Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology
-
Purpose To examine change in the percent uninsured and early-stage diagnosis among nonelderly patients with newly diagnosed cancer after the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Patients and Methods By using the National Cancer Data Base, we estimated absolute change (APC) and relative change in percent uninsured among patients with newly diagnosed cancer age 18 to 64 years between 2011 to the third quarter of 2013 (pre-ACA implementation) and the second to fourth quarter of 2014 (post-ACA) in Medicaid expansion and nonexpansion states by family income level. We also examined demographics-adjusted difference in differences in APC between Medicaid expansion and nonexpansion states. ⋯ Conclusion Percent uninsured among nonelderly patients with newly diagnosed cancer declined substantially after the ACA, especially among low-income people who resided in Medicaid expansion states. A trend toward early-stage diagnosis for select cancers in expansion states also was found. These results reinforce the importance of policies directed at providing affordable coverage to low-income, vulnerable populations.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Nivolumab Versus Docetaxel in Previously Treated Patients With Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Two-Year Outcomes From Two Randomized, Open-Label, Phase III Trials (CheckMate 017 and CheckMate 057).
Purpose Nivolumab, a programmed death-1 inhibitor, prolonged overall survival compared with docetaxel in two independent phase III studies in previously treated patients with advanced squamous (CheckMate 017; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01642004) or nonsquamous (CheckMate 057; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01673867) non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We report updated results, including a pooled analysis of the two studies. Methods Patients with stage IIIB/IV squamous (N = 272) or nonsquamous (N = 582) NSCLC and disease progression during or after prior platinum-based chemotherapy were randomly assigned 1:1 to nivolumab (3 mg/kg every 2 weeks) or docetaxel (75 mg/m2 every 3 weeks). ⋯ No patient in either docetaxel group had an ongoing response. In the pooled analysis, the relative reduction in the risk of death with nivolumab versus docetaxel was 28% (hazard ratio, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.62 to 0.84), and rates of treatment-related adverse events were lower with nivolumab than with docetaxel (any grade, 68% v 88%; grade 3 to 4, 10% v 55%). Conclusion Nivolumab provides long-term clinical benefit and a favorable tolerability profile compared with docetaxel in previously treated patients with advanced NSCLC.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Long-Term Follow-Up of Cardiac Function and Quality of Life for Patients in NSABP Protocol B-31/NRG Oncology: A Randomized Trial Comparing the Safety and Efficacy of Doxorubicin and Cyclophosphamide (AC) Followed by Paclitaxel With AC Followed by Paclitaxel and Trastuzumab in Patients With Node-Positive Breast Cancer With Tumors Overexpressing Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2.
Purpose Early cardiac toxicity is a risk associated with adjuvant chemotherapy plus trastuzumab. However, objective measures of cardiac function and health-related quality of life are lacking in long-term follow-up of patients who remain cancer free after completion of adjuvant treatment. Patients and Methods Patients in NSABP Protocol B-31 received anthracycline and taxane chemotherapy with or without trastuzumab for adjuvant treatment of node-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive early-stage breast cancer. ⋯ Lower DASI scores correlated with age and use of medications for hypertension, cardiac conditions, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia, but not with whether patients had received trastuzumab. Conclusion In patients without underlying cardiac disease at baseline, the addition of trastuzumab to adjuvant anthracycline and taxane-based chemotherapy does not result in long-term worsening of cardiac function, cardiac symptoms, or health-related quality of life. The DASI questionnaire may provide a simple and useful tool for monitoring patient-reported changes that reflect cardiac function.
-
Multicenter Study
Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Inhibition by Copanlisib in Relapsed or Refractory Indolent Lymphoma.
Purpose Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling is critical for the proliferation and survival of malignant B cells. Copanlisib, a pan-class I PI3K inhibitor with predominant activity against PI3K-α and -δ isoforms, has demonstrated efficacy and a manageable safety profile in patients with indolent lymphoma. Patients and Methods In this phase II study, 142 patients with relapsed or refractory indolent lymphoma after two or more lines of therapy were enrolled to receive copanlisib 60 mg intravenously on days 1, 8, and 15 of a 28-day cycle. ⋯ Other grade ≥3 events included decreased neutrophil count (24%) and lung infection (15%). High response rates to copanlisib were associated with high expression of PI3K/B-cell receptor signaling pathway genes. Conclusion PI3K-α and -δ inhibition by copanlisib demonstrated significant efficacy and a manageable safety profile in heavily pretreated patients with relapsed or refractory indolent lymphoma.