates and best practices with oncology business management.


Giving Patients Better Access to Oral Anticancer Drugs

May 19th 2010

The use of oral oncolytics is increasing, with 14 approved already and nearly one-quarter of the oncology pipeline consisting of oral therapies. Despite this, the Community Oncology Alliance (COA), a nonprofit organization that advocates for patients and providers in the community oncology setting, said many patients still have difficulty getting access`to targeted oral oncolytics.

By The Numbers; End-of-Life Discussions with Patients

May 19th 2010

The potential federal healthcare overhaul engendered a bitter debate over rumored "death panels" making end-of-life decisions for patients. Although the claims were never substantiated, the furor directed the nation's attention to the important issue of end-of-life care.

ASH Interview Series

May 18th 2010

The December issue of Oncology & Biotech News featured highlights from the 51st American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition. We wrap up our ASH coverage this month with interviews on multiple myeloma with Brian G.M. Durie, MD, medical director and co-founder of the International Myeloma Foundation; chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) with Robert J. Kreitman, MD, from the National Cancer Institute; and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) with Francis J. Giles, MD, Cancer Therapy and Research Center at The University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.

Are Your Patients in Clinical Trials? US Oncology Surveys Oncologists

May 18th 2010

Participation in clinical trial research is essential to continued improvement in cancer care. Yet, fewer than 10% of U.S. adults enroll in trials. A recent US Oncology�sponsored survey found that most oncologists remain optimistic about the future of clinical trial research. We discuss obstacles to clinical trial enrollment with Nicholas Vogelzang, MD, and Matthew Galsky, MD, of the Comprehensive CancerCenters of Nevada.

IPPC: Why You Should Be There

May 18th 2010

The Third Annual Interdisciplinary Prostate Cancer Congress (IPCC) will take place on Saturday March 27, 2010, in New York City.

California Researchers Say Medicinal Marijuana Relieves Pain

May 18th 2010

A persistent concern about using marijuana for medical purposes has been the lack of clinical trials demonstrating marijuana's effectiveness in any of the conditions for which it is legally prescribed in many states. Now, a team of researchers from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine's Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research (CMCR) has presented a summary of studies to the California legislature that claims smoking marijuana relieves pain in several chronic illnesses.

FDA Approves Expanded Use of Tykerb

May 18th 2010

On January 29, the FDA expanded indications for lapatinib (Tykerb) to include its use in combination with the aromatase inhibitor letrozole (Femara) to treat hormone-positive and HER2-positive advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women.

Aspirin May Reduce Breast Cancer Metastasis and Mortality Rates

May 18th 2010

New data suggest that women who take aspirin regularly following a breast cancer diagnosis cut their risk of death and distant metastases by nearly 50%.

If Healthcare Reform Sinks, We May All Drown

May 18th 2010

Healthcare reform (HCR) is complicated, not only because of the diversity of options but also the range and passion of opinions on the subject. Physicians are in the unique position of being able to see the debate from multiple angles. Yet, it does not take a physician to recognize that the current healthcare system is unsustainable.

Tulane Cancer Center's Multifocal Mission: Teaching, Research, and Patient Care

May 18th 2010

In post-Katrina New Orleans, Louisiana, people refer to their return home and the revival of the city as �being back.� Today, the human spirit is thriving in the Big Easy�s resurrected communities and New Orleans is growing. The Tulane Cancer Center (TCC) at Tulane University Medical School has been the beneficiary of some of that growth.

Nab-Paclitaxel Outperforms Paclitaxel in NSCLC

May 18th 2010

In a phase III study of 1052 patients, nanoparticle albumin-bound (nab) paclitaxel (Abraxane)produced significant improvement in the overall response rate compared with standard paclitaxel in the first-line treatment of patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Clarient Launches Pulmotype to Help Oncologists Choose the Right Therapy

May 18th 2010

In early February, Clarient Inc announced the commercial launch of its Insight Dx Pulmotype test that helps pathologists classify specific types of lung cancer so physicians can prescribe the most effective therapies.

The Shifting Landscape Toward Immunotherapies

May 17th 2010

Research and development in cancer has made a seismic shift toward immunotherapies, like anticancer vaccines, and the resulting tremor can be felt in the hallways and laboratories of drug and biotechnology companies large and small.

CMS Declines to Cover NaF-18 PET Outside of Trials

May 17th 2010

To help address delays in nuclear imaging procedures caused by an isotope shortage that resulted when two Canadian reactors went offline in 2009, the Academy of Molecular Imaging and other professional societies urged CMS to grant coverage for the use of NaF-18 PET in diagnosing bone metastases in patients with cancer.

Cystoscopy Alone Most Cost-Effective for Monitoring Bladder Cancer Recurrence

May 17th 2010

A study presented at the ASCO 2010 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium found that adding urine testing to cystoscopy to monitor patients for bladder cancer recurrence greatly increases costs without a corresponding clinical benefit.

FDA, Legislators, Professional Groups, and Manufacturers to Address Medical Radiation Risks

May 17th 2010

In February 2010, the FDA announced it would be developing and implementing stringent measures to regulate patient exposure to radiation associated with imaging studies, in particular from computed tomography (CT) scanning.

Combination Regimen Prolongs PFS in Recurrent Ovarian Cancer but Decreases Quality of Life

May 17th 2010

According to a study presented at the Society of Gynecologic Oncology 41st Annual Meeting on Women's Cancer, held in San Francisco, California, a combination of docetaxel(Taxotere) and carboplatin almost doubled progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with recurrent, platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer.

Gardasil Protects Against Reoccurrence of HPV-related Disease After Surgery

May 17th 2010

New evidence presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists suggests that Gardasil, a vaccine that prevents cervical cancer, also reduces the likelihood of recurrence after surgery by 40%.

Test May Detect Pancreatic Cancer Early

May 17th 2010

A novel blood test identifies PAM4 (or clivatuzumab), an antigen that is present in almost 90% of pancreatic cancers and precancers.

Cetuximab Plus Chemotherapy Does Not Improve PFS in Advanced NSCLC

May 17th 2010

Results of a phase III multicenter, open-label study demonstrated that first-line treatment with a combination of cetuximab and a taxane/carboplatin (TC)significantly approved the overall response rate (ORR)and led to slight improvement in overall survival (OS). The study did not meet its primary endpoint of progression-free survival (PFS) as assessed by an independent radiologic review committee (IRCC).

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