Oncology

A study including 10 million patients covered by 11 health plans suggested that insurance claims could be used to estimate the number of early-stage breast cancer cases as well as the demand for anti-HER2 drugs.

Gilotrif (afatinib) is a first-line oral treatment for certain non-small cell lung cancers.

After successful treatment for early-state prostate cancer, Rick Lyke decided to raise awareness of the disease among men by appealing to their interest in beer.

Since prostate cancer frequently progresses very slowly, active surveillance is a frequent option, but where necessary, surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, and chemotherapy can be used.

According to the results of a large cohort study, men with high blood concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids may be at an increased risk for developing prostate cancer.

Keeping up with advances in oncology is a welcome challenge.

Survival rates are generally quite high for the second-most-common cancer among men in the United States.

Oral antineoplastics have advantages, but patient adherence is a concern.

Incremental gains in survival and new targeted agents in the pipeline offer promise.

As pharmacogenomics continues to progress, specialty pharmacists may dominate treatment for certain diseases.

Einodshofer of Walgreens explains that it can be difficult to convince oncologists with hospital-owned oncology practices to send patients to alternative treatment sites.

As pharmacogenomics continues to progress, specialty pharmacists may dominate treatment for certain diseases.

A meta-analysis of studies that examined stimulant use in children diagnosed with brain tumors found that the medication may improve cognitive processes, just as it does for children with ADHD.

In a recent study, a majority of men reported they still wanted to receive prostate-specific antigen testing, despite recommendations by the US Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) against the test.

These pharmacists have specialized knowledge about pharmaceuticals and their use in treating cancer and its comorbidities, and they work collaboratively with the health care team to optimize outcomes.

Women who regularly took low-dose aspirin had significantly reduced risk of colon cancer, but researchers are not yet ready to generally recommend the drug for primary prevention.

BioPlus was selected as a specialty pharmacy supplier for the new Tarceva network.

Specialty Pharmacy Times sat down to talk with Dr. Eric Sredzinski about the controversial topic of pricing for oncology medications, as well as common patient reimbursement hurdles and Avella's technologically savvy efforts to break down patient adherence barriers.

Welcome to our third annual special Oncology edition of Specialty Pharmacy Times! While new targeted oral medications are convenient and effective, they are also expensive and toxic, so the need for creating the greatest effectiveness from therapy is warranted. That's where specialty pharmacy comes in.

The approval of ipilimumab and vemurafenib in 2011 marked a significant advance in the treatment of melanoma, and a number of new investigational agents are in the pipeline.

The FDA approved the first companion diagnostic to detect epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations, which are present in approximately 10% of non-small cell lung cancers.

David Dubin had a family history of colon cancer, but failed to get screened for it when young. Now he's on a mission to make sure others don't make the same mistake.

Independent verification of drug doses can prevent mix-ups and misinterpretation.