Oncologists were mentioned in two important specialist areas in CMS’ examination of inappropriate payments made to Part B providers, with the dismal outcomes as follows: Four hundred (400) claims for oncology/hematology were examined; of these, 60.9% lacked sufficient supporting paperwork, 31.9% had inaccurate coding, and the remaining cases had neither, along with no other issues. Given these findings, CMS projects $146 million in erroneous payments. In medical oncology, 147 claims were analyzed; 54.5% had no documentation and 37.7% had inaccurate coding, with the balance (7.9%) having insufficient documentation. According to CMS data, the projected overpayments for this claim sample are $12.9 million.

The prognosis and therapy of grade 3 neuroendocrine neoplasms (NEN G3) depend on subgroup traits such as differentiation, proliferation rate, molecular profile, uptake on somatostatin receptor imaging, and primary site. Clinicians who treat this disease now have a better grasp of the prognosis and course of treatment for each entity thanks to the 2017 World Health Organization guidelines that split NEN G3 into neuroendocrine carcinomas (NEC) and NET G3. The distinction between NET G3 and NEC in upcoming trials and cancer registries will further improve prognosis and therapy options. Referral to a tertiary center is still of the utmost necessity at this time, considering the complexities of this disease. For the reasons described in this article, a referral also enables expert pathologic review, which is crucial. Further trials are undoubtedly necessary, considering the molecular heterogeneity of NEN G3.

Hematologist-oncologists, hematology-oncology NP/PAs, hematology-oncology nurses, and pharmacists should be better able to use criteria for erythroid-stimulating agent (ESA) failure to hasten the identification of patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) refractory to ESA therapy, integrate safety and efficacy data on emerging therapeutic options into treatment planning for patients with lower-risk MDS after ESA failure, and integrate a multidisciplinary treatment approach after taking part in this CME activity.

NAPOLI-3 began recruiting 770 patients with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Until the disease progressed, there was unacceptable toxicity, or the patient withdrew from the study, the patients were randomly randomized to receive the combination of liposomal irinotecan with 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin and oxaliplatin (NALIRIFOX) or nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine therapy. OS served as the study’s primary endpoint, whereas progression-free survival (PFS) and the objective response rate (ORR) served as secondary objectives. The main goal of the study—prolonged overall survival—was achieved with NALIRIFOX. The survival curves split at around 3 months, and this divergence was maintained for the duration of the investigation. NALIRIFOX also increased the median PFS. Moreover, NALIRIFOX therapy was preferred in all previously identified categories in terms of both OS and PFS. The ORR with NALIRIFOX was 41.8%, and the ORR with nab-paclitaxel/gemcitabine was 36.2%, virtually entirely made up of incomplete responses.

A recent segment of the BBC’s Panorama program revealed that many NHS employees who contracted COVID-19—likely at work—now find themselves abandoned and in a perilous financial situation. The episode profiled NHS employees who are dealing with the long-term health impacts of the COVID-19 infection and revealed the experiences of those who, while being too ill to work, risk losing their jobs or receiving decreased sick pay. Some employees have already experienced this. This physician is one of them.

Patients with triple-class-exposed relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma have a dismal prognosis. B-cell maturation antigen-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy with idecabtagene vicleucel (ide-cel) has previously produced profound, long-lasting responses in individuals with multiple myeloma that has relapsed or become resistant to treatment.