August 2017, Vol 8, No 4 | Payers' Perspectives In Oncology: ASCO 2017 Highlights

Chicago, IL—Maintenance therapy can improve overall survival (OS) in older and younger patients with mantle-cell lymphoma (MCL), based on current experience with rituximab (Rituxan) therapy, but the optimal dose and dosing schedule remain under investigation.

Chicago, IL—The global International Duration Evaluation of Adjuvant Chemotherapy (IDEA) study suggests that some patients with surgically resected stage III colon cancer can safely and effectively receive only 3 months of chemotherapy instead of the standard 6 months. The data were particularly convincing for patients with low-risk, surgically resected stage III colon cancer. These data set a new standard for the treatment of patients with stage III colon cancer, according to expert opinion presented at the 2017 ASCO annual meeting.

Chicago, IL—The addition of the investigational CDK4/CDK6 inhibitor abemaciclib to fulvestrant (Faslodex) extended progression-free survival (PFS) by 7 months in women with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer, reported George W. Sledge, Jr, MD, Professor, Medical Oncology, Stanford University Medical Center, Palo Alto, CA, who presented the results of a large study at the 2017 ASCO annual meeting.

Chicago, IL—Osimertinib (Tagrisso) extends progression-free survival (PFS) compared with standard chemotherapy in patients with EGFR T790M mutation–positive non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have central nervous system (CNS) metastases, reported Marina C. Garassino, MD, Thoracic Oncology Unit, Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy, at the 2017 ASCO annual meeting.

Chicago, IL—The PARP inhibitor olaparib (Lynparza) significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) compared with standard chemotherapy in women with HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer with a germline BRCA mutation. Disease progression was delayed by approximately 3 months with olaparib in the multinational, randomized, open-label, phase 3 OlympiAD clinical trial, reported Mark E. Robson, MD, Clinic Director, Clinical Genetics Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, at the 2017 ASCO annual meeting.

Chicago, IL—Alectinib (Alecensa), a next-generation anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitor, was called a new standard of care for patients with ALK mutation–positive non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), based on results of the phase 3 ALEX clinical trial, which were presented at the 2017 ASCO annual meeting.

Chicago, IL—Although the cost of novel oncology drugs continues to rise, their clinical benefit has not managed to keep pace, suggesting a decrease in value over time.

Chicago, IL—The use of an online tool to self-report symptoms during treatment for metastatic cancer extended survival by 5 months compared with usual care according to a study presented at ASCO 2017. In addition, online self-reporting of symptoms improved quality of life (QOL) and reduced emergency department visits and hospitalizations versus usual care.

Chicago, IL—Providing relief from the symptoms and stress of serious illness can significantly reduce the cost of care in addition to improving the patient experience.