Prior authorization is harming individuals with cancer according to new survey results from the Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO). The survey found that prior authorization delays necessary care, worsens cancer care outcomes, and diverts clinicians from caring for their patients.

In the largest study to date of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy for relapsed and refractory childhood B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), clinicians in China were able to rapidly produce dual CD19/CD22 targeted T-cells, resulting in treatments that led to undetectable disease in 99% of 194 patients with treatment-resistant or high-risk-of-relapse leukemia, according to a study published today in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. 

In conjunction with the World Cancer Congress, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Inc. (ASCO®) is publishing a special series of its online publication JCO Global Oncology focused on innovative, evidence-based models for cancer professionals and patients to improve access to quality cancer care particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). During Congress sessions, leaders from ASCO will explore integrating palliative care into standard oncology practice; increasing cancer research and clinical trials in Africa; ensuring a supply of essential medicine for all patients regardless of resource setting; and using lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic to boost cancer control.https://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/GO.22.00168

State-run Medicaid insurance, expanded in 2014 as part of the Affordable Care Act, has resulted in decreased metastatic cancer incidence rates as well as decreased overall cancer mortality rates and averted over one thousand deaths due to cancer per year. About 12% of the improvements in cancer mortality were due to decreases in metastatic diagnoses, according to a study to be presented as part of the 2022 ASCO Quality Care Symposium. 

Substituting biosimilars, generics and clinically appropriate lower cost drugs for established, costlier drugs was shown to be an effective way to reduce the total cost of care, by 5% or so, while maintaining the quality of care for patients with cancer. Even small shifts towards lower cost drugs resulted in significant reductions in the total cost of care, according to a study to be presented as part of the 2022 ASCO Quality Care Symposium. 

Studies evaluating interventions to reduce the total cost of cancer care and a new analysis of changes in cancer incidence and mortality rates after Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act will be highlighted in the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Quality Care Symposium’s official Press Program. Studies featured in the Press Program are among the nearly 500 abstracts that will be presented at the Symposium.