HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - What's Hot at the ASCO Annual Meeting This Year?

'lizbeth · 05-25-2014, 10:34 AM

How best to use the therapies that are already available is another theme running through the meeting. "We are seeing that there is huge value in improving our use of long-time staples," commented Jyoti Patel MD, chair of ASCO's Cancer Communications Committee, speaking at a premeeting presscast.
As an example, she highlighted a study (abstract 5003) showing that androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) does not need to be instigated immediately when a man with treated prostate cancer shows signs of biochemical recurrence (i.e., rising levels of prostate-specific antigen). Delaying ADT for up to 2 years after such a finding had no effect on the long-term survival. "These findings suggest that there may be no need to rush to ADT," commented lead investigator Xabier Garcia-Albeniz, MD, from the Harvard University School of Public Health in Boston.
Value Is an Ongoing Discussion
Value is becoming an important theme in oncology, and will feature in a number of discussions throughout the meeting, Dr. Hudis commented in the interview. "We need to identify the interventions that are higher and lower value across all of cancer medicine, and start to shepherd our resources even more efficiently. I think this is an important goal, and this is not something that any one stakeholder can do in isolation. It's going to require collaboration and input from everybody."
This is not just cost of therapy, Dr. Hudis emphasized. That is too simplistic, he said. "Value is much more complex, and acknowledges that expensive therapies can be cost-saving when understood in context."
"Price and cost are not the only issue here. Value is different. It has to do with the benefits of therapy, the alternatives to the choice, the broader impact on the healthcare system, the family, and the workplace. This is something that we have to grapple with in its broadest sense," he said.
"This is new for this meeting, and it's new in oncology, at least in the United States, to be discussing value in this way," he said.
As previously reported by Medscape Medical News, ASCO is currently developing a working definition of value that is specific to oncology, and the Value in Cancer Care Task Force is working on an algorithm that will help oncologists determine the value of different cancer treatments.
Medscape for News and Views From the Meeting
The Medscape team will be providing full coverage of the ASCO meeting, in news reports and video recordings, and also, in a new feature for this year, there will be a live blog from the meeting, giving immediate updates, and also views from a practicing oncologist.
A special feature to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the society will be Medscape's Presidential Perspective, a video discussion with 5 past presidents of ASCO, where they will review the practice of oncology over the past half-century.
Medscape will also have a booth in the exhibition hall (booth 14153). Please stop by and take a look at the news we are reporting from the meeting as it posts.

05-25-2014, 10:34 AM	#2
'lizbeth Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Sunny San Diego Posts: 2,214	Re: What's Hot at the ASCO Annual Meeting This Year? How best to use the therapies that are already available is another theme running through the meeting. "We are seeing that there is huge value in improving our use of long-time staples," commented Jyoti Patel MD, chair of ASCO's Cancer Communications Committee, speaking at a premeeting presscast. As an example, she highlighted a study (abstract 5003) showing that androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) does not need to be instigated immediately when a man with treated prostate cancer shows signs of biochemical recurrence (i.e., rising levels of prostate-specific antigen). Delaying ADT for up to 2 years after such a finding had no effect on the long-term survival. "These findings suggest that there may be no need to rush to ADT," commented lead investigator Xabier Garcia-Albeniz, MD, from the Harvard University School of Public Health in Boston. Value Is an Ongoing Discussion Value is becoming an important theme in oncology, and will feature in a number of discussions throughout the meeting, Dr. Hudis commented in the interview. "We need to identify the interventions that are higher and lower value across all of cancer medicine, and start to shepherd our resources even more efficiently. I think this is an important goal, and this is not something that any one stakeholder can do in isolation. It's going to require collaboration and input from everybody." This is not just cost of therapy, Dr. Hudis emphasized. That is too simplistic, he said. "Value is much more complex, and acknowledges that expensive therapies can be cost-saving when understood in context." "Price and cost are not the only issue here. Value is different. It has to do with the benefits of therapy, the alternatives to the choice, the broader impact on the healthcare system, the family, and the workplace. This is something that we have to grapple with in its broadest sense," he said. "This is new for this meeting, and it's new in oncology, at least in the United States, to be discussing value in this way," he said. As previously reported by Medscape Medical News, ASCO is currently developing a working definition of value that is specific to oncology, and the Value in Cancer Care Task Force is working on an algorithm that will help oncologists determine the value of different cancer treatments. Medscape for News and Views From the Meeting The Medscape team will be providing full coverage of the ASCO meeting, in news reports and video recordings, and also, in a new feature for this year, there will be a live blog from the meeting, giving immediate updates, and also views from a practicing oncologist. A special feature to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the society will be Medscape's Presidential Perspective, a video discussion with 5 past presidents of ASCO, where they will review the practice of oncology over the past half-century. Medscape will also have a booth in the exhibition hall (booth 14153). Please stop by and take a look at the news we are reporting from the meeting as it posts.