CANCER BUZZ

Increased use of oral therapies means more freedom for patients with cancer, but also can lead to increased risks. CANCER BUZZ spoke to Tammy Smith, Family Nurse Practitioner for INOVA Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, VA, and Dr. Pearman Parker, Assistant Professor for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, AR. Hear how to educate patients and their caregivers about the r...

Validated screening tools for malnutrition help to improve a patient's quality of life. CANCER BUZZ spoke to Dr. Christina Bowen, Chief Well-being Officer for Vidant Health in Greenville, NC, Dr. Egidio Del Fabbro, Professor of Internal Medicine and Director of Palliative Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, GA and Kelay Trentham, registered dietician, nutritionist, and administr...

Cancer and its treatment impact patients in many ways, beginning before a diagnosis and lasting long through survivorship. One, often overlooked, side effect of cancer—whether it be from surgical, medical, or radiation treatment—relates to patients' sexual health. Hear how one Iowa-based program is addressing the sexual health gap in cancer care by supporting oncology professionals in having these...

Many cases of malnutrition are underdiagnosed and undertreated. CANCER BUZZ spoke to Dr. Christina Bowen, Chief Well-being Officer for Vidant Health in Greenville, NC, Dr. Egidio Del Fabbro, Professor of Internal Medicine and Director of Palliative Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, GA and Kelay Trentham, registered dietician, nutritionist, and administrative fellow for the Mul...

For more than a decade, the United States healthcare system has been warned of an impending oncologist shortage that is projected to occur as the population continues to age and the demand for cancer services increases. As integral members of the cancer care team, advanced practice providers (APPS) play a pivotal role in the rapidly evolving oncology ecosystem, bolstering access to quality care. A...

In the summer of 2020, staff at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute in Columbus, Ohio, realized that many patients experiencing symptoms for cancer and those who needed further evaluation to reach a diagnosis were now actively avoiding the hospital given the COVID-19 pandemic. The underlying concern: the global pandemic might...

It's common for cancer programs and practices to struggle with timely treatment education, consent gathering, and adherence tracking, especially when an oral oncolytic is prescribed. These challenges are due in part to older solutions that are no longer benefiting all patients equally. To better address these concerns, Baptist Health South Florida, Miami Cancer Institute in Florida turned to techn...

Ochsner Health, Ochsner Cancer Institute in Louisiana implemented a program—Chemotherapy Care Companion—to identify and meet oncology patients' needs in real time. By remotely monitoring those on intravenous or oral anti-cancer treatment, providers can discover and address the issues patients may experience during and after treatment appointments, including fluctuations in vitals. Since implementa...

Weight loss and malnutrition can be caused by the effects of cancer, such as malabsorption, or adverse effects from cancer therapies. CANCER BUZZ spoke to Kelay Trentham, registered dietitian, nutritionist, and administrative fellow for the MultiCare Health System in Tacoma, Washington, and Christie Mangir, patient advocate and breast cancer survivor. Hear how malnutrition affects people with canc...

For cancer programs and practices, silos between specialties make it challenging to address the comorbidities (e.g., hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease) many patients with cancer experience. In the same healthcare system, a patient's primary care provider (PCP) may not know what their cancer care team knows and vice versa. Hear how an embedded PCP at ChristianaCare's Helen F. Graham Cancer...

With the emergence of oral cancer therapies, it is a very exciting time in cancer care. But these treatments can come with adverse events. Dr. Pavani Chalasani from the University of Arizona Cancer Center shares how she educates patients on what to expect from oral cancer therapies and her focus on one of the most underestimated symptoms for patients. Pavani Chalasani, MD, MPH Associate Professor...

While patients with cancer face many physical and psychological challenges associated with their disease and/or treatment, their social, emotional, and legal needs can lead to ongoing health disparities and reduced quality of life if left unaddressed. Hear how a unique medical-legal partnership at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Health System expands the clinical team to include lawyers who...

While telehealth has expanded the delivery of healthcare services, many populations--including older adults with cancer--lack the know-how to use technology to their advantage during their cancer journey. Lower levels of digital literacy impede patients from accessing timely information, feeling empowered to ask questions, and seeking the best treatment for their diagnosis. To support patients to...

The demand for medical cannabis education from both providers and patients is increasing dramatically as the stigma on its use decreases. The Cannabis and Cancer Research and Education Clinic (CanCaRE) was developed to meet this growing need--providing education on safe and effective cannabis use, dosing recommendations, and symptom management strategies. Hear how using novel agents like medical c...

Allen Beck and Rivka Shakow Beck were newlyweds when Allen was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome. Allen and Rivka were thrust into a stressful, unfamiliar situation while trying to figure out how to manage mounting medical bills and prepare for Allen's bone marrow transplant.   Enter financial advocate, Angie Santiago. Angie discovered grants to help pay for the premiums, tapped into hospita...

The Federal Trade Commission unanimously launched a formal inquiry into the business practices of the prescription drug middleman industry—known as pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs)—in early June 2022 due to the overwhelming response of more than 24,000 public comments during their request for information. Listen to ACCC's Matt Devino and Dr. Rahul Seth discuss why every voice is critical in grassr...

Clinical trials are the best instrument to advance treatment for blood cancers, but numerous challenges exist around trial identification, enrollment, and participation. We'll hear perspectives from a community provider and patient advocacy organization on immediate--and forward-thinking--solutions to help this population better access clinical trials, including a tool from the Leukemia and Lympho...

Hear how Vanderbilt University Medical Center created a model for integrating advanced practitioners into a radiation oncology satellite clinic to provide long-term follow-up care and survivorship services. This pilot program exceeded expectations—not only in patient satisfaction and quality of care—but generated revenue for their institution by allowing physicians more time for patient consults a...

Dr. Stephen Quake, President of the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Network, spoke to CANCER BUZZ about the application of liquid biopsies across multiple cancer stages and their potential to improve patient outcomes, minimize financial toxicity, and create health equity through greater testing access and lower cost. He identified trends that are shaping the future of cancer research, including the amazing...

Meeting the needs of cancer program staff to ultimately improve patient outcomes is at the heart of the presidential themes of ACCC's current and immediate past presidents. CANCER BUZZ spoke to Krista Nelson, who advocated for the professional well-being of cancer program staff and Dr. David Penberthy, who aims to leverage technology to transform cancer care delivery and the patient experience. He...

While not yet mainstream in the community setting, measurable residual disease (MRD) testing has the potential to become more fully integrated into clinical practice as one of the reliable markers of treatment response for patients with multiple myeloma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Our guests—Drs. Rafael Fonseca and Tara Graff—discuss the benefits of MRD testing for these specific patient pop...

Because cancer treatment is rapidly evolving and complex, state-level advocacy is critical to help legislators understand the nuances of oncology. From issues like pharmacy benefit managers to white bagging and copay accumulators, the cancer care team knows firsthand the impact of policy decisions on the lived experiences of patients, including access to care, financial toxicity, and quality of li...

At times, being a caregiver can be an isolating experience—and especially for men who may struggle to ask for help. CANCER BUZZ spoke to Mike McGarry—who following his wife's cancer diagnosis—was introduced to Jack's Caregiver Coalition, a non-profit dedicated to supporting men throughout the caregiver journey.   This supportive community meets monthly to engage in unique activities like ice sculp...

When the pandemic brought in-person patient services to a halt, the Pluta Integrative Oncology & Wellness Center developed a virtual platform to provide patients more widespread access to integrative oncology modalities. Hear how a virtual integrative format can enable cancer programs to adapt touch modalities to self-interventions, leverage opportunities for research, and overcome social and econ...

ACCC 48th Annual Meeting & Cancer Center Business Summit The Advisory Board Company