Articles

A pharmacist-led outreach program at Magellan Rx Management improved adherence to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), and compliance with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).

By improving chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), administration of duloxetine may enable patients with advanced pancreatic cancer to continue their treatment regimen of gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel.

Durability of benefit (ie, the possibility for sustained remission in patients with previously incurable disease) is already one of the hallmarks of immunotherapy. According to a recent statistical analysis, however, this durability even exceeded expectations.

When added to treatment with docetaxel, the investigational drug plinabulin improved overall survival by 4.7 months in patients with advanced non–small-cell lung cancer with measurable lesions.

As options for second-line therapy for patients with metastatic renal-cell carcinoma continue to expand, so does the controversy surrounding optimal treatment selection.

As pharmacists’ responsibilities extend beyond dispensing medications to include advanced patient-centered services, many already meet the definition of nonphysician provider under Medicare Part B, yet they are often not reimbursed for their services.

In the May issue of The Oncology Pharmacist (TOP), we feature a conversation with Patrick J. Medina, PharmD, BCOP, Professor of Clinical and Administrative Sciences at the University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy in Tulsa, in which he discusses changes to the reimbursement model, bridging the knowledge gap in a rapidly evolving field, and why provider status is the “holy grail” of pharmacy.

Despite remarkable advancements in the treatment of cancer through the use of targeted agents and immunotherapy, outcomes are still varied, and, for some patients, these regimens provide only a short-term answer.