Search Results
Your search for ,wAs matches 27583 pages
Showing 22701 - 22750Quality of Cancer Care
Under my leadership as President, ASCO initiated the largest quality of cancer care study ever done. Called the National Initiative for Cancer Care Quality (NICCQ), we looked at more than 60 quality measures for stage I to III breast cancer and stage II to III colorectal cancer. We identified areas ...
Cancer Prevention
One highlight of serving as ASCO President is working with the outstanding staff—to name just a few, Executive Vice President Charles M. Balch, MD; Chief Operating Officer Ron Beller, PhD; Jean Colvard; Roseanna Thoman; and all the Department heads. During my Presidency, we undertook some very...
Multidisciplinary Interactions
As my Presidency gradually fades into the past, it is sobering to reminisce on how exciting it was. ASCO is a great organization with an amazing staff and a solid mission. Chairing the Board meetings was clearly a highlight of my Presidency because of the vast talent and collective wisdom that is...
SIDEBAR: FDA-Approved Drugs to Use as Single Agents or in Combination Chemotherapy
2014 Ceritinib for the treatment of patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive, metastatic NSCLC with disease progression on or who are intolerant to crizotinib; mercaptopurine as a 20 mg/mL oral suspension for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia as part of a combination...
One Community
My Presidential theme was One Community. I think that theme continues to express much of our goal in oncology, which is to make sure that all members of the cancer care team work together—oncologists, nurses, scientists, nutritionists, psychologists, social workers, administrators, and others. I...
Personalizing Cancer Care
Durng my Presidency we completely revamped the way the ASCO Board of Directors works by creating various subcommittees and a much more deliberate strategic planning process. In effect, the Board members took more ownership of ASCO’s agenda, planning the future of the Society rather than dealing...
The Promise of Genomics
My year as President of ASCO was one of momentous change, not just for ASCO, but for health care and for cancer biology as well. The theme of my Presidency was Patients, Pathways, and Progress. “Pathways” referred to the molecular pathways that are becoming increasingly important in the targeted...
Collaborating to Conquer Cancer
Serving as ASCO’s President was one of the most exciting years of my professional career. Although that year presented a number of challenges, it also marked a number of accomplishments, including a record number of new ASCO members, which then reached more than 30,000 in 122 countries (today,...
Building Bridges to Conquer Cancer
One of the pleasures during my year as President was the ability to bring personal and professional passions and a sense of what really matters into focus for the work of our membership. My Presidential theme, Building Bridges to Conquer Cancer, reflected my particular interest in outreach to...
Duquesne University Awarded $1.4 Million NIH Grant
Duquesne University’s newly established biomedical engineering initiative has received a $1.4 million, 5-year grant from the National Institutes of Health’s National Cancer Institute to detect, capture and analyze circulating melanoma cells. John Viator, MD, Biomedical Engineering Program Director...
An Oncologic Surgeon Discusses the Pros and Cons of Pursuing a Business Degree
Is pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree a good idea for ambitious surgical oncologists who want to advance their careers? The ASCO Post recently spoke with Martin J. Heslin, MD, MSHA, Chief, Section of Surgical Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Medical Center, ...
SIDEBAR: Research Groups in South America
Although cancer research in South America has been largely led by the pharmaceutical industry, a number of independent research groups are active in the region. Peru: GECOPERU and INEN The Peruvian Oncology Clinical Studies Group (Grupo de Estudios Clínicos Oncológicos Peruano, or GECOPERU...
Ramucirumab for Advanced or Metastatic Gastric or Gastroesophageal Junction Adenocarcinoma
On April 21, 2014, ramucirumab (Cyramza) was approved for use as a single agent in the treatment of patients with advanced or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma with disease progression on or after prior treatment with fluoropyrimidine- or platinum-containing...
Connecting to ASCO Through the State Affiliate Council
ASCO’s State Affiliate Council is composed of the State Society Presidents and/or designated physician Council Representatives as well as the Executive Directors of each state and/or regional oncology society. The Council convened in late February to address the most relevant issues affecting...
Schwartz Center Rounds® Programs Foster Clinical Teamwork and Enhance Patient Care
In the fall of 1994, 40-year-old Kenneth B. Schwartz, a health-care lawyer, was diagnosed with lung cancer. Radiation and chemotherapy failed to stop progression of the disease, and 10 months later he died. During his treatment, Mr. Schwartz wrote about the ordeal of coming to grips with the...
Ofatumumab Plus Chlorambucil for Previously Untreated CLL in Patients Not Treatable With Fludarabine-Based Regimens
In the Clinic provides overviews of novel oncology agents, addressing indications, mechanisms, administration recommendations, safety profiles, and other essential information needed for the appropriate clinical use of these drugs. On April 17, 2014, ofatumumab (Arzerra) received regular approval...
Bert Howard O’Neil, MD, Joins Indiana University Simon Cancer Center
Bert Howard O’Neil, MD, has been named the inaugural Joseph W. and Jackie J. Cusick Professor of Oncology and a Professor of Medicine at the Indiana University (IU) School of Medicine, in Indianapolis. He is also the Phase I Director and Director of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Program at...
Improving Quality of Life in Cancer Survivors
The number of cancer survivors has been steadily increasing in recent years. According to the Ministry of Health National Cancer Registry, in 2010 there were 254,000 cancer survivors in Israel (3.3% of the population) compared with 15,700 (0.4% of the population, P < .005) in 1975.1 Forty years...
Elevated Morbidity/Mortality Risks for Childhood Cancer Survivors Further Increase After Fourth Decade
An analysis of the first generation of childhood cancer survivors, who are now aging into their fourth and fifth decades, shows further increases in the survivors’ morbidity and mortality risks. “By age 50 years, more than half of survivors have experienced a severe, disabling, or life-threatening...
Thirty Years of Effort Has Led to the Mainstreaming of Integrative Medicine in Oncology Care
When Barrie R. Cassileth, MS, PhD, began researching complementary medicine and its potential for use in oncology care over 30 years ago, not much was known about the importance of complementary therapies for the well-being of patients with cancer. She chose to conduct her doctoral dissertation...
American Association for Cancer Research Inaugurates New Leadership at 2014 Annual Meeting
The American Association for Cancer Research welcomed Carlos L. Arteaga, MD, as President of the Organization for 2014–2015. Dr. Arteaga was inaugurated during the AACR’s Annual Meeting. Dr. Arteaga is Professor of Medicine and Cancer Biology at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, where he...
CancerCare Names Patricia J. Goldsmith Chief Executive Officer
CancerCare recently announced Patricia J. Goldsmith has been named the organization’s Chief Executive Officer. CancerCare is a national nonprofit organization providing free, professional support services to anyone affected by cancer. The announcement comes as the group celebrates 70 years of...
Genetic Testing Beneficial in Melanoma Treatment, UPCI Study Shows
Genetic screening of cancer can help doctors customize treatments so that patients with melanoma have the best chance of beating it, according to the results of a clinical trial by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. The trial, funded by the National Institutes of...
Creating a Comprehensive Catalog of Cancer Genes to Improve Patient Outcomes
In January, Eric S. Lander, PhD, Director of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and his colleagues published the results from their landmark study,1 which explored the feasibility of creating a comprehensive catalog of cancer genes. The researchers collected and...
Increased Incidence of Thyroid Cancer: An Epidemic of Diagnosis?
In a study reported in JAMA Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery,1 Davies and Welch found that the incidence of thyroid cancer has nearly tripled since 1975. However, the increase appears to represent an “epidemic of diagnosis” and to almost exclusively represent increased diagnosis of papillary...
Surgical Resection of Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma: What Is the Standard of Care?
The neurosurgeon is often the gateway provider when patients present with what on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) appears to be a new glioblastoma. Because histology-based diagnosis is a prerequisite for initiating standard therapy with radiation and chemotherapy, the first question that the...
Maximizing the Benefits of Exercise in Patients With Cancer
Many nonpharmacologic therapies increase both physical and emotional strength during cancer treatment as well as throughout survivorship. These therapies include the mind-body practices of meditation, self-hypnosis, guided imagery, and breath awareness, touch therapies including massage and...
The Role of Psychosocial Supportive Services in Palliative Care
More than 2 decades ago, Deane L. Wolcott, MD, helped develop comprehensive patient-centered psycho-oncology care in cancer centers across the country. Today, many aspects of that patient-centered care, including psychiatric, dietary, pain management, cancer rehabilitation medicine, survivorship,...
Discussions About the Cost of Cancer Care Are Still Uncommon
Patients with cancer are extremely interested in discussing the cost of treatment, especially their share of the cost, but some oncologists are still hesitant to enter into these conversations, according to a study reported at the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) 2014 Conference.1 “We...
ASCO Committee Defines Clinically Meaningful Goals for Clinical Trials in Pancreas, Breast, Lung, and Colorectal Cancers
The ASCO Cancer Research Committee recently convened four disease-specific working groups—in pancreas, breast, lung, and colon cancers—to “consider the design of future clinical trials that would produce results that are clinically meaningful to patients.” An ASCO perspective statement, reported in ...
Forward Progress in Myelodysplastic Syndromes Is Largely in Genetics
Most recent advances in the management of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) are in the area of genetics, according to Steven Gore, MD, of Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven. “New genomics research is leading to a better understanding of MDS heterogeneity and disease biology, and may...
Setting a ‘Moon Shots’ Goal to Drastically Reduce Cancer Mortality Over the Next Decade
In 2012, just 1 year after taking the reins as President of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Ronald A. DePinho, MD, announced his plans to launch the Moon Shots Program, the most ambitious endeavor undertaken by the cancer center to dramatically accelerate the pace of reducing...
James P. Allison, PhD, Receives 2014 Canada Gairdner International Award
The Gairdner Foundation of Canada has named James P. Allison, PhD, for one of its 2014 Canada Gairdner International Awards. Dr. Allison is Chair and Professor of Immunology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. The honor, announced recently by the Gairdner Foundation,...
AACR Honors Douglas Hanahan, PhD, With AACR Lifetime Achievement in Cancer Research Award
Douglas Hanahan, PhD, Director of the Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, in Lausanne, Switzerland, was recently honored with the 11th annual American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Lifetime Achievement in Cancer Research. The award ...
Shelagh Tippet-Fagyas Named President of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society recently announced that its Canadian affiliate, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada, has named Shelagh Tippet-Fagyas as its new President. Ms. Tippet-Fagyas will lead the Canadian Society in its efforts to find cures and ensure access to therapies for...
Conquer Cancer Foundation and Strike 3 Foundation Work Together to Conquer Pediatric Cancers
Envision a world where a diagnosis of pediatric cancer is met with the same reaction as a diagnosis of the common cold. In this idyllic world, the word “cancer” no longer carries with it the same traumatic response or stigma that it does today. This hopeful vision is what drives Craig Breslow in...
The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins Announces Faculty Appointments, Grants
Noah M. Hahn, MD, has been selected as Associate Professor of Oncology and Urology at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. Before joining Johns Hopkins, Dr. Hahn was the Director of the Genitourinary Medical Oncology Program at Indiana University. He is an...
Project Data Sphere: Megadata in the Cloud Could Speed Clinical Trials Here on Earth
Project Data Sphere, which launched on April 8, is a “giant digital laboratory, an enormous library containing data about tens of thousands of patients and hundreds of clinical trials, all of which will be in the public domain,” said Martin J. Murphy, Jr, DMedSc, PhD, FASCO, Chief Executive Officer ...
Phase III Trial Reports Focused Ultrasound Reduces Cancer Pain
A phase III clinical trial has shown that noninvasive magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound treatment that heats the cancer within the bone, relieves pain and improves function for most patients when other treatment options are limited. The results were published recently in the Journal of...
Getting It Right in the End: Individualization of Care for Patients With Rectal Cancer
Data from trials conducted mostly in the 1970s and 1980s established the paradigm that optimal treatment of rectal cancer requires a combination of radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and surgery.1 Virtually all of these trials, however, demonstrated that radiotherapy added only to the local control...
Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Without Routine Radiotherapy Shows Promise in Patients With Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer
In a pilot study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Deborah Schrag, MD, MPH, and colleagues from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, assessed outcomes with neoadjuvant FOLFOX (fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin)/bevacizumab (Avastin) with selective use of...
Continued Survival Benefits Seen With Radical Prostatectomy vs Watchful Waiting in Long-Term Follow-up of the SPCG-4 Trial
The long-term benefits of radical prostatectomy vs watchful waiting in men with localized prostate cancer has remained a debated issue. As reported in The New England Journal of Medicine by Anna Bill-Axelson, MD, of Uppsala University Hospital, and colleagues, additional long-term follow-up in the...
Demanding More From Clinical Trials
“The function of the formal controlled clinical trial is to separate the relative handful of discoveries that prove to be true advances in therapy from a legion of false leads and unverifiable clinical impressions, and to delineate in a scientific way the extent of and the limitations that attend...
Phase III Study Explores Addition of Nintedanib to Docetaxel in Second-Line Treatment of Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer
In a phase III trial (LUME-Lung 1) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Reck et al assessed the addition of nintedanib to docetaxel in second-line treatment of non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).1 The combination significantly improved progression-free survival in all patients and improved overall...
Cancer Chemotherapy Use During Pregnancy
INSIDE THE BLACK BOX is an occasional column providing insight into the FDA and its policies and procedures. In this installment, National Toxicology Program scientists Kembra L. Howdeshell, PhD, and Michael D. Shelby, PhD, discuss a recently completed monograph that reviews the published data on...
Volasertib Granted Orphan Drug Designation for Acute Myeloid Leukemia
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Orphan Drug Designation to volasertib for acute myeloid leukemia. Volasertib is currently being evaluated in a phase III clinical trial for the treatment of patients aged 65 or older, with previously untreated AML, who are ineligible for...
Supplemental New Drug Application Submitted for Ibrutinib in CLL
Pharmacyclics, Inc, and Janssen Biotech, Inc, have announced the submission of a supplemental New Drug Application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), based on data from the randomized, multicenter, open-label phase III RESONATE study, a head-to-head comparison of single-agent ibrutinib ...
FDA Approves Mercaptopurine Oral Suspension for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
On April 28, 2014, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a 20 mg/mL oral suspension of mercaptopurine (Purixan) indicated for the treatment of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) as part of a combination regimen. Successive clinical trials have demonstrated that mercaptopurine ...
FDA Approves Siltuximab for Rare Castleman’s Disease
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved siltuximab (Sylvant injection) for the treatment of patients with multicentric Castleman’s disease who are human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative and human herpes virus-8 (HHV-8)-negative. Multicentric Castleman’s disease is a rare...
FDA Approves Ceritinib for Late-Stage Lung Cancer
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted accelerated approval to ceritinib (Zykadia) for patients with a metastatic anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who were previously treated with crizotinib (Xalkori). Ceritinib is an ALK tyrosine kinase...
