ESMO calls for oncology-specific safeguards in EU joint clinical assessments of medical and in vitro diagnostic devices in the new EU public consultation

The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) has compiled a detailed response to the European Commission's public consultation draft regarding Implementing Regulation for Joint Clinical Assessments of medical and in vitro diagnostic devices.  The 4 key strategic priorities noted in the framework include systematic inclusion of oncology expertise, structured stakeholder involvement, proportional and feasible evidence requirements, and clear and consistent guidance on comparators and outcomes. 

To learn more and read the full submission, click here. 

Travel time for breast cancer screening remains long for many women

 A new study conducted by the American Cancer Society and recently published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute indicates that location of a mammography facility is associated with lower breast cancer rates particularly among women living in rural areas. According to senior scientist Dr. Daniel Wiese, "mammography is widely available in the United States but barriers, such as long drive times, are likely influencing a women's decision to get screened."  Dr. Wise further emphasizes the importance of programs aimed at removing barriers "so women can access this potentially life-saving screening."  

To read more about this study, click here. 

Source mentioned: 

Wiese D, Islami F, Henry KA. Changes in geographic accessibility to mammography by state and rural-urban status, United States, 2006-2022. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2022 Dec 14:djac217. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djac217. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36515214.

 

New study shows recently diagnosed adult cancer survivors at higher risk for bone fractures

 A new study conducted by the American Cancer Society indicates that adult cancer survivors, especially those diagnosed within 5 years and/or treated with chemotherapy, "have an increased risk for bone fractures, specifically pelvic and vertebral fractures, compared to older adults without cancer." These findings were further correlated with levels of physical activity and smoking status; active adults had a lower risk of bone fractures, whereas smoking among survivors lead to an increased risk of bone issues. The study, conducted on 92,431 participants over 20 years (1997-2017) unveiled 12,943 with bone fractures.  

To read more about this study, click here. 

Cancer care in war zones: what have we learnt?

 A recent clinical practice perspective interview by the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO), with Professor Richard Sullivan, from the Conflict and Health Research Group at King's College in London, UK, emphasizes the impact of cancer care in war zones for the global oncology community.  Discussion topics include challenges caring for refugees with cancer, coordinating cancer care support amongst different agencies, and the impact of the current conflict in Ukraine on cancer care in the future. 

To read the complete interview, click here.  

Early evaluation of nutritional status needed to provide nutritional support and decrease risk of malnutrition, sarcopenia, and nosocomial infection in cancer patients

 According to criteria from the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM), malnutrition and risk of developing nosocomial infection is at high prevalence upon hospital admission for cancer patients.  A small observational study of 107 patients (average age of 66 years old) conducted at General University Hospital of Valencia Oncology Department, indicated that 70% had an advanced stage of cancer diagnosis, presenting with severe (44.9%) and moderate (17.8%) malnutrition on admission.  Study author Dr. Nunez Abad and his investigative team thus advise that "an adequate nutritional evaluation is essential for timely implementation of nutritional support, to avoid malnutrition, sarcopenia and to decrease NI." 

To read more about this study, click here. 

COVID-19 pandemic halts cancer care and damages oncologists' wellbeing

 As recently discussed at the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) Virtual Congress 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in delays and/or cancellation of cancer treats, while increasing stress levels and causing burnout among oncologists.  According to a statement by Dr. Guy Jerusalem at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sart Tilman in Belgium, "COVID-19 has had a major impact on the organization of patient care...there is a risk that the diagnosis of new cancer cases will be delayed and that more patients will be diagnosed at a later stage of their disease."  Studying findings indicated that among survey results obtained from cancer centres across 18 European countries, 60.9% admitted that clinical activity was reduced as a result of COVID-19, with 64.2% concerned about under-treatment, and 37% expecting significant reductions in clinical trials.  

To read more about this study, click here. 

Report calls for new approach to Ontario's breast and colon cancer care

Ontario needs to improve the way it cares for breast and colon cancer patients taking protective chemotherapy, nearly half of whom are making unplanned visits to overburdened emergency rooms, according to a new evaluation of cancer care in Canada’s most populous province. The Cancer System Quality Index, released Tuesday, shows that 46 per cent of colon cancer patients and 43 per cent of breast cancer patients who received chemotherapy after surgery turned to ERs at least once, an outcome that suggests oncologists and family doctors are not doing enough to help patients cope with the toxic side effects of their therapy. Read more here.

Physicians urge World Health Organization to regulate e-cigarettes

A group of 129 physicians, epidemiologists and others from 31 countries sent an open letter to the World Health Organization on Monday urging the United Nations agency to hold firm in what seems to be its intention to impose strict regulations on electronic cigarettes. The letter was a response to one sent last month by 53 other experts who urged the WHO to go easy on e-cigarettes, which the advocates called “part of the solution” in the fight against smoking. Read more here.

Expanded health coverage may improve cancer outcomes in young adults, study suggests

Young adults who lack health care insurance are more likely to be diagnosed in advanced stages of cancer and have a higher risk of death, according to a study from Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center (DF/BWCC) and Harvard Medical School. “We found that patients who have insurance coverage do better on every measure,” said first author Ayal Aizer, MD, MHS, of the Harvard Radiation Oncology Program. Read more here.

Views on end-of-life medical treatments : growing minority of Americans say doctors should do everything possible to keep patients alive

At a time of national debate over health care costs and insurance, a Pew Research Center survey on end-of-life decisions finds most Americans say there are some circumstances in which doctors and nurses should allow a patient to die. At the same time, however, a growing minority says that medical professionals should do everything possible to save a patient's life in all circumstances.

View the report by PewResearchCenter.

Read the SIOP-Europe agenda on the challenges for children and adolescents with cancer

The European Society for Paediatric Oncology, a fellow founding member of ECCO, recently released their policy paper on the challenges for children and adolescents with cancer in Europe. 6,000 young people die of cancer yearly in Europe and many more are survivors of childhood cancer.

Read the paper online here.

Wait times for priority procedures in Canada, 2014

Canadians have indicated that waiting too long for care is the largest barrier to accessing health services. As a result, policy-makers made reducing wait times and improving access to care a high priority in Canada. This report provides comparative wait time information for procedures in the five priority areas set by the first ministers in 2004, including radiation therapy. Read the full report here.

Examining disparities in cancer control: A system performance special focus report

Report highlights:

Examining Disparities in Cancer Control: A System Performance Special Focus Report is part of the System Performance Special Focus
Report series by the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer. The series focuses on specific topics or domains within the cancer control system,
providing indicators and analyses that help highlight best practices and identify opportunities for system improvements across the country.
This report focuses on equity by providing some objective, data-driven answers to the following question: To what extent are there disparities among Canadians in their risk of cancer, their access to cancer control services and their care outcomes, based on their income, whether they are immigrants or Canadian-born and whether they live in urban, rural or remote communities?

View the report here.

World Cancer Day

What if the entire world joined forces to fight cancer? Tuesday, February 4th is World Cancer Day, a time when organizations and individuals around the world send a message: Ending cancer should be a global health priority.

NCCS 2013 quality cancer care timeline of accomplishments

In 2013, the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) represented the patient perspective in national meetings, convened policy experts and thought leaders, submitted comments on federal policies, developed tools to address gaps in cancer care planning, advocated for quality cancer care, and championed legislation that would give Medicare beneficiaries access to cancer care planning and coordination. This timeline highlights accomplishments from the past year. Read more here.

Young breast cancer patients with poorer financial status may experience delays in seeking care

Researchers who sought to determine why breast cancers are more deadly in young women found that only a minority of young women experience long delays between the time they detect a breast abnormality and the time they receive a diagnosis, but delays in seeking care are more common in women with fewer financial resources. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Ruddy KJ, et al. Breast cancer presentation and diagnostic delays in young women. Cancer. Article first published online: 11 NOV 2013.

Nurse practitioners and physician assistants in the BC health sector

The Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR) funded this Research Synthesis for Health Research on behalf of the Nursing Research Advisory Council (NRAC). Its purpose was to: 1) provide decision makers in the British Columbia (BC) health sector with a comprehensive international review and synthesis of the research literature pertaining to nurse practitioners (NP) and physician assistants (PA), including information regarding their current and potential organization, financing, funding, regulation, and service delivery in BC; and 2) offer pragmatic advice in regard to the future implementation and utilization of these two professions within this province. A set of nine questions posed by NRAC provided a framework for the project. Read the full document, The utilization of nurse practitioners and physician assistants: a research synthesis, here.

HCC report: Better health, better care, and better value for all

In recent years, a number of Canadian jurisdictions and organizations have adapted the US-based Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Triple Aim framework and broadened its focus from the organizational level to the system level. The Health Council of Canada supports the use of the Triple Aim framework as a starting point for pursuing a higher-performing health system in Canada, with a balanced focus on achieving the complementary goals of better health, better care, and better value. The Health Council includes equity as a complementary, overarching aim. The result: better health, better care, and better value for all.

Download the Health Council of Canada report, "Better health, better care, and better value for all: refocusing health care reform in Canada", here.

1IN3 CancerViewDigest: Focus on HPV Vaccine

This month's edition of the 1IN3 CancerViewDigest focuses on the HPV Vaccine. Included in this curated collection of cancer news is a video interview with Dr. Heather Bryant entitled "HPV vaccine 101," a Q&A interview with Dr. Catherine Popadiuk on the HPV vaccine, an infographic on which cancers are associated with HPV, and data visualization on the link between HPV and oral cancers. Visit the website here.

Survival after cancer diagnosis in Europe is strongly associated with how much governments spend on health care

The more a European Union national government spends on health, the fewer the deaths after a cancer diagnosis in that country, according to new research presented to the 2013 European Cancer Congress. Researchers say that higher wealth and higher health expenditure are strongly associated both with increased cancer incidence and decreased cancer mortality. In the case of breast cancer, increased health expenditure appears to be even more strongly associated with better outcomes. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Ades F, et al. Discrepancies in cancer incidence and mortality and its relationship to health expenditure in the 27 European Union member states. Ann Oncol. 2013 Sep 28. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24078620