CANCER BUZZ

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is an aggressive disease whose management is complex and requires open communication amongst a multidisciplinary care team. It has a high rate of relapse, with up to 40 percent of patients relapsing within the first two years after primary treatment. Management of a patient with DLBCL begins with prognostic evaluation of the disease and assessing the potential adverse effects of treatments. It should be followed by evaluations of physical, physiological, cognitive, and socio-economic status of the patient. When considering treatment options, the patient should be engaged to share their expectations and goals related to disease control and quality of life.

CANCER BUZZ spoke to Robin Atkins, RN, OCN, symptom triage nurse, Virginia Oncology Associates in Norfolk, Virginia. Listen as we discuss effective practices to support patients with diffuse large b-cell lymphoma throughout the care continuum.

"It's important to listen for meaning when talking with patients and caregivers who are undergoing cancer treatments for diffuse large b-cell lymphoma and incorporating that into the care plan."

"Need to validate the patient perspective."

"Shared decision-making is a two-way conversation."

Robin Atkins, RN, OCN

Symptom Triage Nurse

Virginia Oncology Associates

Norfolk, Virginia

Resources:

Cancer Support Community

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

This project is supported by AbbVie/Genmab and Genentech.

As the use of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy continues to expand as an effective treatment for hematologic malignancies, understanding how to identify eligible patients early and implementation of an effective framework for identification can improve care coordination and better prepare community cancer programs for widespread use of CAR T-cell therapy. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with David L. Porter, MD, director of Cell Therapy and Transplant at Penn Medicine, about the challenges community oncologists face and the key role they can play in identifying and recommending eligible patients for CAR T-cell therapy.

"The single most important thing for a patient out in the community at a place that doesn't have familiarity or immediate access to CAR T-cells is to refer them somewhere that does and refer them soon and timely." – David L. Porter, MD

Guest:

David L. Porter, MD

Director, Cell Therapy and Transplant

Jodi Fisher Horowitz Professor in Leukemia Care Excellence

Penn Medicine- University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS)

Philadelphia, PA

This episode has been developed in connection with the ACCC education program Tips for Early Patient Identification for CAR T-Cell Therapy and Creating "Stickiness" with Community Providers for Optimal Care Coordination. This episode was made possible with support by Kite Pharma.

Additional Reading/Sources

ACCC Oncology Issues Article

If They RECUR, You Should Refer: A Community Oncologist Patient ID Roundtable Summary

Essentials for Identifying Patients – Bringing CAR T-cell Therapy to Community Oncology

Optimizing Care Coordination – Bringing CAR T-cell Therapy to Community Oncology

The aging US population is predicted to drive an increase in cancer incidence of almost 50% by 2050. At the same time, some cancer programs face capacity and resource constraints—which will continue to increase as demand for cancer services rises. Many cancer programs are also facing significant challenges with patient access. This podcast explores 4 pillars for creating a differentiated patient experience: access, navigation, digital health, and health equity. The end goal for both cancer programs and patients is to shorten the time span between diagnosis and treatment.

Guest:

Jessica Turgon

Partner

ECG Management Consultants

"What we've seen coming out of COVID-19 is a growing consumerism in cancer care. Patients want their information quickly—even more rapidly than healthcare teams can turn it around. And patients want this information in a way that they can easily access it."

Look for the full article, "Pioneering a Cancer Program of the Future," in the Volume 38, Number 6, Oncology Issues. While you wait, check out the most current digital edition now.

Resources:

The Hospital of the Future

Population Health Navigators: An Innovative Approach for Supporting Underserved Patients

Ochsner Chemotherapy Care Companion: Improving Outcomes through Digital Medicine

Digital Solutions Connect Resources to Patients at the Right Time

Health technology performance and integration of electronic health record (EHR) systems—the creation of interfaces between EHRs and reference labs performing biomarker testing— have become critical factors in conducting efficient and equitable biomarker testing at cancer programs nationwide. At ACCC's 40th Annual National Oncology Conference, an exclusive EHR Working Summit was held to understand barriers to integrating biomarker testing into EHR systems and explore effective practices/workaround solutions to facilitate timely and comprehensive biomarker testing. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Karen Huelsman, MS, LGC, precision oncology lead and genetic counselor at TriHealth Cancer and Blood Institute, who also serves on ACCC's EHR Integration program Advisory Committee, about key takeaways and insights from the Working Summit. "Some of the key barriers include limited staffing on information systems and technical teams—that's the number one ingredient—[also] funding is an important element, having enough FTEs [full-time employees] to create a team, having knowledgeable data engineers and project coordinators…and trying to include some level of clinical input for any new integration implementation team is really important, and those are not always available…" – Karen Huelsman, MS, LGC

Guest:

Karen Huelsman, MS, LGC Precision Oncology Lead, Genetic Counselor TriHealth Cancer and Blood Institute Cincinnati, Ohio

This episode was developed in connection with the ACCC education program EHR Integration: Effective Practices to Facilitate Timely and Comprehensive Biomarker Testing. This educational program is made possible with support by AstraZeneca and Genentech.

Additional Reading/Sources

EHR Integration: Effective Practices to Facilitate Timely and Comprehensive Biomarker Testing

EHR Integration Landscape Analysis

In 2020, this community-based cancer program started laying the foundation for a disease-site specific oncology patient navigation program that would grow exponentially over the next 2 years. In addition to a rapidly growing patient caseload, nurse navigator responsibilities grew extensively, largely due to increasing physician and system support of the program and role. To date, this 3-person oncology nurse navigator team has received over 2100 referrals from more than 259 providers.

Guest:

Stephanie Bonfilio, MSN, RN, OCN, ONN-CG

Oncology Navigation Manager

St. Elizabeth Cancer Care

"Patient experience is such a huge part of what we do in cancer care. We survey our patients who are actively being navigated to see if the care we are providing is of value to them…over 94% of our patients said that having a nurse navigator on their care team increased their overall experience."

Read more in "Developing a Disease-Site Specific Oncology Patient Navigation Program" in Volume 38, Number 5, Oncology Issues.

Resources:

· Population Health Navigators: An Innovative Approach for Supporting Underserved Patients

· Increasing Clinical Trial Accrual Through the Implementation of a Clinical Trials Navigator

· The Oncology Pharmacy Navigator

· Developing an Acuity Tool to Optimize Nurse Navigation Caseloads

Since 2014, the widespread use of germline and somatic testing in gynecologic oncology has dramatically increased. The use of genetic testing can support actionable changes which may influence treatment decisions. Test results can inform risk for other malignancies and prompt preventive screenings for at-risk relatives. Despite an increasing awareness of the benefits of genetic testing, many patients are not receiving consistent or equitable testing.

CANCER BUZZ spoke to Melissa Frey, MD, MS, Assistant Professor, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, and Director, Genetics and Personalized Cancer Prevention Program, Weill Cornell Medicine in New York, New York, and Leigha Senter, MS, CGC, Professor, Clinical Internal Medicine, Associate Director, Division of Human Genetics, and Licensed Genetic Counselor, The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Listen as we discuss germline and somatic testing for patients with ovarian cancer.

"Ovarian cancer is probably one of the most exciting examples of the way genetics and genomics can inform treatment, and also improve patient care, and patient outcomes."

Melissa Frey, MD, MS

"While we are putting a lot of effort into making sure patients get the testing they need, we also need to have a support web in place for their family members too. And that is actually a service to our patients."

Leigha Senter, MS, CGC

Melissa Frey, MD, MS

Assistant Professor, Division of Gynecologic Oncology

Director, Genetics and Personalized Cancer Prevention Program

Weill Cornell Medicine

New York, New York

Leigha Senter, MS, CGC

Professor, Clinical Internal Medicine

Associate Director, Division of Human Genetics

Licensed Genetic Counselor

The Ohio State University

Columbus, Ohio

Resources:

Cancer Support Community

This project is supported by AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline.

Coordination of care for patients diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, particularly those who are ineligible for transplant, can impact access to specialist care, clinical trials, and cancer programs with advanced capabilities to treat patients with acute myeloid leukemia. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Geoffrey Uy, MD, professor of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Leukemia at Washington University's School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri and Khoan Tuong Vu, MD, hematologist oncologist at Texas Oncology, who share strategies and best practices for co-managing care for patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

"The impact of care coordination can be tremendous. A large proportion of our patients come from several hours away. Through care coordination and through things like telehealth, we can deliver high quality care to patients in their [own] community." – Geoffrey L. Uy, MD

"Successful care coordination is a seamless transition of care where we work together as a cohesive team, even across different cancer centers, with a consistent message and consistent treatment plan." – Khoan Tuong Vu, MD

Guest: Geoffrey L. Uy, MD

Professor of Medicine, Bone Marrow Transplantation & Leukemia\

Division of Oncology

Washington University School of Medicine

St. Louis, MO

Khoan Tuong Vu, MD

Hematologist Oncologist

Texas Oncology

Dallas, TX

This is the third episode of a four-part series developed in connection with the ACCC education program Achieving and Maintaining Better Outcomes for Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. This episode was made possible with support by Bristol Myers-Squibb.

Additional Reading/Sources

· Critical Conversation Strategies for Patients with AML- Video Podcast Ep 37

· Strategies to Addressing Disparities in Patients with AML – Video Podcast Ep 35

· Shared Decision-making in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

· Talking about Acute Myeloid Leukemia (Cancer Support Community)

· Shared Decision-making: Practical Implementation for the Oncology Team (ACCC)

Live this week from the ACCC 40th National Oncology Conference, CANCER BUZZ interviews Doug Flora, MD about AI in Precision Oncology, the first- ever peer-reviewed journal on the topic. The journal shares meaningful information on the evolution of these tools, especially for clinicians and decision makers to help make a case for artificial intelligence.

Guest:

Doug Flora, MD

Editor-in-Chief, AI in Precision Oncology

Resources:

AI in Precision Oncology

ACCC Cancer Diagnostics

The oncology community is facing staffing shortages across disciplines and specialties, as well as pressure from organizations and individuals for clinicians to practice at the top of their license and nonclinical staff to work at their highest skill set; that's where technology can help. Live this week from the ACCC 40th National Oncology Conference (NOC), CANCER BUZZ interviews Karline Paul, Associate Operating Officer at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, about the ways technology can support—not replace—the oncology workforce.

Guest:

Karline Peal, MBA

Associate Operating Officer

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Resources:

Trending Now in Cancer Care

Technology Solutions to Mitigate Workforce Shortages

Tech Solutions Ahead!

Data Analytics + Business Intelligence = Operations Insights

Technology That is Transforming Cancer Care

The science of oncology is rapidly evolving, as cancer programs and practices around the US continue to make cutting-edge discoveries in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. In addition, there is an increased spotlight on the effects social drivers of health have on cancer care delivery, as health equity initiatives continue to permeate the oncology landscape.

Building on these successes, NCI released the National Cancer Plan on April 3, 2023. The plan outlines goals designed to support the objectives of Cancer Moonshot. In support of this effort, the President's Cancer Panel held its first National Cancer Plan Stakeholder meeting September 7, 2023.

ACCC was invited to share the association's key priorities for impacting cancer care in the US. ACCC president Olalekan Ajayi, PharmD, MBA, and chief operating officer at Highlands Oncology Group, PA, discusses the meeting and these initiatives.

Guest:

Olalekan Ajayi, PharmD, MBA

President, ACCC

Chief Operating Officer,

Highlands Oncology Group, PA

Fayetteville, AR

Resources:

• President's Cancer Panel

• National Cancer Plan