Web Exclusives

As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, comprehensive cancer care centers have been tasked with significantly altering their strategies for the delivery of care. In this discussion, moderated by Burt Zweigenhaft, PhD, D.Litt, a panel of experts discuss some of the changes that have already been implemented at their centers and future considerations for healthcare systems as they focus on providing safe and effective care on the road to recovery.

Issues surrounding healthcare insurance continue to unfold in light of the recent COVID-19 pandemic. In this discussion, a panel of managed care experts, moderated by Michael Kolodziej, MD, explore strategies for reducing the total cost of care for patients with cancer and addressing the economic and administrative burdens that practices and payers are facing as a result of the crisis.

Addressing the significant physical and psychosocial needs of patients with cancer during the COVID-19 crisis remains a top priority for healthcare providers. In this discussion, moderated by Elizabeth Franklin, PhD, MSW, a panel of specialists explore efforts underway to advocate for patients who are coping with stress, anxiety, and various economic burdens.

On April 29, 2020, the FDA accelerated the approval of the oral poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor niraparib (Zejula; GlaxoSmithKline) as the first and only drug approved for first-line maintenance therapy of all patients with advanced ovarian cancer—including epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer—who have had a complete or partial response to first-line platinum-based chemotherapy.

On April 28, 2020, the FDA accelerated the approval of a new dosing regimen—400 mg every 6 weeks—for pembrolizumab (Keytruda; Merck) for all the 15 indications currently approved by the FDA for adults using this PD-1 inhibitor. The new dosing regimen is a new option in addition to the current dosing regimen of 200 mg every 3 weeks. This is great news for patients, as well as for oncology providers.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has broadened access to Medicare telehealth services so that beneficiaries can receive a wider range of services from their physicians without having to travel to a healthcare facility. Clinicians can bill immediately for services starting March 6, 2020.

On January 29, 2020, Eli Lilly announced that the FDA granted priority review to their New Drug Application for selpercatinib (LOXO-292) for the treatment of patients with advanced RET fusion-positive non–small-cell lung cancer, RET-mutant medullary thyroid cancer, and RET fusion-positive thyroid cancer.

On January 23, 2020, the FDA granted accelerated approval to tazemetostat (Tazverik; Epizyme), a methyltransferase inhibitor, for the treatment of metastatic or locally advanced epithelioid sarcoma in adults and pediatric patients aged ≥16 years who are not eligible for complete resection.

On January 8, 2020, the American Cancer Society published details of their annual cancer statistics report, including the most recent data on population‐based findings for cancer incidence through 2016 and for mortality through 2017 (CA Cancer J Clin. 2020;70:7-30). The report revealed encouraging news as well as some sobering trends.