CANCER BUZZ

The George Washington Cancer Center serves a racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse population across Washington, D.C., northern Virginia, and southern Maryland. Their Breast Cancer Program has found that a community-informed model is most successful for managing care and adverse events related to CDK4/6 inhibitors. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Pavani Chalasani, MD, MPH, d...

It is essential for adolescents and young adults (AYAs) to have a foundation of care prior to discharge after their cancer treatment , and the multidisciplinary care team, including primary care providers (PCPs), must be equipped to support these patients. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Scott J. Capozza, PT, MSPT, on his journey navigating care after cancer treatment as a young adult and...

Advanced practice providers (APPs) play an increasingly vital role in delivering high-quality, team-based care. APPs need the right support and structure when stepping into the complex world of oncology, through thoughtful onboarding programs. It is essential to spotlight effective APP onboarding models across various practice settings, including academic, comprehensive, and community settings. Mu...

According to Blood Cancer United (formerly the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society), approximately every 3 minutes, 1 person in the United States is diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma, or myeloma. AML is a heterogeneous hematologic malignancy; despite advances in treatment, AML remains challenging to cure. Integrating new treatment options for patients with refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML), includin...

In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Susan Salgado, PhD, keynote speaker at the upcoming 42nd National Oncology Conference, about her approach to organizational culture and leadership. With over 2 decades of experience in consulting spanning more than 20 industries, Dr. Salgado is adept at transferring hospitality skills to the field of health care. She discusses the importance of zeroing in o...

Clinical research is critical to the development of life saving treatments. And ACCC has long supported equitable access to clinical trials, including efforts to ensure that these trials reflect the diversity of the populations they serve. ACCC has made the  Just ASK ™ Training Program and Site Self-Assessment available free-of-charge to help research sites address barriers to participation in can...

The high cost associated with cancer diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship makes the burden of financial toxicity an unavoidable reality for many patients—and makes financial navigators central to the delivery of high-quality cancer care. In this vodcast episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Heather Simpson, BCPA, patient financial navigator lead, who shares her experience using the ACCC Financial Adv...

Effective management of adverse events and addressing barriers to care are critical to optimizing outcomes and maintaining quality of life for patients receiving CDK4/6 inhibitors. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Julia Lea Ziegengeist, PharmD, BCOP, clinical pharmacist coordinator in solid tumor oncology at Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute about proactive, team-based strategies to id...

Clinical trials are vital to offering and developing the most effective treatment options. However, there are large disparities in enrollment across race, ethnicity, geography, and type of cancer care center. Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Baton Rouge, LA uses local partnerships, culturally tailored outreach, and workforce innovation to drive sustainable and equitable participation in clinical...

Anticipating and managing CDK4/6 inhibitor toxicities in HR+ HER2- breast cancer is essential to improving patient quality of life and optimizing clinical outcomes. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Diana Van Ostran, PharmD, BCOP, clinical pharmacy specialist – breast clinic at Miami Cancer Institute, Baptist Health South Florida, about strategies to monitor and manage treatment-related adv...

In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Bart Daugherty, vice president of clinical technology and systems at Georgetown Cancer Center, Lifepoint Health , about his program's receipt of a 2025 ACCC Innovator Award. Lifepoint's innovation, Transforming Cancer Detection and Treatment with the AI-Driven Healthy Person Program , leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze the health records of a...

In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Andrew Munchel, MSN, RN, OCN, CPHQ, quality program administrator, oncology service line at WellSpan Health, WellSpan Cancer Institute about his program's receipt of a 2025 ACCC Innovator Award. WellSpan Cancer Institute's innovation, Adopting Machine Learning-Enabled Decision Support to Improve Oncology End-of-Life Outcomes , involved the implementation of...

In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Anna Liza Rodriguez, MSN, MHA, RN, OCN, NEA-BC, chief nursing officer and vice president of N ursing and P atient C are S ervices at Fox Chase Cancer Center about her program's receipt of a 2025 ACCC Innovator Award. Fox Chase Cancer Center's innovation, Ambulatory Care Excellence (ACE): Charting a New Path in Ambulatory Care Model and Coordination , is a s...

Genetic factors play a critical role in prostate cancer treatment planning, with both germline and somatic mutations guiding therapeutic decisions. The Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC) remains committed to improving prostate cancer care and has developed the Metastatic Prostate Cancer Handbook: A Guide to Optimizing Outcomes with Germline and Somatic Testing. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ...

Navigating the growing complexity of bladder cancer care is essential to improving patient access and treatment closer to home. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Suzanne Merrill, MD, urologic oncologist at Colorado Urology about barriers and solutions to delivering high-quality bladder cancer care in community settings. CANCER BUZZ also speaks with Patrick Hensley, MD, urologist at Universi...

Immune-related adverse events (AEs) are becoming more frequent in oncology patients receiving immunotherapy. To better understand emerging trends and education needs, the Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC) developed the Immuno-Oncology Census as part of its ongoing commitment to sharing up-to-date strategies for managing adverse events. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Bat-ami Gordo...

In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Ramy Sedhom, MD, section chief of medical oncology at Penn Medicine Princeton Health, Princeton Cancer Center about his program's receipt of a 2025 ACCC Innovator Award. His team's innovation, Implementing a Structured, Scalable Geriatric Oncology Program, paves the way for other programs to effectively integrate the use of geriatric assessments into routin...

In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Katie Jones, FNP, MA, nurse practitioner for oncology and palliative care at Shaw Cancer Center, about her program's receipt of a 2025 ACCC Innovator Award. Recognizing the urgent need for the expansion of palliative care services beyond the clinic setting, Shaw Cancer Center's innovation, Shaw at Home: An Oncology Specific Home and Community-Based Palliati...

Expanding access to clinical trials in community oncology settings is essential to improving diversity, equity, and inclusion in cancer research. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with clinical research coordinator, Oluwakemi "Kemi" Oladipupo, MSHS, MPH, BSN, RN, CCRP, whose cancer center recently participated in a foundational oncology clinical trials course, developed by ACCC and the Associati...

In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Lauren Hughes, RN, director of infusion services at Highlands Oncology about her program's receipt of a 2025 ACCC Innovator Award. Highlands Oncology's innovation, Improving Care Between Clinic Visits: A Sustainable Model for Remote Patient Monitoring , ensures continuous support and symptom management for patients between clinic visits. An early contributo...

On October 29-30, 2024, the ACCC Community Oncology Research Institute (ACORI) hosted the Community Oncology Inclusive Clinical Trial Design Summit in Arlington, VA. The event brought togethe r stakeholders including academic and community cancer center practitioners and researchers, advocacy organizations, government agencies, and industry partners to discuss strategies to increase patient access...

Navigating disparities in the diagnosis and treatment of biliary tract cancer (BTC) is essential for improving patient outcomes, ensuring equitable care, and optimizing the patient experience. The Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC) remains committed to increasing awareness and disseminating the latest strategies for BTC management. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ explores these issues with Pai...

Synopsis: One of the most significant social determinants of health is housing, which can lead to prolonged hospital stays and an endless cycle of episodic care. The Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC) is dedicated to highlighting programs that address this disparity to improve medical outcomes and restore stability to patients' lives. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Deirdre Sekulic...

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are novel therapeutic agents designed to target specific tumor markers with potent anticancer drugs. The Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC) is dedicated to providing up-to-date information on ADC treatment management. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Nancy Mallett, a patient advocate, to discuss the patient's perspective and experience receiving treat...

Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) face poorer cancer outcomes and experiences compared with younger and older patients, and they historically have been lost between pediatric and adult models of oncology care. The Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC) is committed to providing up-to-date guidance on treating AYA patients with cancer to improve their outcomes. In this episode of CANCER BUZZ,...