Testing of chemicals for potential cancer causation (carcinogenesis) has long been a successful disease-prevention initiative of the highest priority.
In April 2025, announcements from the two most influential biomedical agencies in the US, the FDA and the NIH, declared that both will seek to reduce and minimize animal-based testing and experimentation. These declarations sparked joy in some circles, and deep concern in others that was reflected in a 28% fall in the share price of Charles River Labs (NYSE: NYSE:CRL).
We are rapidly approaching the Sept. 30 planned expiration of telemedicine coverage under Medicaid. Letting this authorization expire is short-sighted. As an oncologist, I believe there are multiple compelling, non-pandemic reasons for telemedicine to remain a permanent fixture in cancer care.
Cell and gene therapies have made incredible strides over the past decade. The 2024 FDA approvals of the first T-cell receptor therapy for the treatment of metastatic synovial sarcoma and the first tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy for the treatment of unresectable or metastatic melanoma mark a significant turning point for solid tumor treatment.1,2
Patients affected by cancer are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence-powered chatbots, such as ChatGPT and Gemini, for answers to pressing health questions. These tools, available around the clock and free from geographic or scheduling constraints, are appealing when access to medical professionals is limited by financial, language, logistical, or emotional barriers.
There is general agreement that the United States spends too much on health care, especially on pharmaceuticals. But what we spend on drugs is not simply a function of price. If eggs double in price, people can simply cut the number of eggs they eat in half. Simply stated, cost is the product of (price per unit times the number of units purchased).
Our Hispanic community is a vibrant and essential part of the American tapestry, contributing richly to the country’s society, culture, and economy. Yet, when it comes to healthcare, this community grapples with significant disparities, especially in cancer care.
It started innocuously enough. I looked in the mirror and noticed a pigmented area on my scalp just into the hairline. Like many patients, thoughts started running through my head: “Maybe it’s nothing.” Looking at my Outlook calendar, it was packed morning-to-night with meetings, patients, and travel, so I decided I would get that spot checked out the minute I had “time.”
With advances in treatment and screening for earlier detection, oncologists have improved cancer survival rates dramatically. That is excellent news, but the surging number of survivors means it is increasingly important for providers to focus more diligently on what patients need to thrive after treatment.
Credit: Jonah Elkowitz/ShutterstockThat President Biden was diagnosed with prostate cancer is certainly unfortunate news, but it should come as no surprise. One in eight men in the U.S. will be told they have prostate cancer at some point in their lifetime: more than 300,000 new diagnoses occur annually, and the absolute numbers are rising.
