ASCO 2015 Highlights

Madrid, Spain—Final results from the CLEOPATRA (Clinical Evaluation of Pertuzumab and Trastuzumab) trial show that dual HER2 blockade with the combination of pertuzumab and trastuzumab plus chemotherapy extended overall survival (OS) by almost 16 months compared with trastuzumab plus chemotherapy alone in patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer.

Although increasing the reimbursement rate for cancer screening tests does not consistently improve the likelihood of Medicaid beneficiaries being screened for cancer, raising the rate of reimbursement for office visits does consistently increase the likelihood that they will be screened for cancer, including breast or prostate cancer, according to results of a new analysis of Medicaid claims and enrollment data (Halpern MT, et al. Cancer. 2014 Aug 25. Epub ahead of print).

On July 3, 2014, the FDA approved belinostat (Beleodaq; Spectrum Pharmaceuticals) for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory PTCL.

Los Angeles, CA—The advocacy community’s goal of patient-centered cancer care has evolved substantially over the past decade, said Kim Thiboldeaux, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Cancer Support Community (CSC), Washington, DC.

Los Angeles, CA—It is a good business decision to invest in better cancer management for employees with cancer, according to Lillie D. Shockney, RN, MAS, University Distinguished Service Associate Professor of Breast Cancer, Johns Hopkins Breast Center.