Patients diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer and non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) had longer survival compared to national benchmarks when treated in independent community oncology practices, according to a new study commissioned by the Community Oncology Alliance (COA) and conducted by Flatiron Health. The research supports independent community oncologists’ ability to deliver high-quality outcomes for the majority of U.S. patients with cancer who receive care in community oncology settings.
The study shows that median survival for patients diagnosed with breast cancer that spread to other organs and treated at a Flatiron Health Research Network (FHRN) community oncology practice exceeded national benchmarks by 8 months. Median survival for those with NSCLC—the most common lung cancer—treated at FHRN community oncology practices exceeded national benchmarks by 2 months. Survival rates after 1, 3, and 5 years were consistently higher for patients treated at community oncology practices within the FHRN relative to national benchmarks.
“Where people receive cancer treatment matters. Community oncologists deliver care associated with longer survival, which means more time spent with family and friends,” said Debra Patt, MD, PhD, MBA, President of COA and Executive Vice President of Policy and Strategy at Texas Oncology. “Amidst an uncertain business and regulatory environment, community oncology must remain a viable option for patients who depend on it every day in communities across the country.”
Community oncology refers to physician-owned and -led independent oncology practices that are not owned or operated by a hospital, health system, academic medical center, or health insurer.
“Survival is the gold standard of cancer care’s effectiveness, and this research underscores community oncology’s ability to deliver high-quality outcomes, with both convenience and personal care,” said Stephen Divers, MD, a member of COA’s board and a medical oncologist and hematologist at Genesis Cancer and Blood Institute in Hot Springs, Arkansas. “Receiving a cancer diagnosis is never easy, so it can be reassuring for a patient to know they’re in good hands at a community oncology practice.”
Researchers analyzed data from nearly 98,000 patients diagnosed with metastatic NSCLC and breast cancer between January 2013 and December 2022 who were treated at a community oncology practice within the FHRN. Outcomes were compared to population-based estimates from the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database.
“Provider partnership is central to how we work at Flatiron, and this collaboration reflects our commitment to advancing care in the community oncology field,” said Quincy Weatherspoon, VP & General Manager, Point of Care Solutions at Flatiron Health. “By combining our research-ready data with COA’s advocacy voice and relationships, we’re helping bring greater clarity to the realities of care in community oncology—and turning those insights into actionable data and better patient outcomes.”
This analysis was commissioned and funded by COA as the first phase of a multiyear collaboration between COA and Flatiron Health. Potential future analyses—conducted independently by Flatiron Health using its proprietary, rigorously curated real-world data from the FHRN—will examine additional disease areas, average times to diagnosis and treatment, and community oncology’s patient-centered approach to care.
The findings were presented last week at the Community Oncology Conference in Orlando.
