The Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) has released its annual report on the assessment of the current state of the growing use of immunotherapies to treat cancer in the United States. Entitled “Immuno-Oncology in 2021: Committed to the Cutting Edge of Care,” the report reveals that despite the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, by mid-2020, there was a 22% increase from 2019 in the number of actively investigated immuno-oncology agents. There are now more than 60 approved immunotherapy indications, with the anticipation that the pool will grow as new agents are approved and new combinations and regimens continue to expand.
The report is now available for download at https://www.accc-cancer.org/home/learn/immunotherapy/resource-detail/publication-immuno-oncology-in-2021-committed-to-the-cutting-edge-of-care.
A Changing Landscape
The development of immunotherapies for cancer treatment during the past decade has moved swiftly, transforming the treatment landscape for numerous cancers. However, barriers remain to immuno-oncology implementation in community cancer programs across the United States, including providers’ limited familiarity with emerging immuno-oncology agents, the impact of financial toxicity on patient access to treatment, and a lack of interdepartmental care coordination.
Sigrun Hallmeyer, MD
“While this year’s report is different because of the impact of COVID-19 on all areas of cancer care, what we found to be encouraging about immuno-oncology is how the pandemic actually revealed strategies that will forever change care,” said Sigrun Hallmeyer, MD, Chair of the ACCC Immuno-Oncology Institute Executive Committee. “For example, the rapid utilization of telemedicine revealed the potential for effectively monitoring patients under [immuno-oncology] treatment. An incredibly tragic pandemic did not slow down the speed of development, approval, or adoption of immunotherapy.”
Report Highlights
Findings include the following:
- The results of the 2020 Immuno-Oncology Census Survey, the fourth annual study of the current landscape of immuno-oncology therapies in cancer care. Respondents shared their thoughts about current barriers to treatment (financial toxicity and poor coordination with subspecialists ranked highest), their top priorities (collecting patient-reported outcomes and having access to immuno-oncology–inclusive clinical trials ranked high), and the difficulty of maintaining operations amid a pandemic.
- The growing role of telemedicine and virtual immune-related adverse event tumor boards during the pandemic and the potential for continued reimbursement for virtual care beyond COVID-19
- The launch of the first immuno-oncology ECHO, a joint effort between the ACCC Immuno-Oncology Institute and Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center to use a hub-and-spoke model to share specialist expertise and build capacity in community care teams
- The development of immuno-oncology survivorship resources to help promote effective communication and coordination among cancer care team members and address the psychosocial and physical well-being of immuno-oncology survivors
The creation of new educational resources for cancer care team members on coordinating patient care with emergency department providers, transitioning patients back to primary care, and coordinating with dermatologists to treat the side effects of immuno-oncology therapy.
