Direct From ASCO
Robin Zon Elected ASCO President for 2024–2025 Term; Other Leadership Positions Filled
ASCO has elected Robin Zon, MD, FACP, FASCO, a long-time member and volunteer, as its President beginning in June 2024. Dr. Zon will take office as President-Elect immediately following the ASCO Annual Business Meeting in Chicago on June 5, 2023. Five additional members were elected to the ASCO Boar...
Former ASCO President Monica Bertagnolli Welcomed as NCI Director in Capitol Hill Reception
On December 7, 2022, Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President Julie Gralow MD, FACP, FASCO, attended a reception on Capitol Hill hosted by the One Voice Against Cancer Coalition and the House Cancer Caucus, to welcome former ASCO President Monica Be...
ASCO Guideline Offers Recommendations on Prescribing Opioids to Patients With Cancer
AARON TALLENT
A new ASCO guideline on opioids in managing pain from cancer or cancer treatment in adults provides recommendations on administering them in the midst of interventions to address the public health crisis from their misuse and related deaths across the country.1 “ASCO took wonderful leadership in sa...
ASCO Guideline Highlights Newest Breakthroughs in the Treatment of Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
EMILY A. KUHL, PhD
A new ASCO guideline on the management of advanced colorectal cancer summarizes the latest treatments supported by quality data that could expand oncologists’ armamentarium and potentially improve survival outcomes.1 “[Colorectal cancer] remains the second-leading class of cancer deaths among m...
Updated Position Statement on Drug Repository Programs Aims to Increase Access to Treatment
ASCO recently released an updated position statement on drug repository programs. The update shifts ASCO’s position to allow donation of oral cancer drug treatments in an open distribution system—which are drugs that have left the supply chain and have been dispensed to patients. ASCO’s previous po...
Nearly All Oncology Providers Report Prior Authorization Causing Delayed Care, Other Patient Harms
Prior authorization is harming individuals with cancer, according to new survey results from ASCO. The survey found that prior authorization delays necessary care, worsens cancer care outcomes, and diverts clinicians from caring for their patients. Nearly all survey participants reported a patient ...
Uniting on Shared Priorities to Improve Cancer Care: ASCO and ECO Formalize Collaboration With a Memorandum of Understanding
ASCO and the European Cancer Organisation (ECO) are pleased to announce a new collaboration, formalized with a recently signed memorandum of understanding, that will advance their shared aims on cancer control. The two organizations will continue to work together to support the ECO-ASCO Special Netw...
AACR and ASCO Release Joint Policy Statement on Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems
The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and ASCO recently released a joint policy statement outlining the latest research on the use of e-cigarettes and other electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and recommendations for regulating these products to protect public health. The state...
AMA House of Delegates Approves ASCO-Backed Resolutions on Fertility Preservation, American-Manufactured Personal Protective Equipment, and Third-Party Pharmacy Benefit Administrators
From November 11 to 15, delegates from ASCO participated in the 2022 Interim 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 establish policies the AMA uses when...
ASCO Publishes Rapid Guideline Update on PARP Inhibitors in Ovarian Cancer
Brandon May
An ASCO guideline rapid update is revising guidance for the use of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor therapy for the management of ovarian cancer to include updated considerations for the use of several different PARP inhibitor therapies based on recent phase III clinical trial data.1 Th...
ASCO Releases Updated Resource-Stratified Guideline for the Secondary Prevention of Cervical Cancer
Brandon May
A new resource-stratified ASCO guideline update provides new evidence-based recommendations for the secondary prevention of cervical cancer in various resource settings.1 In the updated guideline, the screening recommendations cover basic, limited, enhanced, and maximal resource settings. Since ASC...
Study Sheds Light on Need for Optimal Dosing Standards for Patients With Metastatic Cancer
A new study, published recently in JCO Oncology Practice, found that oncologists have different perspectives on how to select starting doses for patients with metastatic cancer.1 The study shared findings from a 2021 international survey of 367 medical oncologists who treat patients with metastatic ...
ASCO Treatment Guidance for Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Updated to Include LuPSMA
Carina Storrs, PhD
An updated ASCO guideline recommends lutetium-177–labeled PSMA-617 (LuPSMA), a targeted radioligand therapy, for patients with prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-positive metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who have been treated with one prior line of androgen receptor pathway inh...
ASCO Applauds President Biden’s Leadership in Relaunching the Cancer Moonshot
September 12, 2022 “President John F. Kennedy’s historic speech that inspired our nation and an entire generation of Americans to achieve manned space exploration underscored the courage and commitment it would take to accomplish this then-audacious goal: ‘We choose to go to the moon in this decade...
Future Leaders Selected to Advance Gender Equality Through the Leadership Programme for Women in Oncology
The first 10 participants in the new Leadership Programme for Women in Oncology have been announced. The program, a joint endeavour from ASCO and City Cancer Challenge Foundation (C/Can), seeks to address the specific challenges and barriers faced by women leaders in oncology and strengthen the lead...
SIO-ASCO Guideline Proposes Evidence-Based Approaches to Pain Management Incorporating Integrative Medicine Interventions
Wayne Kuznar
The Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO) and ASCO have released a guideline that appraises the evidence to support incorporating integrative medicine approaches into managing pain in adults with cancer.1 The guideline builds upon existing ASCO guidelines on pain management, the growing body of res...
Cancer Care and Reproductive Health Resources for the Oncology Community
On June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court announced its decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization, effectively eliminating the constitutional right to abortion and returning the power to regulate reproductive health to individual states. Some states have already taken action to restrict...
ASCO and the African Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer Announce Innovative Collaboration to Advance Cancer Research in Africa
ASCO and the African Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) committing the two organizations to collaborate to advance cancer research in Africa. Harnessing the respective programs, leaders, and member networks of both organizations,...
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 Progra...
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...
