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On July 21, 2021, the FDA granted full approval for the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab (Keytruda; Merck), in combination with the kinase inhibitor lenvatinib (Lenvima; Eisai), for the treatment of advanced endometrial carcinoma that is not MSI-H (microsatellite instability-high) or dMMR (mismatch repair-deficient), in patients whose disease progressed after previous systemic therapy in any setting, and who are not candidates for curative surgery or radiation. Read More ›

Due to the ongoing demands of running a busy medical practice, many of us have prioritized immediate telehealth needs while putting future telehealth considerations on the back burner. Now that we are more than halfway through the year, it is a good time to start thinking about sustaining a hybrid telehealth services model. Read More ›

On July 1, 2021, a new Anthem policy on drug dose reduction for dozens of oncology treatments became effective in 14 states (CA, CO, CT, GA, IN, KY, ME, MO, NV, NH, NY, OH, VA, and WI). Physicians and patients across the country are questioning whether this has become a prime example of a private payer coverage policy that is driven more by fiscal concerns than evidence-based medicine, interfering with patient access to standard-of-care treatments. Read More ›

Treatment with the immune checkpoint inhibitor atezolizumab (Tecentriq) following surgical resection and chemotherapy significantly improved disease-free survival (DFS) compared with best supportive care (BSC) alone in patients with stage II-IIIA non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and PD-L1 tumor composite score ≥1%, according to interim results from the phase 3 IMpower010 clinical trial, which were presented at the ASCO 2021 virtual annual meeting. Read More ›

The recent approval of several new HER2-targeted therapies has led to significant advances in the treatment of patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. During the 2021 Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association Annual Conference, Kelly Gaertner, PharmD, BCOP, BCPS, Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Hematology/Oncology, Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, discussed data from recent clinical trials evaluating these agents, including their potential to improve outcomes in patients with brain metastases. Read More ›

According to the American Cancer Society, nearly 35,000 new cases of multiple myeloma will be diagnosed in the United States in 2021, and approximately 12,410 deaths will be attributed to the disease. However, with the introduction of several novel therapies, the outcomes for patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma have improved significantly over the past decade. Read More ›

Although standard chemotherapy is often effective in the first-line treatment of locally invasive urothelial carcinoma, until recently, there have been few second- or third-line treatment options for patients with advanced or metastatic disease. During the 2021 Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association Annual Conference, Renee K. McAlister, PharmD, BCOP, Oncology Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Melanoma/Genitourinary Oncology Clinics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, discussed promising results from clinical trials evaluating the use of erdafitinib (Balversa) and enfortumab vedotin (Padcev), 2 FDA-approved drugs that are changing the therapeutic landscape for metastatic urothelial cancer. Read More ›

For more than 40 years, healthcare professionals, public health advocates, and healthcare strategists have been discussing health inequities that consistently and disproportionately affect groups of color in the United States. Despite growing awareness of these disparities, however, limited progress has been made, according to Lakesha M. Butler, PharmD, BCPS, Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Read More ›

Hot flashes, fatigue, back and joint pain, and anxiety are some of the symptoms and concerns frequently reported by early-stage breast cancer survivors, according to results from a study of 98 women with low-risk stage I/II estrogen/progesterone-positive, HER2/neu-negative cancers. These findings were presented by Jessica Schumacher, PhD, MS, Associate Professor, Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, during the American Society of Breast Surgeons 22nd Annual Meeting. Read More ›

Biosimilars have the potential to create a more sustainable healthcare environment by offering substantial cost-savings and expanding patient access to lifesaving therapies. At the ASCO 2021 virtual annual meeting, Lalan S. Wilfong, MD, Executive Vice President, Value-Based Care and Quality Programs, and Medical Oncologist/Hematologist, Texas Oncology, Presbyterian Cancer Center Dallas, TX, discussed how a community practice model for therapeutic interchange of brand drugs to biosimilars led to a significant increase in utilization of biosimilars and substantial cost-savings over the course of a single year at his institution. Read More ›