Faulty Prior Authorization Denials; Smoking & Cancer; Effective Anti-Vaping Messages

A report from the HHS Office of the Inspector General showed that 13% of prior authorization denials by Medicare Advantage plans involved service requests that met Medicare fee-for-service rules, likely delaying or preventing patient care. (American Society of Clinical Oncology)

Roche announced that a phase III trial of the anti-TIGIT agent tiragolumab plus atezolizumab (Tecentriq) failed to meet the primary endpoint of improved progression-free survival in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer associated with high PD-L1 expression.

Laboratory studies suggested that TIGIT, a type of T-cell gene, is highly expressed in post-infusion CAR T cells of patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma that does not respond to CAR T-cell therapy, and that targeting TIGIT might improve response rate and durability. (Mayo Clinic, Cancer Discovery)

German researchers have unraveled the genetic profile of cancer cells that make up aggressive prostate cancer, potentially paving the way to new precision therapy approaches. (University of Bern)

A proof-of-concept study suggested that combining an immune checkpoint inhibitor with an interleukin-6 inhibitor might reduce treatment side effects without adversely affecting anticancer activity. (University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Cancer Cell)

Men who smoke have a lower risk of developing prostate cancer but a higher risk of dying of the disease when they have it. (Lund University, European Urology)

The most effective anti-vaping messages for adolescents emphasize the potential harms and consequences and avoid use of communication styles common in social media, such as memes and hashtags. (UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Tobacco Control)

Adolescent and young adult survivors of acute leukemia have an increased risk of premature mortality for decades after cancer diagnosis as compared with the general population. (Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention)

Including smoking-cessation treatment during regular clinic visits led to higher quit rates among cancer patients. (Washington University School of Medicine, Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network)

Monitoring a patient’s weight after surgery for pancreatic cancer may help identify those who have a worse prognosis or impending disease recurrence. (Annals of Surgical Oncology)