ACCC, ASCO, ASH, & Institutional Member News

The following information has been received by ANCO.

All ANCO Online LIstServ postings are archived at the ANCO Online ListSev blog available online at http://anco-online.blogspot.com/.


****ACCC NEWS****
The Association of Community Cancer Center's (ACCC) This Week At ACCC was published and is available online at http://www.accc-cancer.org/mediaroom/newsletters/2009/media_ACCCNEWSLETTER_4-27-2009.html. ANCO is an Institutional Member of ACCC. This edition features:

Physician Supervision Clarification: ACCC and ONS Send Concerns to CMS
NCCN Updates Kidney Cancer Clinical Guideline
ACCC Award Winner, Dr. Richard Frank, Publishes Guide for Cancer Patients
Minneapolis Is Site for ACCC's September Oncology Economics Conference
Webinar on Patient Navigation Planned for June 10, 2009
Medicare Legislation: Nursing Time and Educating Cancer Patients
Cincinnati Get Ready: ACCC's Symposium Is May 6
Q&A on ACCC's Listserve: Chemo Teaching Reimbursement
ACCC's CE Blackboard: A Full Range of Courses to Choose


****ASCO NEWS****
The American Society of Clinical Oncology's (ASCO) Express was published and is available online at http://view.exacttarget.com/?j=fe5615797260017a751c&m=ff2d16787160&ls=fdee1375776d077d7c107473&l=fe5d1575726004757c14&s=fdf2157972640d79751d7073&jb=ffcf14&ju=fe2816727c600778721576. ANCO is a state/regional affiliate of ASCO. This edition features:

The ASCO Cancer Foundation® Awards $6.1 Million to Further Progress Against Cancer

Abstract Submitter Now Open for the 2009 Breast Cancer Symposium

Apply for the Accelerating Anticancer Agent Development and Validation Workshop

Register and Reserve Housing for the Best of ASCO® Meetings in Los Angeles, Atlanta

Save the Date!

View, Purchase Electronic Resources from the 2009 GI and GU Cancers Symposia

NIH, NCI Announce Recovery Act Funding Opportunities; Recent New York Times Articles Highlight Cost of Cancer Drugs

Read the JCO Original Report "Adjuvant Therapy with the Monoclonal Antibody Edrecolomab Plus Fluorouracil-Based Therapy Does Not Improve Overall Survival of Patients With Stage III Colon Cancer”

ASCO Seeks Candidates for Upcoming JCO Editor-in-Chief Term

Cancer.Net Feature: Finding a Support Buddy

Cancer.Net Feature: Multigated Acquisition (MUGA) Scan—What to Expect

Special Cancer.Net Podcast: Planet Cancer, with Heidi Adams

JUST RELEASED! Practical Tips for the Oncology Practice


****ASH NEWS****
Take advantage of your last chance to register for the ASH webinar "PQRI and E-Prescribing: Nuts and Bolts" which takes place tomorrow, Tuesday, April 28th, 2009 from 5:00 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. Eastern Time. This webinar will focus on the basics of how to report the 2009 hematology-related Physician Quality Reporting Initiative measures and how to complete the E-Prescribing measure. It will help ensure that you follow the correct steps and receive the bonus for successful reporting.

Sylvia Publ, CMS Senior Quality Advisor, will discuss the basics of how to satisfactorily report the 2009 PQRI quality measures and to participate in the E-Prescribing program. Afterwards, there will be an opportunity to ask questions.

The webinar focuses on assisting hematologists as well as their office staff, and should help ensure that hematologists report appropriately and receive the incentive bonus. Please contact Matt Eckel at grassroots@hematology.org to sign up for this webinar.

To learn more about the PQRI program, visit the CMS PQRI Page and the ASH Web site. To learn more about the E-Prescribing program, visit the CMS Web site.

Be sure to register before April 28.


****INSTITUTIONAL MEMBER NEWS****
The following information is provided by Dr. Colevas at Stanford.

Two new clinical trials have opened and seek patients.

1. A clinical trial of XL184 , a c-MET and VEGF inhibitor in Subjects With Unresectable, Locally Advanced, or Metastatic Medullary Thyroid Cancer.
Stanford Cancer Center is the only Northern California site for this trial.
Contact: A. Dimitrios Colevas MD or Ruth Lira at (650) 724-9707.

2 A Phase 2 Study of Docetaxel, Cisplatin, Fluorouracil, Bevacizumab, and Radiation Therapy for Patients With Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC).
This trial is building upon the backbone of INT 0099 and RTOG 0615. New components to the treatment plan include the use of induction rather than adjuvant chemotherapy, adding docetaxel and research hypoxia imaging.
Contact: A. Dimitrios Colevas MD or Ruth Lira at (650) 724 9707.