May 2016, Vol 7, No 4

Secondary pathology review can significantly improve clinical outcomes through precise and accurate pathology diagnoses, according to Lavinia P. Middleton, MD, Professor, Department of Pathology, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.

Web-based reporting in the outpatient community setting is not only feasible, but it can identify areas that need quality improvement initiatives, according to J. Russell Hoverman, MD, PhD, Vice President of Quality Programs, Texas Oncology, PA, Dallas.

Surgery for the primary treatment of T1-T3 oropharynx squamous-­cell carcinoma (OPC) does not increase the cost of care, even for patients requiring adjuvant treatment, according to A. Daniel Pinheiro, MD, an otolaryngologist at Mercy Clinic Ear, Nose, and Throat-Surgery Center, Springfield, MO, who presented his findings at the 2016 Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer Symposium.

A study using the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) has demonstrated the high cost burden of adverse events (AEs) associated with the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). The results were presented at ASH 2015 by Nicola Wallis, MRCPath, FFPM, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ.

A higher score on a composite index of homologous recombination deficiency (HRD), indicating genomic instability, correlated with improved progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with ovarian cancer who have received platinum-containing chemotherapy, according to results presented at the 2016 Society of Gynecologic Oncology annual meeting.

The evidence blocks were incorporated into the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) clinical practice guidelines late last year and act as a visual representation of 5 key measures related to specific recommendations.

The updated National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guideline (version 2.2016) for the management of advanced melanoma reflects the increasing role of immune checkpoint inhibitors and targeted agents, as more data establish their superior efficacy over traditional chemotherapy.

The population of patients with multiple myeloma who are eligible for therapy has been expanded to include asymptomatic patients with certain features, according to the most recent National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guideline (version 3.2016).