Results from the randomized international phase III HIMALAYA trial showed that a combination of durvalumab (Imfinzi) plus the experimental drug tremelimumab, both immunotherapies, significantly improved overall survival in patients with advanced, unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common type of liver cancer, compared to patients who received only sorafenib (Nexavar).
In many areas of the United States, the healthcare system is facing critical workforce shortages. The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) encourages public health officials and healthcare facilities to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for managing healthcare personnel with SARS-CoV-2 infection or exposure to SARS-CoV-2. These guidelines allow for different levels of restrictions on staffing based on the level of shortages being experienced. However, in making these decisions, ASCO strongly encourages institutions and public health agencies to recognize the greater risk of infection and adverse outcomes that immune-suppressed individuals, including many patients with cancer, face from SARS-CoV-2 and to make decisions about staffing for the care of those individuals with thoughtful consideration of that greater risk. Unless no alternative exists, COVID-19 positive health workers, even if asymptomatic, should not be assigned to care for patients with cancer
Findings on combination therapies with immunotherapy drugs for patients with biliary tract cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma will be highlighted in the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium’s official Press Program. Studies featured in the Press Program are among the more than 650 abstracts that will be presented at the Symposium.
Alexandria, VA -- ASCO has elected Lynn M. Schuchter, MD, FASCO, a long-time member and volunteer, to serve as its President beginning in June 2023. Dr. Schuchter will take office as President-Elect immediately after the ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago in June 2022. Seven new members were also elected to the ASCO Board of Directors and Nominating Committee. This is the first ASCO election to take place under the recently amended Bylaws that were approved by the members last year. These amendments were designed to increase diversity and representation among ASCO elected leaders and have resulted in one of the most diverse groups of incoming Board and Nominating Committee members in ASCO history.
Fifty years ago, just a few days before the new year, former President Richard Nixon signed into law the National Cancer Act (NCA), setting a clear national priority to conquer cancer.
Building on its long history of advancing health equity in cancer care, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) today released, “The ASCO Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Action Plan: A Legacy of Commitment, A Future of Promise for Individuals with Cancer.” The plan, which was approved earlier this year by ASCO’s Board of Directors, aims to infuse equity into all of the organization’s activities, with the goal of making meaningful progress that improves the quality of cancer care.
The Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) appreciates that Congress passed legislation to prevent what would have been devastating reimbursement cuts for Medicare services from going into effect on January 1, 2022. With this short-term fix in place, we call on Congress and the Administration to work with healthcare providers on a true long-term solution for sustainable Medicare reimbursement that supports access to cancer care for all Americans.
The Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) calls on Congress to pass legislation that will prevent devastating reimbursement cuts to Medicare services set to begin on January 1. Failure to do so will significantly compromise patient access to lifesaving cancer care during an ongoing and unprecedented pandemic.
Two studies from the inaugural ASCO Plenary Series session will highlight the latest practice-changing results in advanced melanoma and digital symptom monitoring. The studies will be presented in a live broadcast session on November 16, 2021, at 3:00 PM ET.
The Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) congratulates Dr. Francis Collins on his long and impactful tenure as Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The majority (72.3%) of oral anticancer drugs received by patients required prior authorization, which was found to be associated with delayed time to drug receipt, according to a study to be presented at the 2021 ASCO Quality Care Symposium.
Interventions that paired community-based health workers with low-income and minority patients with cancer improved quality of life and may be a more effective and sustainable way to ensure equitable cancer care, according to a study to be presented as part of the 2021 ASCO Quality Care Symposium.
Ten noteworthy studies from the 2021 Quality Care Symposium explore topics such as financial burden of cancer treatment, fertility preservation, hidden disparities in breast cancer, and more. Leading cancer experts are available to comment on the on-demand and scheduled broadcast content from the 2021 Quality Care Symposium.
The Association for Clinical Oncology (the Association) launched the ASCO Patient-Centered Cancer Care Certification, a new pilot that certifies outpatient oncology group practices and health systems that meet a single set of comprehensive, expert-backed standards for patient-centered care delivery. The pilot is based on recently published oncology medical home standards (OMH) from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (an affiliate of the Association) and the Community Oncology Alliance (COA).
Research covering cancer treatment delays due to insurance type, and improvements in cancer care and quality of life for low-income and minority patients seen with integrated community-based interventions will be highlighted in the 2021 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Quality Care Symposium’s official Press Program. Studies featured in the Press Program are among the more than 300 abstracts that will be presented at the Symposium.
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