Direct From ASCO
Diversify Cancer Clinical Trials With New Recruitment and Retention Resources
ASCO and the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) jointly released two resources to help research sites increase racial and ethnic equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in cancer clinical trials. The Just ASK™ Increasing Diversity in Cancer Clinical Research: An ACCC-ASCO Training Program...
ASCO Updated Guideline of Biomarkers in Metastatic Breast Cancer Supports PIK3CA, BRCA1/2, PD-L1 Testing
Darcy Lewis
ASCO has issued a new practice guideline update on the use of biomarkers in the management of metastatic breast cancer.1 The updated guideline revisits recommendations from the 2015 guideline and addresses topics that have emerged since then in the move toward personalized medicine in metastatic bre...
Reconciliation Bill Focuses on Health-Care Provisions
Update: On August 7, 2022, the Senate passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a broad climate, tax, and health-care reconciliation bill, with a vote of 51 to 50. During a review of the IRA, the Senate parliamentarian removed provisions from the bill that would have required drug companies to pay a...
ASCO Endorses President Biden’s Pick of ASCO Past President Monica M. Bertagnolli, MD, FACS, FASCO, as Incoming Head of National Cancer Institute
The ASCO Post Staff
Clifford A. Hudis, MD, FACP, FASCO, Chief Executive Officer of ASCO, issued the following statement on July 21: ASCO applauds President Biden for his reported decision to appoint ASCO Past President Monica M. Bertagnolli, MD, FACS, FASCO, as the new Director of the National Cancer Institute (NC...
Nine Oncology Practices Certified Through ASCO Patient-Centered Cancer Care Certification Pilot
ASCO recently announced that nine outpatient oncology group practices have achieved certification through the new ASCO Patient-Centered Cancer Care Certification pilot based on their adherence to oncology medical home (OMH) standards, a single set of comprehensive, expert-backed standards for patien...
2023 Hospital Outpatient Payment Proposal Does Not Reflect SCOTUS Ruling on 340B Reimbursement
On July 15, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its proposed rule for the 2023 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS). ASCO is assessing the full proposal, but ASCO’s initial analysis is as follows. In June 2022, the Supreme Court ruled that...
New Guideline Updates Address Stage IV Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer With and Without Driver Alterations
Two ASCO guideline updates provide new evidence-based recommendations for the systemic treatment of stage IV non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with and without driver alterations.1,2 Among several other updates, these new guidelines add the ALK and ROS1 inhibitor lorlatinib and the PD-L1 immune che...
ASCO Releases First Comprehensive Evidence-Based Guidelines for Metastatic Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma
Jessica Nye, PhD
ASCO has released the first comprehensive set of guidelines for the management of metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC).1 The guidelines are subdivided into six main sections: diagnosis, the role of cytoreductive nephrectomy, first-line systemic treatment, second- or later-line systemic t...
CancerLinQ and Owkin Collaborate to Use Federated Learning on Real-World Oncology Data to Better Understand Lung Cancer Treatment
ASCO’s CancerLinQ and Owkin recently announced a new research collaboration to use artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze real-world oncology data with the aim to understand why some cases of metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are resistant to first-line immunotherapy. Using data from C...
ASCO and WHO to Collaborate on Quality Indicators for Cancer Facilities
In a collaboration announced on June 4, ASCO will work with the World Health Organization (WHO) to measure and improve the quality of cancer care internationally. The goal is to achieve health-related targets of the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals and WHO Global Action Plan on Non-Communicable Di...
ASCO Endorses New ASTRO Guideline on the Use of Radiation Treatment of Metastatic Brain Cancer
Emily A. Kuhl, PhD
ASCO has endorsed the recommendations put forth in a new guideline, developed by the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), on the use of radiation therapy for the management of brain metastases.1,2 Although ASTRO—in conjunction with ASCO and the Society for Neuro-Oncology (SNO)—recently s...
ASCO Guideline Update for Systemic Melanoma Therapy Addresses New Treatment Option for Uveal Melanoma
Mindy Tanzola, PhD
A rapid update to the ASCO guideline on systemic therapy for melanoma adds a new recommendation for the treatment of patients with metastatic uveal melanoma.1 The update follows the January 2022 U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of tebentafusp-tebn for patients with previously untreat...
AMA House of Delegates Approves ASCO-Backed Resolutions on Ancillary Clinical Trial Costs and ARPA-H Funding
From June 10 to 15, delegates from the Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) participated in the 2022 Annual Meeting of the American Medical Association’s (AMA) House of Delegates (HOD). The AMA HOD is the principal policy-making body of AMA and meets twice a year to discuss pressing issues and e...
ASCO Statement on Supreme Court Decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization
On June 27, 2022, ASCO released a statement on the recent ruling in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization. “ASCO is committed to the delivery of medically appropriate, equitable, evidence-based cancer care. For patients of child-bearing age, a cancer diagnosis raises medical considerations ar...
CAR T-Cell Reimbursement, Measuring Health Disparities, Digital Quality in Focus in Comments on 2023 Hospital Inpatient Payment Proposal
ASCO submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in response to the fiscal year (FY) 2023 Medicare Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) and Long-Term Care Hospital (LTCH) Prospective Payment System (PPS) proposed rule. ASCO’s comments address chimeric...
ASCO Guideline Update Aims to Improve Patient Outcomes for HER2-Positive Breast Cancer With Brain Metastases
Emily A. Kuhl, PhD
Rapid developments over the past decade in the treatment of patients with advanced HER2-positive breast cancer may lead to better outcomes and improved quality of life for patients with brain metastases, according to findings incorporated into a new ASCO guideline update.1 “The difference this guid...
ASCO’s CancerLinQ and HealthVerity Collaborate to Accelerate Cancer Research
On June 8, 2022, CancerLinQLLC, a wholly owned nonprofit subsidiary of ASCO, and HealthVerity, Inc., announced a collaboration that will create the nation’s premier real-world oncology data ecosystem to advance cancer care and research for government and public health agencies. The collaboration lev...
New Interactive Map of Oncology Puts COVID-19, Equity Data Into Perspective
In an effort to highlight cancer care inequities during the COVID-19 pandemic, ASCO has launched the Interactive Map of Oncology, a data visualization tool that allows users to explore geographic distribution of systemic and socioeconomic factors that influence cancer care delivery in the United Sta...
Interventions Needed to Improve Data Collection on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Oncology Practice, Survey Finds
Recently, a new ASCO study,1 published in JCO Oncology Practice, found that among respondents participating in the survey, most oncology practices do not systematically collect data related to sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI). The study points to the need to increase understanding about...
ASCO Relaunches Survivorship Compendium With New Features and Resources
ASCO has made new resources available through its refreshed Survivorship Compendium—an online library of practice tools designed and curated to help oncologists develop high-quality, equitable cancer survivorship care programs and improve existing programs for patients who have completed their initi...
ASCO’s CancerLinQ and Count Me In Collaborate to Empower Patient Participation in Clinical Cancer Research
ASCO’s CancerLinQ® and Count Me In recently announced a new collaboration that aims to allow cancer researchers to learn from every patient with cancer, by actively engaging patients as part of the clinical research enterprise. CancerLinQ—a real-world oncology data technology platform developed by A...
ASCO and ACCC Release Joint Recommendations to Increase Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Clinical Trials
ASCO and the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) jointly released recommendations that address the lack of equity, diversity, and inclusion in cancer clinical trials. Published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology,1 their recommendations detail specific actions to engage the entire cancer ...
ASCO Refines Guidance on Using Biomarkers for Adjuvant Endocrine and Chemotherapy in Early-Stage Breast Cancer
A new ASCO guideline update provides further recommendations on the use of biomarkers to guide decision-making on adjuvant endocrine therapy and chemotherapy in patients with early-stage breast cancer.1 The update includes clarification of the use of certain genomic tests, based on age or menopausal...
ASCO’s CancerLinQ® and Atropos Health Collaborate to Harness Real-World Data to Provide Point-of-Care Informatics Consult to Oncologists
ASCO’s CancerLinQ® and Atropos Health announced a new collaboration that will provide oncology clinicians with the latest real-world evidence available to help inform personalized care and treatment of an individual patient. Atropos Health and CancerLinQ will work together to provide a “digital con...
Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation Announces $25 Million Commitment to Five U.S. Cancer Centers to Help Reduce Disparities in Cancer Care in Underserved Communities
The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation recently announced it will provide $25 million in new grant funding to expand or establish five Ralph Lauren cancer centers, aimed at reducing disparities in cancer care and access across underserved communities in the United States. The funding will benefit in...
ASCO Expands Oncology Summer Internship Program With Aims to Increase Workforce Diversity
ASCO
ASCO recently announced six additional medical schools will participate in the second year of the Oncology Summer Internship (OSI) program, an immersive, 4-week summer internship for rising second-year medical students from groups underrepresented in medicine (UIM).1 In 2022, ASCO and a total of 11 ...
ASCO Honors 2022 Special Awards Recipients
ASCO
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. “This year’s Special Aw...
President Biden’s Proposed Investment for Cutting-Edge Medical Research Should Not Jeopardize Funding for Existing Cancer Research Enterprise
“President Biden’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 budget request includes $5 billion for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), the proposed new biomedical research agency focused on high-risk, bold, translational research projects, which could help accelerate progress against diseases li...
Representatives Diana DeGette and Fred Upton Named ASCO Congressional Champions for Cancer Care
ASCO recently presented Representatives Diana DeGette (D-CO-1) and Fred Upton (R-MI-6) with the annual Congressional Champion for Cancer Care Award in recognition of their commitment to legislation that focuses on medical innovation. The award honors members of Congress who are leading champions for...
ASCO Expands Oncology Summer Internship Program With Aims to Increase Workforce Diversity
ASCO recently announced six additional medical schools will participate in the second year of the Oncology Summer Internship (OSI) program, an immersive, 4-week summer internship for rising second-year medical students from groups underrepresented in medicine (UIM).1 In 2022, ASCO and a total of 11 ...
ASCO Guideline Rapid Update Addresses the Use of Neoadjuvant Pembrolizumab in High-Risk Early-Stage Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Mindy Tanzola, PhD
A rapid update to the ASCO Guideline on neoadjuvant therapy for breast cancer adds a recommendation on the use of pembrolizumab in patients with high-risk early-stage triple-negative breast cancer.1 The update follows a recent analysis from the randomized phase III KEYNOTE-522 trial that showed a si...
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...
