As I step down as medical director of the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center and Research Institute (HFGCCRI) at Christiana Care later this year and assume the position of director of the Cawley Center for Translational Cancer Research at the HFGCCRI, I can reflect back on the success of cancer care in Delaware.
The events of the past few weeks in Israel and Gaza, with all the tragic loss of life, are paralleled by another war—a war of words in the public arena reflecting political and ideological loyalties of those who are with, and those who are against.
From the time of its inception, the Worldwide Innovative Network (WIN) Consortium in precision cancer medicine has had a bold mission to significantly improve survival of patients with cancer across the world through international collaboration.
As 2024 approaches, it’s anyone’s guess whether an already complex health care ecosystem gets to turn the corner on the mixed legacies of 2023—including record high prices on new blockbuster medications coupled with drug shortages on existing generics, persistent staff shortages and battered hospital margins, and a continued emphasis on value-based care programs by insurers.
Now that the Medicare re-enrollment period has arrived (Oct. 15-Dec. 7), senior Americans are exposed to ubiquitous advertisements, phone calls, and other mechanisms to convince them to enroll in Medicare Advantage rather than traditional Medicare plans.
As the third-largest nonprofit health system nationwide, Advocate Health treats nearly 50,000 new cancer cases annually. The integrated system has a unique opportunity to leverage its scale to advance complex cancer care and improve health outcomes across its various markets.
Liquid biopsy tests may someday upend screening as we know it. The promise of broad screening employing “multi-cancer detection” has spawned consortia and inspired enthusiastic opinion articles.
Today’s traditional research model relies on incremental innovation that builds upon the shoulders of other researchers’ work, making small but steady strides. Occasionally, leaps are made by researchers who develop new classes of therapy such as stem cell transplant or CAR-T immunotherapy. But cancer patients may not have the luxury to wait 20 years for the traditional scientific process to evolve for their cancer. They can’t wait for a cure.
Lung Cancer Awareness Month kicked off this week, and this is a monumental one for us at the American Cancer Society.
Many readers of The Cancer Letter will have seen or at least be aware of the buzz surrounding release of the new “Oppenheimer” movie, which has received excellent reviews.
