Hem/Onc Roundup: COVID-19 Interrupting Cancer Treatments, FDA Approval, and more

Here are the top stories covered by DocWire News this week in the Hematology & Oncology section. This week, a survey found that patients with cancer are experiencing treatment delays due to COVID-19, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new combination for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), and more.

Amid orders to stay at home and social distance in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, medical tests to monitor and detect serious conditions—including cancer screenings—have sharply declined, according to a report.

According to a survey from the American Cancer Society, patients with cancer report experiencing oncology treatment delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Disruptions in health insurance coverage are common in the United States and lead to poorer cancer outcomes, according to the findings of a study published in JNCI: The Journal of the National Cancer institute.

The FDA approved Imbruvica® (ibrutinib) in combination with Rituxan® (rituximab) for the initial treatment of adult patients with CLL/SLL.

In case you missed it, more hem/onc headlines are featured below:

• Women with High-Risk Breast Cancer Benefit from Immunotherapy Before Surgery
• Interview: Defactinib Plus Pembrolizumab and Gemcitabine Effective in Pancreatic Cancer Patients
• Cost of Cancer Drugs Does Not Always Align with Clinical Benefit
• Circulating Progesterone May Elevate Breast Cancer Risk Among Postmenopausal Women