Direct From ASCO
ASCO Honors 2022 Special Awards Recipients
ASCO and Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation, will recognize researchers, patient advocates, philanthropists, teachers, and global oncology leaders who have reshaped cancer care around the world with the Society’s highest honors at the 2022 ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago. Hear from select award reci...
Rapid Guideline Revises Recommendations for Adjuvant Therapy in Patients With Early-Stage Lung Cancer
A rapid recommendation update to an ASCO guideline offers revised parameters for adjuvant therapy in patients with resected non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have stage IB to IIIA disease.1,2 The new guidance reflects the findings from two randomized clinical trials that assessed the use of tar...
New Report Offers Guidance for Standardizing Data on Sex, Gender, Sexual Orientation
On March 9, 2022, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) issued a new report, Measuring Sex, Gender Identity, and Sexual Orientation, recommending the National Institutes of Health (NIH) implement new guidelines to standardize the collection of data on sex, gender, and...
War in Ukraine: Statistics Do Not Keep Pace With Reality
Andriy Hrynkiv, MD
Editor’s Note: The following is adapted from Dr. Hrynkiv’s presentation at the March 18 ASCO/ECO Briefing: Cancer Care During the War in Ukraine. Find resources for impacted patients and providers at asco.org/ukraine and onco-help.org. Official statistics regarding damage and losses in Ukraine are ...
Congress Increases Federal Funding for Cancer Research
President Biden is soon expected to sign into law the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 omnibus funding bill, which provides funding for all federal agencies through September 30, 2022. The bill was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate during the week of March 7, 2022. The bill signi...
Supporting and Mobilizing Resources: ASCO Joins Worldwide Efforts to Support Ukrainian Cancer Care
“Refugees and displaced people may see their cancer treatment interrupted, or they may develop a new cancer while they are in host countries. They often present with advanced disease and suffer more complications. These patients have poor outcomes because of poor hygiene and living conditions, as we...
New ASCO-SNO Guideline Addresses Treatment Recommendations Tailored to Glioma Subtypes
Reflecting recent significant classification changes and new data on the use of biomarkers to inform treatment for central nervous system tumors, a new guideline offers oncologists up-to-date recommendations for managing gliomas in adults with neurologic cancer.1 “Over the past decade, there have b...
Most Favored Nation Model’s Withdrawal Complete; ASCO Applauds Decision Preserving Access to Care
On December 29, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule rescinding the Most Favored Nation (MFN) model. MFN was originally proposed in November 2020 and scheduled to be implemented on January 1, 2021. ASCO and other groups strenuously opposed what would have ...
ASCO Provisional Clinical Opinion Offers Guidance for Using and Interpreting Genomic Testing in Patients With Advanced Cancer
Emily A. Kuhl, PhD
Somatic genomic testing should be a routine part of clinical care for many patients with metastatic or advanced solid tumors, according to a new ASCO provisional clinical opinion.1 As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the expert panel found that genomic testing in oncology practice has e...
ASCO Stands With Ukraine’s Cancer Community
On March 2, 2022, ASCO issued the following statement: “ASCO stands with our Ukrainian members, the worldwide oncology community, and health-care providers around the globe in condemning Russia’s unprovoked war on Ukraine. We call for an immediate cessation of these hostilities and demand full pro...
2023 ACA Proposal Aims to Advance Health Equity and Improve Access to Health-Care Coverage
ASCO submitted comments in response to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 2023 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters proposed rule. The rule includes proposed changes to standards for issuers and marketplaces and reinstates many bene...
PREVENT Pandemics Act Would Improve Public Health in the United States
ASCO sent comments to leadership of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) regarding the Prepare for and Respond to Existing Viruses, Emerging New Threats, and Pandemics Act (PREVENT Pandemics Act). This legislation aims to improve the nation’s public health and m...
New ASCO Report Clarifies Potential Value and Utility of Biosimilars in Oncology
Emily A. Kuhl, PhD
A new report from an ASCO expert panel that addresses unanswered questions about biosimilars—licensed biologic products that are largely analogous to products approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)—found that they may represent an affordable and effective alternative for cancer care...
ASCO and Ontario Health Provide Updated Recommendations on Using Adjuvant Bone-Modifying Treatments in Nonmetastatic Breast Cancer
Emily A. Kuhl, PhD
An update to a joint guideline from Cancer Care Ontario (now a division of Ontario Health) and ASCO provides revised recommendations for the use of adjuvant bone-modifying agents for patients with nonmetastatic breast cancer, with the overarching goal of improving relapse and survival rates.1,2 “...
New Guideline Offers Most Comprehensive Summary to Date of Therapies for Brain Metastases
Emily A. Kuhl, PhD
In an effort to synthesize findings from multiple guidelines on various management approaches for brain metastases, ASCO, the Society for Neuro-Oncology (SNO), and the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) spearheaded the development of a novel publication to inform and update physician de...
Moonshot Expansion Offers Opportunity to Increase Equity in Cancer, Recover Progress on Screening
On February 2, 2022, Howard A. “Skip” Burris III, MD, FACP, FASCO, Board Chair of the Association for Clinical Oncology, issued the following statement: “The Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) applauds President Biden for his decision to relaunch the Cancer Moonshot with ambitious and worth...
Amid Health-Care Workforce Shortages, Staffing Guidance Should Ensure Protection of Individuals With Cancer
“In many areas of the United States, the health-care system is facing critical workforce shortages. ASCO encourages public health officials and health-care facilities to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for managing health-care personnel with SARS–CoV-2 infection or exp...
ASCO Updates Guidance on Use of Abemaciclib and Endocrine Therapy in Patients With High-Risk Early Breast Cancer
Mindy Tanzola, PhD
A rapid update to the ASCO guideline on optimal adjuvant chemotherapy and targeted therapy for early breast cancer provides guidance on the use of the oral cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitor abemaciclib with endocrine therapy in patients with high-risk early breast cancer.1 The upda...
ASCO and American Cancer Society Announce Collaboration to Empower People With Cancer Information They Can Trust
ASCO and the American Cancer Society (ACS) initiated a collaboration to ensure that people can easily find the trusted, expert-approved cancer content they need when turning to either organization for information. As an initial step, the organizations are cross-sharing select cancer prevention, scre...
Guideline Update Highlights the Importance of Shared Decision-Making Regarding the Use of Adjuvant Therapy in Stage II Colon Cancer
Brandon May
ASCO has published updated guidance on the use of adjuvant therapy in the management of stage II colon cancer, providing clinicians with a newer evidence-based framework that can be used in shared decision-making with patients.1 Need for Updated Guidance “How to approach patients with stage II co...
Use of Consolidation Durvalumab and Adjuvant Osimertinib Among Key Recommendations in New ASCO Guideline on Stage III NSCLC Treatment
Brandon May
A new ASCO guideline provides key recommendations for the evaluation and management of stage III non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Recommendations made by the ASCO expert panel cover evaluation and staging of NSCLC, neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapies, and the management of unresectable disease.1 ...
ASCO Statement on 50th Anniversary of Signing of National Cancer Act
Everett E. Vokes, MD, FASCO, President, ASCO
“Fifty years ago, just a few days before the new year, former President Richard Nixon signed into law the National Cancer Act (NCA), setting a clear national priority to conquer cancer. “At the time the bill was signed into law, pioneers in our field had already made substantial discoveries, but we...
ASCO Unveils New Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Action Plan
Building on its long history of advancing health equity in cancer care, ASCO recently released “The ASCO Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Action Plan: A Legacy of Commitment, A Future of Promise for Individuals with Cancer.” The plan aims to infuse equity into all of the organization’s activit...
Health Groups Make Recommendations to Strengthen the U.S. Drug Supply Chain During the Pandemic and Beyond
ASCO—along with the American Medical Association, the American Society of Anesthesiologists, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, and the United States Pharmacopeia—released a series of policy and marketplace recommendations to address the significant challenges in our nation’s drug su...
Lynn M. Schuchter, MD, FASCO, Elected ASCO President for 2023–2024 Term
The ASCO Post Staff
ASCO has elected Lynn M. Schuchter, MD, FASCO, a long-time member and volunteer, to serve as its President beginning in June 2023. Dr. Schuchter will take office as President-Elect immediately after the ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago in June 2022. Seven new members were also elected to the ASCO Boar...
Recruiting Practices to Help Test Performance Measures to Advance Oncology Quality of Care
ASCO is currently recruiting practices to participate in measures testing for a variety of efforts, including re-endorsing existing measures by the National Quality Forum (NQF). In addition to ensuring the highest level of quality care for individuals with cancer and advancing the specialty of oncol...
Cures 2.0 Bill May Increase Diversity in Clinical Trials, Expand Access to Telehealth, Invest in Research
Representatives Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Fred Upton (R-MI) recently introduced new legislation intended to invest in research and deliver more cures to patients. The newly introduced 21st Century Cures 2.0 Act (Cures 2.0) is intended to build on the landmark 21st Century Cures Act, which was signed ...
ASCO Calls on Congress to Prevent Steep Medicare Cuts Before End of Year
“The Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) calls on Congress to pass legislation that will prevent devastating reimbursement cuts to Medicare services set to begin on January 1. Failure to do so will significantly compromise patient access to lifesaving cancer care during an ongoing and unprecede...
Build Back Better Act Passes in the House, Moves to Senate
On November 19, 2021, the Build Back Better Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives with a vote of 220–213. The legislation contains significant health-care provisions, some of which are outlined below. Drug Pricing—The legislation contains prescription drug pricing reforms designed to address...
Help Test Performance Measures to Advance Oncology Quality of Care
ASCO is currently recruiting practices to participate in measures testing for a variety of efforts, including re-endorsing existing measures by the National Quality Forum (NQF). In addition to ensuring the highest level of quality care for individuals with cancer and advancing the specialty of oncol...
COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements for Medicare, Medicaid Facilities, and Employers of 100 or More Staff Released
On November 4, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued an interim final rule requiring COVID-19 vaccination of eligible staff at health-care facilities that participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) iss...
ASCO Releases New Guidelines on the Management of Adverse Events in Patients Treated With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors and CAR T-Cell Therapy
ASCO has released new recommendations for the management of adverse events related to two immunotherapy modalities with increasing application in cancer care—immune checkpoint inhibitors and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy. The recommendations were published as two separate guidelines...
Five Percent Overall Medicare Reimbursement Cut Estimated for Medical Oncology in 2022
On November 2, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and Quality Payment Program (QPP) final rule. Although ASCO will analyze the rule in greater detail in the coming days, initial highlights from the rule are outlined he...
Mortality Risk in Patients With Cancer and SARS–CoV-2 Higher Among Older Patients With B-Cell Malignancies and Those Who Previously or Currently Smoke
A recent study published in JCO Oncology Practice found that patients with certain cancers have a higher mortality risk than those with other cancer types if they have contracted the novel coronavirus (SARS–CoV-2).1 Specifically, older patients with B-cell malignancies who acquire SARS–CoV-2 who are...
COVID-19 Resources for People With Cancer
ASCO has compiled a number of resources to help people with cancer navigate COVID-19. Coronavirus and COVID-19: What People With Cancer Need to Know Cases of COVID-19 have arisen all over the world. Here’s what people with cancer and cancer survivors need to know about the disease. Available at ht...
ASCO Joins Effort to Improve COVID-19 Vaccination Rates Among High-Risk Adults, Including People With Cancer
ASCO has partnered with the Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS) for a new initiative to improve COVID-19 vaccination rates among high-risk adults. The partnership is the result of a 5-year cooperative agreement the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) awarded CMSS, a coalition ...
ASCO Quality Improvement Programs Helped to Enhance the Delivery of Cancer Care in Medically Underserved Communities, Article Reports
Oncology practices that participated in a quality improvement project that included ASCO’s Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI®) and ASCO Quality Training Program (QTP) were able to make improvements in the care provided to underserved populations in their communities, according to a recent a...
Second Surprise Billing Rule Covers Dispute Resolution Processes, Good Faith Estimates for the Uninsured
On September 30, 2021, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Labor, and the Department of the Treasury (“the Departments”), along with the Office of Personnel Management, released an interim final rule with comment period, entitled “Requirements Related to Surpris...
Extended Open Enrollment, Special Enrollment Periods Finalized for Some Insurance Exchanges, Increasing Access to Cancer Care
On September 17, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized a rule that could increase access to cancer care through an extended open enrollment period and monthly special enrollment periods for federally facilitated health insurance exchanges and state-based exchanges on...
Advance Care Planning Is Crucial Component of Cancer Care
ASCO’s Coverage and Reimbursement Steering Group presented a poster on utilization of advance care planning (ACP) services at the ASCO Quality Care Symposium. The poster examined whether Current Procedural Terminology (CPT®) codes for ACP services are regularly utilized by hematology and oncology ph...
JCO OP Special Series: Disparities in Cancer Care for Hispanic-Latinx People
JCO Oncology Practice is now accepting manuscripts for a special issue on disparities in cancer care for Hispanic-Latinx people. Submit your manuscript today at https://www.editorialmanager.com/op-ascopubs/default.aspx Guest Editors Miguel Villalona-Calero, MD; Gilberto Lopes, MD, MBA; Narjust Dum...
Urge Congress to Avoid Shutdown, Increase Funding for Cancer Research in Fiscal Year 2022
ASCO is calling on Congress to continue its bipartisan support of federally funded research. Robust, sustained, and predictable funding growth for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) baseline budgets is critical in advancing our nation’s work toward ultima...
New Certification Pilot Focuses on Patient-Centered Cancer Care, Equips Practices With Evidence-Based Approach to Value-Based Care Delivery
The Association for Clinical Oncology (the Association) launched the ASCO Patient-Centered Cancer Care Certification, a new pilot that certifies outpatient oncology group practices and health systems that meet a single set of comprehensive, expert-backed standards for patient-centered care delivery....
340B Needs Reforms, Not Cuts, to Improve Low-Income Americans’ Access to Care
In comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), ASCO expressed significant concerns that several provisions in the 2022 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System proposed rule have the potential to undermine access to cancer care for Medicare beneficiaries. ASCO does, how...
Administration Outlines Plan to Address High Prescription Drug Costs
On September 9, 2021, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a report titled, “Comprehensive Plan for Addressing High Drug Prices: A Report in Response to the Executive Order on Competition in the American Economy.” The report comes following President Biden’s July 2021 Exec...
Breast Cancer Research Foundation®, Conquer Cancer, and ASCO Celebrate 20th Year of Collaboration
2021 marks the 20th year of collaboration between ASCO; Conquer Cancer®, the ASCO Foundation; and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation® (BCRF). BCRF’s pivotal support during the past 2 decades has been critical to both organizations’ shared achievements in funding breakthroughs in breast cancer res...
Disaster Assistance: Resources Available for Cancer Care Physicians, Patients Impacted by Hurricane Ida
ASCO has a list of resources and information to support cancer care providers and patients affected by natural disasters such as Hurricane Ida. The resources include materials from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, emergency contact and preparedness information, and information on st...
Guideline Rapid Update Provides New Direction on the Care of Patients With Residual Disease in Locally Advanced Esophageal Cancer
Emily A. Kuhl, PhD
An ASCO guideline rapid update is revising recommendations for the management of locally advanced esophageal carcinoma to include provision of nivolumab following adjuvant chemoradiotherapy and surgery. The new guidance addresses treatment of patients with residual disease following resection and ch...
Conquer Cancer Updates Mission, Vision; Adopts Values Inspired by Its Donors
To underscore its commitment to scale and grow cancer research funding and to align more closely with ASCO, Conquer Cancer®, the ASCO Foundation, has updated its mission and vision. Mission: Accelerate breakthroughs in lifesaving research and empower people everywhere to conquer cancer. Vision: A ...
ASCO Applauds Administration Decision to Withdraw Most Favored Nation Model
“The Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) commends the Biden Administration for proposing to rescind the Most Favored Nation (MFN) model from consideration. ASCO has consistently opposed the ill-advised MFN model, as it would have had a devastating impact on people with cancer. “The proposed ...
