CANCER BUZZ

For 52 years, ACCC has brought together thousands of health care professionals from across the nation representing all disciplines in oncology. Today, with over 46,000 members, ACCC's mission remains the same: to provide education, forums, and opportunities to promote the delivery of high-quality, equitable cancer care. Each year, the Association produces an ACCC Annual Report showcasing key educa...

In this episode of Oncology Unscripted, hosts Mark Liu and Deirdre Saulet speak with 2025 ACCC Innovator Award Winner Andrew Ambort, DO, a palliative care consulting physician at WellSpan Health. Dr. Ambort received the award for his team's innovation "Adopting Machine Learning-Enabled Decision Support to Improve Oncology End-of-Life Outcomes," which leveraged an existing module in the electronic...

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) cell therapy is a promising option for patients with advanced melanoma, but logistical and referral challenges can be a barrier to care. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Lilit Karapetyan, MD, MS, FACP, medical oncologist at Moffit Cancer Center and Research Institute, an authorized treatment center (ATC) for TIL cell therapy, and Raju Vaddepally, MD, hem...

Changing regulations are reshaping the practice of oncology. Issues such as prior authorization, shifting coverage policies, reporting mandates, and reimbursement certainty all affect how clinics must operate to provide the best care. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with 3 oncology professionals, representing different roles and regions of the country, about their experiences of how policy imp...

As the number of patients and survivors of cancer grows each year, awareness of the disease's emotional toll—including depression, anxiety, and deep existential distress—is increasingly recognized as a critical aspect of cancer care. In response, psychedelic-assisted therapy is gaining attention as a promising alternative to traditional mental health interventions, providing relief for some patien...

Of the barriers to innovation and adopting new strategies, human hesitation is one of the greatest. Health care is a rapidly evolving field by nature, which is compounded by near constant technological advancement. For insight into overcoming hesitation while navigating frequent change in a burnout-oriented industry, CANCER BUZZ spoke with Michelle Rozen, PhD, behavioral scientist, bestselling aut...

In the second installment of Oncology Unscripted, an unfiltered, honest dialogue about the state of cancer care today, hosts Mark Liu and Deirdre Saulet invite Meagan O'Neill, MS, Executive Director of ACCC, to discuss the Association's plans for the upcoming year, honing in on challenges and opportunities within its membership. O'Neill shares the vision behind expanding the CANCER BUZZ podcast, t...

Advanced practice providers (APPs) are both an integral part of the care team and a driving force behind innovation in oncology. This special state society episode of CANCER BUZZ will explore how oncology APPs are stepping into leadership roles—formally and informally—to advocate for role clarity and equitable compensation, improve mentorship, and elevate the value of APPs within the multidiscipli...

Cancer cases, cancer-related deaths, and survivorship are projected to rise exponentially—yet oncology faces critical workforce shortages. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Tristan Blanco, a biology major and fellow in VCU Massey's Cancer-focused Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) Program, who shares his experience as part of a program designed to scale oncology education and meet the...

Introducing a brand new podcast from ACCC: Oncology Unscripted. In this inaugural episode, hosts Mark Liu and Deirdre Saulet lay out what listeners can expect from the show, including unfiltered, honest dialogue about the state of cancer care today, the most pressing challenges providers are facing, and how they can move forward with hope amid unpredictable headwinds. Liu and Saulet will approach...

CAR T-cell therapy is a potentially life-saving treatment for patients with certain hematologic malignancies. Yet, the logistical challenges and the need for specialized management of adverse events have limited its availability in community settings. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Jeremy M. Pantin, MD, FACP, clinical director of the Adult Transplant and Cellular Therapy Program at TriSt...

Claudin 18.2 is a novel biomarker for advanced gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancer. Patients who test positive for claudin 18.2 may be candidates for the monoclonal antibody, zolbetuximab, which directly targets this biomarker. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Manish A. Shah, MD, FASCO, director of the Gastrointestinal Oncology Program at Weill Cornell Medicine, about how claudin...

Relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma (R/R FL) is challenging to treat, requiring thoughtful clinical decision-making during treatment selection and sequencing. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Benjamin Heyman, MD, hematologist and clinical associate professor at City of Hope, about the importance of individualized care, shared decision-making, clinical trial referrals, and multidiscipli...

After 6 years of bringing listeners key insights into the most pressing topics in oncology, ACCC's podcast, CANCER BUZZ, has gotten a facelift! In this episode, CANCER BUZZ brings back our first podcast guest, Tina Curtis, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, executive director of cancer services at Froedtert Hospital. In the June 26, 2019, inaugural CANCER BUZZ episode, Dr. Curtis spoke about her institution's...

US Veterans are at a heightened risk for lung cancer due to service-related exposures. Integrating clinical research into routine oncology care at the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) can help bring clinical trials closer to where Veterans live and improve access to cutting edge therapies. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Millie Das, MD, chief of oncology at the VA Palo Alto Health C...

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 isoform IIIb (FGFR2b) is an emerging biomarker present in about 38% of patients with advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Nataliya Uboha, MD, PhD, a medical oncologist at University of Wisconsin Health, about current recommendations for biomarker testing in this population, emerging biomarke...

In metastatic breast cancer, resistance to therapy remains one of the most challenging aspects to care. A key driver of resistance in hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative disease is the ESR1 mutation, a genetic change that alters the estrogen receptor and limits the effectiveness of certain standard therapies. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Eleonara Teplinsky, MD, FASCO, head of brea...

Una Hopkins, DNP, MSN, FNP-BC, NE-BC, RN, FACCC, president of the Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC) designated her theme for the 2025-2026 year as Designing Oncology Care to Meet the Needs of a Growing Patient Population in response to forecasts predicting both patient and survivor populations will grow in coming years. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Dr. Hopkins about the importa...

Synopsis: Live this week from the ACCC 42nd National Oncology Conference (NOC), CANCER BUZZ speaks with Dr. Deirdre Saulet, who discusses highlights from Friday morning's panel session: Women Leaders in Oncology: Exploring Successful Dyad Models.  Guest:  Deirdre Saulet, PhD Chief Strategy Officer Jasper Health   Resources:  ACCC 42nd National Oncology Conference Agenda  

Live this week from the ACCC 42nd National Oncology Conference (NOC), CANCER BUZZ catches up with attendees who highlight takeaways from this year's hot topic sessions. Guests:  Laura Kuzma  Administrative Director FirstHealth of the Carolinas   Brittany McArn, OPN-CG, CPPN Financial Navigation Manager Outpatient Oncology Services FirstHealth of the Carolinas     Resources:  ACCC 42nd National Onc...

Live this week from the ACCC 42nd National Oncology Conference (NOC), CANCER BUZZ shares highlights from the President's Fireside Chat, where Una Hopkins leads a dynamic conversation with oncology providers from 3 cancer programs that are designing innovative care models to meet the needs of a growing patient population. Speakers:  Dr. Una Hopkins President, ACCC Director, Nursing Research Montefi...

Live this week from the ACCC's 42nd National Oncology Conference (NOC), CANCER BUZZ speaks with ACCC Board of Trustees member Jennifer Bires, who details the highlights from the Wednesday panel discussion she led, "POPS: Navigating Quality Integrative Cancer Support Resources." Guest:  Jennifer Bires , MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, FACCC Executive Director, Life with Cancer and Patient Experience Inova Health...

Live this week from the ACCC's 42nd National Oncology Conference (NOC), CANCER BUZZ speaks with ACCC Executive Director Meagan O'Neill, MS, who previews the week.  Guest:  Meagan O'Neill, MS Executive Director, Association of Cancer Care Centers   Resources:  ACCC 42nd National Oncology Conference Agenda  

Since 2010, the Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC) has produced an annual Trending Now in Cancer Care report, highlighting the biggest challenges, solutions, and opportunities in oncology. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Lindsey Causey, DNP, APRN, ANP-BC, AOCNP, nurse practitioner at Cone Health Cancer Center, about part 2 of the 2025 trend report. She shares takeaways from the in-...

Since 2010, the Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC) has produced an annual Trending Now in Cancer Care report, highlighting the biggest challenges, solutions, and opportunities in oncology. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Calliope Bodenhorn Payne, MHA, virtual care coordinator at Texas Oncology, about part 1 of the 2025 trend report. She shares takeaways from the in-person discussio...