Oncology Leaders Research Articles

Revolutionizing global hematology-oncology education: Assessing the two-year impact of a digital platform on socioeconomic equity and inclusivity against gender disparities.

e21000 Background: Social media has transformed the global exchange of knowledge, with 77.4% of cancer patients relying on it as a primary source of information especially in resource-limited areas. Given that a third of social media posts contain misinformation that can have negative ramifications, MedNews Week (MNW) was developed as a digital platform featuring presentations by global authorities to enhance global oncology education through its freely accessible programming. In light of the gender disparity in speakers at scientific symposia, where females represent <30%, MNW strived to combat gender inequity by featuring them in equal proportion to males. The goal of this study was to evaluate the ability of MNW’s virtual oncology education platform to combat socioeconomic (SE) education inequity while promoting gender inclusivity. Methods: From January 2022 to 2024, MNW hosted 36 distinguished global oncology leaders as Keynote Speakers (Mean H-index=50.09). Data on viewership and outreach were collected from MNW's social media accounts. A mixed-method approach was employed to determine audience and speaker demographics, and engagement. Results: MNW achieved a Healthcare Social Score amongst the top 0.07 percentile of global healthcare influencers on Twitter. Over the past year, MNWoncology programming experienced a 10.5-fold increase in mean attendance, reaching 743,991 people in 95 countries globally, with 23 classified as low-to-middle SE status. In 2023, MNW followers exhibited a female predominance (48.8%), mainly from non-healthcare fields (60.0%). MNW showcased gender parity among oncology keynote speakers, with female lecturers drawing similar attendance as males (p=0.89, two-tailed unpaired t-test). Conclusions: MNW has established a growing digital platform, while removing financial barriers to effectively engage lay audiences, particularly in underserved regions. MNW's commitment to empowering female speakers exemplifies its dedication to inclusivity in a historically imbalanced field. This underscores MNW's success in fostering inclusivity, by driving engagement of those traditionally underserved, and positively impacting oncology education globally. [Table: see text]

The Changing Profile of Academic Radiation Oncology Leaders: Updates over the Past Decade

To report objective characteristics of program directors (PDs) and chairpersons and examine contemporary trends of their demographic and academic profiles from 2013 to 2023. We hypothesize that there are significant changes in the profiles of our radiation oncology leaders over the past decade. A total of 89 PDs and 85 chairpersons in the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-approved residency programs in the U.S were queried for analysis. Demographic data on race, ethnicity, post graduate training, years in practice were obtained from publicly available online resources (e.g., institutional websites and online networking services for physicians). Variables on academic productivity and professional accolades included Hirsh-index, National Institute of Health (NIH) research grant (R), the ASTRO fellowship designation, and leadership positions in professional society meetings. Descriptive analyses, including Fisher's exact tests, were performed to compare findings from the published article in 2013 on this topic (Wilson LD et al. IJROBP 2013). A total of 36 out of 89 PDs (40.4%) and 11 out of 85 chairpersons (12.8%) were females, revealing higher proportion of females from the initial analysis: 40.4 vs. 24.1% for PDs (p = 0.025) and 12.8 vs. 9.2% for chairpersons (p = 0.618). 29 out of 89 (32.6%) PDs and 30 out of 85 (35.3%) chairpersons were non-White. The median length of practice for PDs and chairpersons were 11 and 29 years, respectively. 38 out of 89 PDs (42.7%) and 11 out of 85 (12.9%) chairpersons were employed at the institution of their training. 7 out of 89 (7.9%) for PDs and 51 out of 85 (60.0%) for chairpersons were awarded FASTRO designation. Median H-index showed increasing trends for PDs (14.5 vs 9) and chairpersons (40 vs 29) from the initial analysis. While most PDs and chairpersons are males, female representation has increased in radiation oncology leadership in the last 10 years, most notably among PDs. Academic productivity among our leaders has also increased. These trends highlight the changes in the landscape of our leadership characteristics.

Informing the Delivery of Physical Activity Leadership for Pediatric Patients Undergoing Cancer Treatment

ABSTRACT Physical activity (PA) is an important facet in survivorship care. Standardized curriculum which teaches undergraduate student exercise leaders how to implement PA programs for childhood cancer survivors have not been developed. Delivery of PA programs are limited by resources, so utilizing students to lead PA sessions is a potentially cost-effective approach. The purpose of this study was to learn how to optimize mentorship of student PA leaders in pediatric oncology. The aims were to report on the level of guidance provided to the student PA leaders, share student PA leaders’ reflection of their mentorship and the challenges they faced. Student PA leaders designed and delivered a 31-week, virtual PA program to pediatric cancer survivors (5–18-year-olds). Mentors provided feedback on the recorded sessions. PA leaders were interviewed about their perceptions, their experiences and the type of feedback they valued the most. Student PA leaders received the most feedback during the first 2 weeks of the program, suggesting close oversight is needed during this time. Students valued the feedback on improving PA delivery/instruction the most. Students reported feeling anxious prior to sessions, especially when new content would be introduced because they were unsure how the patients would respond to the new activities. Reinforcing that the leaders have the ability to minimize PA barriers and provide support may help to resolve their anxiety of working with this population. Using a similar approach as presented in this paper may be advantageous in the development of high-performing PA leaders.

Efficacy of a digital media platform to combat inequities in global oncology education.

132 Background: Social media has emerged as a powerful vehicle for the dissemination of medical information, especially in resource-limited regions, due to its mass global reach. However, 1/3 of social media posts contain misinformation with 76.9% of them containing harmful information leading to adverse outcomes that are a detriment to global public health. To address this, MedNews Week (MNW), a free, digital medical education platform dedicated to combating healthcare misinformation, was developed to contribute to global oncology education through biweekly programming. Its main show, Keynote Conference, features live virtual presentations from oncology’s premier global leaders discussing the latest developments in cancer before a mainstream global audience. The aim of this study was to assess the worldwide reach and impact of this cost-free, virtual oncology education platform. Methods: From January 2022 to 2023, MNW hosted 25 global oncology leaders as Keynote Speakers (Mean H-index=50.09). Viewership, impressions, and outreach data were collected from MNW’s social media accounts and TweepMaps. Data was analyzed to assess MNW’s global reach and engagement and stratified based on engagement sentiment, gender, age group, and occupation. Results: During this period, MNW generated a Healthcare Social Graph Score of 92.77% (top 7.33 percentile of global healthcare influencers) with over 109,128 Twitter impressions and 4,731 engagements reaching 1.9 million accounts globally over 12 months (Table). Most of the followers were from non-healthcare fields with slightly more males than females. Those who engaged conveyed positive sentiments (59.9% likes and 26.2% mentions) contributing to a viewership increase from 72,136 (6 months) to 157,559 (1 year). The platform reached 100 cities and 57 countries of which 16 were of low-to-middle socioeconomic (SE) status. Conclusions: MNW has demonstrated an ability to attract and sustain a diverse, global, growing audience. Given MNW’s continued growth, it provides an innovative model to engage and disseminate medical information to mainstream audiences. The platform’s ability to showcase global leaders to mainstream audiences gratuitously, especially in lower SE regions that have been historically underserved, offers a practical approach to combat educational inequity. Thus, MNW represents a novel approach with promising potential to positively impact global oncology education.[Table: see text]

Impact of a digital education platform to combat global inequity in oncology education amongst healthcare professionals in lower socioeconomic areas.

140 Background: Studies have shown that lower socioeconomic (LS) status contributes to heavier disease burden. While finances and infrastructural challenges have contributed to these inequities, access to the latest medical information has been cited as an equally important contributor. To address this, MedNews Week (MNW), a free, digital education platform was developed to provide global oncology education through its programming featuring Keynote presentations from oncology’s global leaders. To reach healthcare professionals (HCP), MNW has partnered with VuMedi, a global video education platform for physicians. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of MNW’s oncology programming on VuMedi’s education platform for HCP. Methods: From September 2022 to February 2023, MNW hosted 37 global oncology leaders and their Keynote Presentations were showcased on VuMedi. Data including viewership, global reach, page views, tumor subtype views, unique visits, and audience occupation demographics. In collaboration with VuMedi, descriptive analysis was performed, and a mixed-methods approach was employed to assess engagement. Results: During this 6-month period, the MNW channel on VuMedi demonstrated increased linear growth. Programming generated 4,387,213 total page views and 206 channel views with viewership from 22 countries— 12 of which are from LS areas, including Nigeria, Sudan, Georgia, and Bangladesh. Viewers were largely surgeons compared to Allied HCP (11:2). Solid tumors had high viewership [706 (0.012%) page views and 9717 (7%) impressions] compared with heme malignancies [689 (0.001%) page views and 1688 (1.22%) impressions]. Within solid tumors, GI oncology presentations were the most viewed— generating 3755 (0.06%) page views and 28067 (20%) impressions, and the highest number of registrations recorded for this category. During this period, the channel had 1,750,161 total visits with 44,982 new registrants. Conclusions: MNW has demonstrated an ability to attract and sustain a diverse, global, growing physician audience— especially within LE areas. While previous studies have identified internet access, cost, and infrastructural challenges as barriers to high-quality medical information, MNW has experienced steady growth and reachability especially within these limited areas. The platform’s ability to showcase global leaders to HCP offers an effective and practical approach to combat educational inequity, while positively impacting oncology education globally.[Table: see text]

ADCC's Improving Goal Concordant Care Initiative: Implementing Primary Palliative Care Principles.

High-quality, timely goals of care communication (GOCC) may improve patient and caregiver outcomes and promote care that is consistent with patient preferences. Cancer patients, and their loved ones, appreciate GOCC; however, oncologists often lack formal communication training, institutional support and structures necessary to promote the delivery, documentation, and longitudinal follow-up of GOCC. The Alliance of Dedicated Cancer Centers (ADCC), representing 10 U.S. academic cancer hospitals, undertook the Improving Goal Concordant Care Initiative (IGCC). This national, 3-year implementation initiative was designed in Fall 2019 by a workgroup of quality, oncology, and palliative care leaders, as well as patient and family advisory committee members (PFAC). IGCC addresses systemic gaps by requiring four core components for participation: 1) Implementation of a formal communication skills training (CST) program, 2) Structured GOCC documentation in the electronic medical record that is visible to all clinicians, 3) Expectations regarding the timing and patient populations for GOCC, and 4) Implementation of a measurement framework. Dyads of palliative and oncology leaders committed to attend regularly scheduled, ADCC-led, virtual meetings during the design and implementation phase, incorporating PFAC feedback at every stage. Using the RE-AIM framework, we describe process and outcome evaluation measures defined by implementation and measures workgroups and collected routinely, including: CST completion; trainee evaluation response rate, trainee-reported quality of CST, trainee changes in self-efficacy and distress; percent of high-priority patients participating in GOCC, and patient-reported response to the "Heard and Understood" scale (HU). IGCC's impact will be assessed using claims-based utilization metrics near the end of life (EOLM) and followed longitudinally. Qualitative evaluations near the completion of IGCC will provide insight into perceived barriers, enabling factors, and sustainability. Implementation of all IGCC components has begun at all sites. ADCC-wide, 35% of MD/DOs have completed CST (range by site: 8%-100%). CST is highly rated; in Quarter 3, 2022, 93%-100%, 90%-100% and 87%-100% of respondents reported above average to excellent CST quality, likelihood to use the skills and likelihood to recommend CST to others, respectively. Clinician self-efficacy and distress ratings are expected in late 2023. All sites have identified patient populations and continue to refine automated triggers and timelines; uptake of GOCC documentation has been slow. Eight of 10 sites have submitted patient-reported HU data. EOLM data are expected for all sites in early 2024. Flexibility in implementation with shared definitions, measures, and learnings about approaches optimizes the ability of all centers to collaborate and make progress in improving GOCC. Flexibility adds to the complexity of understanding intervention effectiveness, the critical intervention components and the fidelity necessary to achieve specific outcomes.

ASCO's Leadership Development Program: Focusing on the Next Generation of Leaders in Asia Pacific.

The demand for high-quality and more comprehensive oncology care will continue to rise globally. Effective leadership is particularly important. The evolving endeavor of ASCO to reach out globally has covered the development of the next-generation leaders from Asia Pacific. Through the Leadership Development Program, the untapped talent of the region and the future leaders in oncology will gain the knowledge and skill sets, which prepares them to navigate the complex dynamics of oncology health care. The region is the largest and the most populous with more than 60% of the world's population. It has 50% of cancer cases and is estimated to account for 58% of cancer deaths worldwide. The demand for high-quality and more comprehensive oncology care will continue to rise in the years to come. This growth will intensify the need for capable leaders. Leadership styles and behaviors are different. These are shaped within the context of cultural and philosophical views and beliefs. The pan-Asian interdisciplinary group of young leaders are expected to gain knowledge and skillsets through the Leadership Development Program. They will learn to work on strategic projects within a team and gain knowledge about advocacy. Communication and presentation skills and conflict management are also important components of the program. Through learning culturally relevant skills, participants can effectively collaborate with others, build relationships, and lead within their own institutions and societies and within ASCO. Institutions and organizations need to have a deeper and more sustained focus on leadership development. Successfully addressing the challenges on leadership development in Asia Pacific is important.

Integrated Short-term Palliative Rehabilitation to improve quality of life and equitable care access in incurable cancer (INSPIRE): a multinational European research project.

Disability related to incurable cancer affects over a million Europeans each year and people with cancer rank loss of function among the most common unmet supportive care needs. To test the clinical and cost-effectiveness of an integrated short-term palliative rehabilitation intervention, to optimise function and quality of life in people affected by incurable cancer. This is a multinational, parallel group, randomised, controlled, assessor blind, superiority trial. The INSPIRE consortium brings together leaders in palliative care, oncology and rehabilitation from partner organisations across Europe, with complementary expertise in health service research, trials of complex interventions, mixed-method evaluations, statistics and economics. Partnership with leading European civil society organisations ensures citizen engagement and dissemination at the highest level. We will conduct a multinational randomised controlled trial across five European countries, recruiting participants to assess the effectiveness of palliative rehabilitation for people with incurable cancer on the primary outcome - quality of life - and secondary outcomes including disability, symptom burden and goal attainment. To support trial conduct and enhance analysis of trial data, we will also conduct: comparative analysis of current integration of rehabilitation across oncology and palliative care services; mixed-method evaluations of equity and inclusivity, processes and implementation for the intervention, at patient, health service and health system levels. Finally, we will conduct an evidence synthesis, incorporating INSPIRE findings, and a Delphi consensus to develop an international framework for palliative rehabilitation practice and policy, incorporating indicators, core interventions, outcomes and integration methods. If positive, the trial could produce a scalable and equitable intervention to improve function and quality of life in people with incurable cancer and reduce the burden of care for their families. It could also upskill the practitioners involved and motivate future research questions. The intervention could be adapted and integrated into different health systems using existing staff and services, with little or no additional cost.

Exploring approaches for tackling the complexity of the tumor microenvironment: multi-parametric methods, new biomarkers & serial testing

Roisin McGuigan, Editor, Immuno-oncology Insights, speaks to OncXerna Therapeutics’ Laura Benjamin, Founder and CEO and Mark Uhlik, Vice President, Head of Research and Biomarker Discovery about their work on enabling tools and technologies for exploring and understanding the tumor microenvironment, and OnXerna’s clinical pipeline.Laura Benjamin received a PhD in Molecular Biology at the University of Pennsylvania in 1995, and BA in Biology from Barnard College, Columbia University in 1987. For her PhD thesis, she characterized a pediatric cancer-driving fusion protein and methodologies to extract and amplify that chromosomal fusion from paraffin-embedded tissues, an early foray into molecular pathology. Following a 20+ year career in academic research and pharmaceutical R&D, Laura followed her mission to driving change in cancer drug development and was the sole founder of OncXerna Therapeutics, a global precision medicine company with headquarters in Boston. The company is aiming to deliver next-generation precision medicine strategies for cancer patients currently underserved by today’s approaches.Mark Uhlik is a seasoned leader in translational oncology and drug discovery/development with over 15 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Mark earned his BSc in Microbiology from Colorado State University and his PhD in Microbiology and Immunology at Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine. He performed post-doctoral work at University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and at University of North Carolina School of Medicine. Mark has authored over 35 peer-reviewed publications in addition to book chapters and patents.

Identity-related experiences of Asian American trainees in gynecologic oncology

BackgroundAnti-Asian violence increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Asian American/Pacific Islanders (AAPI) represent a diverse population experiencing a long history of stereotyping and exclusionism; however, this group is often left out of diversity/inclusion conversations. In academic medicine, AAPI are under-represented in leadership. We characterized the personal/professional experiences of AAPI gynecologic oncology trainees and assessed the impact of a virtual panel discussion with leaders in the field. MethodsAn anonymous survey was disseminated online to trainees in/interested in gynecologic oncology fellowship who identified as AAPI, using modified snowball sampling. A virtual session with AAPI leaders in gynecologic oncology discussed themes emerging from survey responses. Session attendees completed an anonymous follow-up survey. Results were assessed quantitatively and qualitatively. Results44/59 (75%) respondents participated in the pre-survey; 23 (39%) participated in the virtual session. All session participants (23/23, 100%) completed the post-session survey. Participants reported increased identity-related thoughts with the COVID-19 pandemic (88% during, 61% prior). Sixty-eight percent reported that identity-related thoughts/awareness changed during the pandemic. Presence of AAPI colleagues was associated with higher perceived identity-related support from their department. Of those without AAPI coworkers, none (0%) felt ‘moderately’ or ‘extremely well supported.’ Qualitative analysis demonstrated that the panel discussion created a sense of community and encouragement, combating previously reported isolation and self-consciousness. Participants reported more connection with their heritage and identified more personal/professional topics that might be related to their cultural backgrounds. DiscussionThis intervention demonstrates the opportunity to provide a supportive network for mentorship and professional development in a culturally inclusive way.

Development and dissemination of structured hashtags for radiation oncology: Two-Year trends

PurposeFor radiation oncology, social media is a favored communication platform, but it uses non-structured hashtags, which limits communication. In this work, we created a set of structured hashtags with key opinion leaders in radiation oncology, and we report on their use after two years post-deployment. Materials/MethodsHashtags were created, voted on, and refined by crowdsourcing 38 international experts, including physicians, physicists, patients, and organizations from North America, Europe, and Australia. The finalized hashtag set was shared with the radiation oncology community in September 2019. The number of tweets for each hashtag was quantified via Symplur through December 2021. For the top five tweeted hashtags, we captured the number of yearly tweets in the pre-deployment and post-deployment periods from 09/01/2019 to 08/31/2021. ResultsThe initial 2019 list contained 39 hashtags organized into nine categories. The top five hashtags by total number of tweets were: #Radonc, #PallOnc, #MedPhys, #SurvOnc, and #SuppOnc. Six hashtags had less than 10 total tweets and were eliminated. Post-deployment, there was an increase in the yearly tweets, with the following number of tweets by the second year post-deployment: #RadOnc (98,189 tweets), #MedPhys (15,858 tweets), and #SurvOnc (6,361 tweets). Two popular radiation oncology-related hashtags were added because of increased use: #DEIinRO (1,603 tweets by year 2) and #WomenWhoCurie (7,212 tweets by year 2). Over the two years, hashtags were used mostly by physicians (131,625 tweets, 34.8%). ConclusionWe created and tracked structured social media hashtags in radiation oncology. These hashtags disseminate information among a diverse oncologic community. To maintain relevance, regular updates are needed.

Challenges and Opportunities for Increasing Adoption of Hypofractionated Radiotherapy in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Purpose/Objective(s)In the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, professional societies including the American Society for Radiation Oncology and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommended increased adoption of evidence-based hypofractionated radiotherapy (HFRT), with benefits including significantly reducing the number of clinical visits for each patient to minimize potential exposure to infection, and reducing treatment costs and stress on limited workforce, particularly beneficial in Low-and-Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). Despite these benefits, HFRT adoption remains low, especially in LMICs. The purpose of this study is to investigate the challenges and opportunities for increased adoption of evidence-based HFRT in LMICs.Materials/MethodsAn IRB-approved survey was implemented in 18 sample radiotherapy centers in African LMIC to assess the challenges and utilization of HFRT. The experiences of three cancer centers were documented as part of an ongoing multi-center HFRT clinical trial designed to compare results with those reported for clinical trials involving North American and European Populations. Based on the findings assessed, challenges from the survey, and recorded experiences from the three centers, an online education and training program was developed in collaboration with the Global Health Catalyst, Radiation Knowledge and computer-based training tools for treatment planning, contouring, and online learning, with remote support provided by members from the international councils of ASTRO and AAPM.ResultsOnly 8 of 18 surveyed clinics reported adopting HFRT as a common practice. Analysis of survey data demonstrated a significant need for training on contouring for radiation oncologists, and treatment planning and quality assurance. An education and training program was developed for implementation in the LMICs via a collaborative education model involving ASTRO and AAPM members who are faculty in USA institutions in collaboration with LMIC radiation oncology professionals.ConclusionThe findings demonstrate a need for additional investment in infrastructure and training, as well as better ongoing education of oncology leaders on the benefits of increased adoption of evidence-based HFRT. The project also highlights opportunities and approaches for leveraging information and communication technology for collaborative high-impact global radiation oncology education, with the participation of members across both LMIC and USA institutions and professional societies. The HFRT training program provides a template for continuous education and training to increase the adoption of evidence-based approaches to HFRT that can significantly increase improved access to radiotherapy and reduce disparities in advancing globally the practice of radiation oncology. The impact of such a program and approach will be presented and discussed.

Dónde Están? Latinx/Hispanic Representation in the Oncology Workforce: Present and Future.

This manuscript reviews the status of Hispanic/Latinx physicians in oncology, the benefits and challenges to achieving equitable representation, and potential solutions and actions to increase diversity in the oncology workforce. Persons of Hispanic/Latinx origin comprise 18.7% of the population and 16.8% of the adult population in the United States but are only 4.7% of practicing oncologists. The reasons for the lack of representation of Hispanic/Latinx individuals in medicine are multifaceted and include discrimination and biases, exclusionary practices, financial barriers, and lack of role modeling. As a result, patients are deprived the benefits of a representative workforce, such as improved access, enhanced culturally and linguistically competent care, and minimization of health disparities. Solutions included in the manuscript include a description of efforts by ASCO to improve the representativeness of the oncology workforce through its awards programs and educational efforts, especially for Hispanic/Latinx clinicians. The manuscript also outlines individual actions that attending physicians, senior oncologists, oncology leaders, and hospital/cancer center leadership can take to improve the diversity of the oncology workforce and support our Latinx/Hispanic trainees and colleagues. Improving the representativeness of the oncology workforce will require collective action by institutions, medical societies, and individuals. Nevertheless, widespread commitment to creating an inclusive and supported workforce is necessary to ensure the quality of care for minority patients, reduce existing cancer care disparities, and advance innovation in oncology.

Training in Pediatric Surgical Oncology.

Pediatric Surgical Oncology is a challenging sub-speciality field requiring strong discipline, resilience and a “never quit” attitude. Pediatric cancer patients are frail, vulnerable and have life limiting illness were the skill(s) of the operating surgeon may determine “cure” and survival or untimely death from inadequate tumor resection with disease progression and / or “never event” misadventure. It could be stated therefore that a career in surgical oncology may not be for the “faint hearted” surgeon. Training in a high volume center(s) accredited in the delivery of high quality care and clinical excellence driven by inspirational leaders in surgical oncology with motivated multidisciplinary teams is key. International surgery oncology fellowship(s) add significant credits to a residents' clinical training crucially also yielding opportunities for gaining research skills. On the journey toward subspeciality accreditation the aspiring surgeon oncologist must first demonstrate skill set(s) proficiency in general pediatric surgery residency training to advance to the next phase(s). This article offers a “snap shot” overview synopsis of pediatric surgical oncology training in its broadest perspective(s) for those seeking further information and career guidance.

Global Forum of Cancer Surgeons: Cancer Surgery During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Impact and Lessons Learned.

BackgroundThe purpose of this article is to summarize the opinions of the surgical oncology leaders from the Global Forum of Cancer Surgeons (GFCS) about the global impact of COVID-19 pandemic on cancer surgery.MethodsA panel session (virtual) was held at the annual Society of Surgical Oncology 2021 International Conference on Surgical Cancer Care to address the impact of COVID-19 on cancer surgery globally. Following the virtual meeting, a questionnaire was sent to all the leaders to gather additional opinions. The input obtained from all the leaders was collated and analyzed to understand how cancer surgeons from across the world adapted in real-time to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic.ResultsThe surgical oncology leaders noted that the COVID-19 pandemic led to severe disruptions in surgical cancer care across all domains of clinical care, education, and research. Several new changes/protocols associated with increased costs were implemented to deliver safe care. Leaders also noted that preexisting disparities in care were exacerbated, and the pandemic had a detrimental effect on well-being and financial status.ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic has led to severe disruptions in surgical cancer care globally. Leaders of the GFCS opined that new strategies need to be implemented to prepare for any future catastrophic events based on the lessons learned from the current events. The GFCS will embark on developing such a roadmap to ensure that surgical cancer care is preserved in the future regardless of any catastrophic global events.

Analysis of Age-Friendly Cancer Care Readiness.

Cancer care attuned to meeting the needs of older adults is imperative to ensure that they receive appropriate levels of treatment in accordance with their goals of care. Achieving age-friendly systems and geriatric-competent workforces require rethinking current models of cancer care delivery. This article reports on a descriptive study on the readiness of U.S. cancer programs to provide age-friendly cancer care. A survey was sent to 567 ambulatory oncology leaders in the United States. Of the 81 respondents, 61 answered all questions. The authors developed and administered an online survey assessing cancer programs' age-friendly cancer care practices and readiness. Survey questions were based on the elements of the 4Ms framework. Results were analyzed using frequencies and percentages for categorically measured survey items and measures of central tendency for continuously scaled survey items. 67% of respondents reported that their program could deliver age-friendly cancer care within five years. Respondents less frequently indicated that they employed specific 4Ms elements. The results of this study suggest gaps in readiness to implement age-friendly cancer care. Recommendations to improve readiness include increasing awareness, expanding workforce preparation, and improving cancer program leadership engagement.

José "Pepe" Baselga, MD, PhD: In Memoriam (1959-2021).

![][1] On March 21, 2021, a guiding light in cancer research and clinical oncology and valiant transformer of patient treatment and care was extinguished. Jose Baselga's untimely passing has sent shockwaves through the global cancer research community. We have lost a true giant—a visionary leader in translational science and precision oncology and one who also transformed institutions and professional societies every­where he went. As we reflect on some of Jose's many remarkable achievements as well as the many qualities that made him the unique individual he was, we hope to do him justice. This is the first obituary published in Cancer Discovery , a journal for which he served as a founding Editor-in-Chief along with Editor-in-Chief Lewis C. Cantley. The irony is bittersweet: Jose was an undisputed man of “firsts” whom we all followed, trying to keep up with his trailblazing pace, frightening brilliance, and steadfast determination to improve outcomes for patients with cancer everywhere. Jose Baselga was born on July 3, 1959, in Barcelona, Spain, with the pursuit of excellence in health care quite literally in his blood. His mother was a nurse, and both his father and grandfather were physicians. “Medicine runs in our family like an autosomal dominant trait,” said his youngest sister Eulalia, herself a pediatric dermatologist at the San Joan de Deu Hospital in Barcelona, during a recent tribute for her late brother. Like his younger sister, Jose was destined to be a devoted physician and healer who spent his life caring for patients with cancer. During his outstanding 27-year career, Jose produced a remarkable string of milestones in translational and clinical cancer research that have echoed internationally in the battle against cancer. Even during his early days as a resident in Internal Medicine at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona, Jose displayed signs of the … [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif

Industry payments to US physicians for cancer therapeutics: An analysis of the 2016–2018 open payments datasets

BackgroundMany oncologists who lead guidelines and clinical trials have financial conflicts of interest (fCOI) with industry. However, the extent to which fCOI reaches all cancer care providers is not known. Here we describe industry payments across all cancer care specialties by specific drug. MethodsThis observational, retrospective cohort study used Open Payments to describe general payments (i.e. consulting fees, meals, travel) to all US physicians for any cancer medicine during 2016–2018. Endpoints included number and value of payments by specialty, drug, and year. ResultsDuring 2016–2018, industry made general payments to 52 441 physicians for 137 unique cancer drugs. Annual number of payments (465 655 in 2018) and total value ($98.5 million in 2018) increased over the study period (20 % and 31 % increase since 2016). Medical/hematologic oncologists, surgical oncologists and radiologists received the highest total value of payments, accounting for $65.7 million (67 % of total), $13.4 million (14 % of total) and $10.8 million (11 % of total) in 2018. In 2018, 5 % of physicians (n = 1660) received >$10 000 in annual payments and 0.6 % (n = 209) received >$100 000. Pembrolizumab and Nivolumab, were associated with the highest total payment in each year, accounting for 12 % and 6 % (2018) of total value, respectively. ConclusionsWhile prior work has identified fCOIs among oncology leaders, these data suggest that payments extend across the cancer system. Policy summaryPre-existing data suggest a strong relationship between industry payments and physician prescribing. The current study demonstrates that fCOIs among oncology prescribers are pervasive. The oncology community must consider the extent to which these relationships influence clinical practice and regulatory policies.

First person profile: Lori J. Pierce, MD: First African American, first female radiation oncologist to serve as American Society of Clinical Oncology president makes equity her theme.

First person profile: Lori J. Pierce, MD: First African American, first female radiation oncologist to serve as American Society of Clinical Oncology president makes equity her theme.

Hypofractionated Radiotherapy in African Cancer Centers.

In the advent of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, professional societies including the American Society for Radiation Oncology and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommended adopting evidence-based hypofractionated radiotherapy (HFRT). HFRT benefits include reduction in the number of clinical visits for each patient, minimizing potential exposure, and reducing stress on the limited workforce, especially in resource-limited settings as in Low-and-Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). Recent studies for LMICs in Africa have also shown that adopting HFRT can lead to significant cost reductions and increased access to radiotherapy. We assessed the readiness of 18 clinics in African LMICs to adopting HFRT. An IRB-approved survey was conducted at 18 RT clinics across 8 African countries. The survey requested information regarding the clinic’s existing equipment and human infrastructure and current practices. Amongst the surveyed clinics, all reported to already practicing HFRT, but only 44% of participating clinics reported adopting HFRT as a common practice. Additionally, most participating clinical staff reported to have received formal training appropriate for their role. However, the survey data on treatment planning and other experience with contouring highlighted need for additional training for radiation oncologists. Although the surveyed clinics in African LMICs are familiar with HFRT, there is need for additional investment in infrastructure and training as well as better education of oncology leaders on the benefits of increased adoption of evidence-based HFRT during and beyond the COVID-19 era.