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Book Policy Issues in the Development and Adoption of Biomarkers for Molecularly Targeted Cancer Therapies

Download or read book Policy Issues in the Development and Adoption of Biomarkers for Molecularly Targeted Cancer Therapies written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2015-06-01 with total page 94 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A long-held goal in oncology has been to develop therapies that target the specific abnormalities in each patient's cancer rather than simply treating cancers based on the tissue of origin. In the past decade, advances in technology have enabled researchers to relatively quickly and inexpensively determine, in minute detail, the genetic makeup of tumors. Although relatively few targeted cancer therapies are currently available in the clinic and it is not yet clear whether all cancers are driven by genetic changes that can be targeted, there is widespread optimism in the cancer community that this new ability to assess the genetic abnormalities in tumors will ultimately lead to better cancer treatments and improved patient outcomes. Policy Issues in the Development and Adoption of Biomarkers for Molecularly Targeted Cancer Therapies is the summary of a workshop convened in November 2014 by the Institute of Medicine's National Cancer Policy Forum to discuss recent trends in the development and implementation of molecularly targeted cancer therapies and explore potential policy actions to address specific challenges. This report highlights the presentations and discussions at the workshop.

Book Policy Issues in the Development and Adoption of Biomarkers for Molecularly Targeted Cancer Therapies

Download or read book Policy Issues in the Development and Adoption of Biomarkers for Molecularly Targeted Cancer Therapies written by Sharyl J. Nass and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 85 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A long-held goal in oncology has been to develop therapies that target the specific abnormalities in each patient's cancer rather than simply treating cancers based on the tissue of origin. In the past decade, advances in technology have enabled researchers to relatively quickly and inexpensively determine, in minute detail, the genetic makeup of tumors. Although relatively few targeted cancer therapies are currently available in the clinic and it is not yet clear whether all cancers are driven by genetic changes that can be targeted, there is widespread optimism in the cancer community that this new ability to assess the genetic abnormalities in tumors will ultimately lead to better cancer treatments and improved patient outcomes. Policy Issues in the Development and Adoption of Biomarkers for Molecularly Targeted Cancer Therapies is the summary of a workshop convened in November 2014 by the Institute of Medicine's National Cancer Policy Forum to discuss recent trends in the development and implementation of molecularly targeted cancer therapies and explore potential policy actions to address specific challenges. This report highlights the presentations and discussions at the workshop.

Book Biomarker Tests for Molecularly Targeted Therapies

Download or read book Biomarker Tests for Molecularly Targeted Therapies written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2016-07-30 with total page 293 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Every patient is unique, and the evolving field of precision medicine aims to ensure the delivery of the right treatment to the right patient at the right time. In an era of rapid advances in biomedicine and enhanced understanding of the genetic basis of disease, health care providers increasingly have access to advanced technologies that may identify molecular variations specific to an individual patient, which subsequently can be targeted for treatment. Known as biomarker tests for molecularly targeted therapies, these complex tests have the potential to enable the selection of the most beneficial treatment (and also to identify treatments that may be harmful or ineffective) for the molecular underpinnings of an individual patient's disease. Such tests are key to unlocking the promise of precision medicine. Biomarker tests for molecularly targeted therapies represent a crucial area of focus for developing methods that could later be applicable to other areas of precision medicine. The appropriate regulatory oversight of these tests is required to ensure that they are accurate, reliable, properly validated, and appropriately implemented in clinical practice. Moreover, common evidentiary standards for assessing the beneficial impact of biomarker-guided therapy selection on patient outcomes, as well as the effective collection and sharing of information related to those outcomes, are urgently needed to better inform clinical decision making. Biomarker Tests of Molecularly Targeted Therapies examines opportunities for and challenges to the use of biomarker tests to select optimal therapy and offers recommendations to accelerate progress in this field. This report explores regulatory issues, reimbursement issues, and clinical practice issues related to the clinical development and use of biomarker tests for targeting therapies to patients. Properly validated, appropriately implemented biomarker tests hold the potential to enhance patient care and improve outcomes, and therefore addressing the challenges facing such tests is critical.

Book Developing Biomarker Based Tools for Cancer Screening  Diagnosis  and Treatment

Download or read book Developing Biomarker Based Tools for Cancer Screening Diagnosis and Treatment written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2006-10-18 with total page 112 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Research has long sought to identify biomarkers that could detect cancer at an early stage, or predict the optimal cancer therapy for specific patients. Fueling interest in this research are recent technological advances in genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics that can enable researchers to capture the molecular fingerprints of specific cancers and fine-tune their classification according to the molecular defects they harbor. The discovery and development of new markers of cancer could potentially improve cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment. Given the potential impact cancer biomarkers could have on the cost effectiveness of cancer detection and treatment, they could profoundly alter the economic burden of cancer as well. Despite the promise of cancer biomarkers, few biomarker-based cancer tests have entered the market, and the translation of research findings on cancer biomarkers into clinically useful tests seems to be lagging. This is perhaps not surprising given the technical, financial, regulatory, and social challenges linked to the discovery, development, validation, and incorporation of biomarker tests into clinical practice. To explore those challenges and ways to overcome them, the National Cancer Policy Forum held the conference "Developing Biomarker-Based Tools for Cancer Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment: The State of the Science, Evaluation, Implementation, and Economics" in Washington, D.C., from March 20 to 22, 2006. At this conference, experts gave presentations in one of six sessions. In addition, seven small group discussions explored the policy implications surrounding biomarker development and adoption into clinical practice. Developing Biomarker-based Tools for Developing Cancer Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment: The State of the Science, Evaluation, Implementation, and Economics-Workshop Summary presents the conference proceedings and will be used by an Institute of Medicine (IOM) committee to develop consensus-based recommendations for moving the field of cancer biomarkers forward.

Book Biomarker Tests for Molecularly Targeted Therapies

Download or read book Biomarker Tests for Molecularly Targeted Therapies written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2016-06-30 with total page 293 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Every patient is unique, and the evolving field of precision medicine aims to ensure the delivery of the right treatment to the right patient at the right time. In an era of rapid advances in biomedicine and enhanced understanding of the genetic basis of disease, health care providers increasingly have access to advanced technologies that may identify molecular variations specific to an individual patient, which subsequently can be targeted for treatment. Known as biomarker tests for molecularly targeted therapies, these complex tests have the potential to enable the selection of the most beneficial treatment (and also to identify treatments that may be harmful or ineffective) for the molecular underpinnings of an individual patient's disease. Such tests are key to unlocking the promise of precision medicine. Biomarker tests for molecularly targeted therapies represent a crucial area of focus for developing methods that could later be applicable to other areas of precision medicine. The appropriate regulatory oversight of these tests is required to ensure that they are accurate, reliable, properly validated, and appropriately implemented in clinical practice. Moreover, common evidentiary standards for assessing the beneficial impact of biomarker-guided therapy selection on patient outcomes, as well as the effective collection and sharing of information related to those outcomes, are urgently needed to better inform clinical decision making. Biomarker Tests of Molecularly Targeted Therapies examines opportunities for and challenges to the use of biomarker tests to select optimal therapy and offers recommendations to accelerate progress in this field. This report explores regulatory issues, reimbursement issues, and clinical practice issues related to the clinical development and use of biomarker tests for targeting therapies to patients. Properly validated, appropriately implemented biomarker tests hold the potential to enhance patient care and improve outcomes, and therefore addressing the challenges facing such tests is critical.

Book The Drug Development Paradigm in Oncology

Download or read book The Drug Development Paradigm in Oncology written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2018-02-12 with total page 145 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Advances in cancer research have led to an improved understanding of the molecular mechanisms underpinning the development of cancer and how the immune system responds to cancer. This influx of research has led to an increasing number and variety of therapies in the drug development pipeline, including targeted therapies and associated biomarker tests that can select which patients are most likely to respond, and immunotherapies that harness the body's immune system to destroy cancer cells. Compared with standard chemotherapies, these new cancer therapies may demonstrate evidence of benefit and clearer distinctions between efficacy and toxicity at an earlier stage of development. However, there is a concern that the traditional processes for cancer drug development, evaluation, and regulatory approval could impede or delay the use of these promising cancer treatments in clinical practice. This has led to a number of effortsâ€"by patient advocates, the pharmaceutical industry, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)â€"to accelerate the review of promising new cancer therapies, especially for cancers that currently lack effective treatments. However, generating the necessary data to confirm safety and efficacy during expedited drug development programs can present a unique set of challenges and opportunities. To explore this new landscape in cancer drug development, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine developed a workshop held in December 2016. This workshop convened cancer researchers, patient advocates, and representatives from industry, academia, and government to discuss challenges with traditional approaches to drug development, opportunities to improve the efficiency of drug development, and strategies to enhance the information available about a cancer therapy throughout its life cycle in order to improve its use in clinical practice. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.

Book Predictive Biomarkers in Oncology

Download or read book Predictive Biomarkers in Oncology written by Sunil Badve and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-12-06 with total page 642 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Precision/personalized or stratified medicine” refers to the tailoring of medical treatment or drug administration to the individual characteristics of each patient treatment. It does not literally mean that a pharmaceutical company makes a drug for an individual patient for consumption and treatment but rather means the ability to stratify (or classify) individuals into sub-populations that differ in their responsiveness to a specific drug. A marker that provides information on the likely response to therapy, i.e., either in terms of tumor shrinkage or survival of the patient is termed “predictive biomarker”. Despite their promise in precision medicine and the explosion of knowledge in this area, there is not a single source on this subject that puts all this evidence together in a concise or richly illustrated and easy to understand manner. This book provides a collection of ingeniously organized, well-illustrated and up-to-date authoritative chapters divided into five sections that are clear and easy to understand. Section one provides an overview of biomarkers, introduces the basic terminologies, definitions, technologies, tools and concepts associated with this subject in the form of illustrations/graphics, photographs and concise texts. Several recent biomarker endeavors that have been initiated and funded by the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, FDA and other International organizations are presented. Section two involves the signaling pathways controlling cell growth and differentiation altered in cancer. This section analyzes how predictive biomarkers are altered (expressed or amplified) across cancer types. Section three explores how predictive biomarkers play a role in patient stratification and tailored treatment in relationship to specific cancers. In addition, it includes discussion on the various precision medicine initiatives that are going on across the globe (e.g. TARGET, NCI-MATCH, BATTLE, SHIVA, etc.). Section four discusses: (a) how pharmaceutical companies validate predictive biomarker assays and accompanying companion diagnostics either internally or externally with partner companies such as central laboratories or clinical research organizations, and (b) how predictive biomarker tests fall under the oversight of US FDA, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and state laws. Section five wraps up novel agents and targets that are being used as targets for cancer therapeutics. The biomarkers associated with these protocols will also be presented. Throughout the book, sidebars, special interest boxes and illustrations are used to explain terms that are either newly introduced, uncommon, or specialized. Predictive Biomarkers in Oncology will serve as a definitive guide for practicing pathologists, oncologists, basic researchers, and personnel in the pharmaceutical or diagnostic industry interested in learning how “predictive biomarkers” are used in precision cancer therapy.

Book The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids

Download or read book The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2017-05-01 with total page 487 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Significant changes have taken place in the policy landscape surrounding cannabis legalization, production, and use. During the past 20 years, 25 states and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis and/or cannabidiol (a component of cannabis) for medical conditions or retail sales at the state level and 4 states have legalized both the medical and recreational use of cannabis. These landmark changes in policy have impacted cannabis use patterns and perceived levels of risk. However, despite this changing landscape, evidence regarding the short- and long-term health effects of cannabis use remains elusive. While a myriad of studies have examined cannabis use in all its various forms, often these research conclusions are not appropriately synthesized, translated for, or communicated to policy makers, health care providers, state health officials, or other stakeholders who have been charged with influencing and enacting policies, procedures, and laws related to cannabis use. Unlike other controlled substances such as alcohol or tobacco, no accepted standards for safe use or appropriate dose are available to help guide individuals as they make choices regarding the issues of if, when, where, and how to use cannabis safely and, in regard to therapeutic uses, effectively. Shifting public sentiment, conflicting and impeded scientific research, and legislative battles have fueled the debate about what, if any, harms or benefits can be attributed to the use of cannabis or its derivatives, and this lack of aggregated knowledge has broad public health implications. The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids provides a comprehensive review of scientific evidence related to the health effects and potential therapeutic benefits of cannabis. This report provides a research agendaâ€"outlining gaps in current knowledge and opportunities for providing additional insight into these issuesâ€"that summarizes and prioritizes pressing research needs.

Book An Evidence Framework for Genetic Testing

Download or read book An Evidence Framework for Genetic Testing written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2017-03-21 with total page 149 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Advances in genetics and genomics are transforming medical practice, resulting in a dramatic growth of genetic testing in the health care system. The rapid development of new technologies, however, has also brought challenges, including the need for rigorous evaluation of the validity and utility of genetic tests, questions regarding the best ways to incorporate them into medical practice, and how to weigh their cost against potential short- and long-term benefits. As the availability of genetic tests increases so do concerns about the achievement of meaningful improvements in clinical outcomes, costs of testing, and the potential for accentuating medical care inequality. Given the rapid pace in the development of genetic tests and new testing technologies, An Evidence Framework for Genetic Testing seeks to advance the development of an adequate evidence base for genetic tests to improve patient care and treatment. Additionally, this report recommends a framework for decision-making regarding the use of genetic tests in clinical care.

Book Making Medicines Affordable

    Book Details:
  • Author : National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
  • Publisher : National Academies Press
  • Release : 2018-03-01
  • ISBN : 0309468086
  • Pages : 235 pages

Download or read book Making Medicines Affordable written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2018-03-01 with total page 235 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Thanks to remarkable advances in modern health care attributable to science, engineering, and medicine, it is now possible to cure or manage illnesses that were long deemed untreatable. At the same time, however, the United States is facing the vexing challenge of a seemingly uncontrolled rise in the cost of health care. Total medical expenditures are rapidly approaching 20 percent of the gross domestic product and are crowding out other priorities of national importance. The use of increasingly expensive prescription drugs is a significant part of this problem, making the cost of biopharmaceuticals a serious national concern with broad political implications. Especially with the highly visible and very large price increases for prescription drugs that have occurred in recent years, finding a way to make prescription medicinesâ€"and health care at largeâ€"more affordable for everyone has become a socioeconomic imperative. Affordability is a complex function of factors, including not just the prices of the drugs themselves, but also the details of an individual's insurance coverage and the number of medical conditions that an individual or family confronts. Therefore, any solution to the affordability issue will require considering all of these factors together. The current high and increasing costs of prescription drugsâ€"coupled with the broader trends in overall health care costsâ€"is unsustainable to society as a whole. Making Medicines Affordable examines patient access to affordable and effective therapies, with emphasis on drug pricing, inflation in the cost of drugs, and insurance design. This report explores structural and policy factors influencing drug pricing, drug access programs, the emerging role of comparative effectiveness assessments in payment policies, changing finances of medical practice with regard to drug costs and reimbursement, and measures to prevent drug shortages and foster continued innovation in drug development. It makes recommendations for policy actions that could address drug price trends, improve patient access to affordable and effective treatments, and encourage innovations that address significant needs in health care.

Book Precision Cancer Medicine

Download or read book Precision Cancer Medicine written by Bharat Jasani and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2022-01-04 with total page 239 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book describes the changing role of pathology in aiding reproducible and accurate patient selection for predictive cancer therapy. Particular attention is given to the clinical application of cutting-edge cancer biomarkers to accurately select patients for targeted cancer therapy and how artificial intelligence can improve the precision of treatments. The advent and basis of predictive cancer care, the role of pathologists in translational cancer research, the analysis of cancer samples, the management of biopsy results, and the accuracy of biopsy results are also discussed. Precision Cancer Medicine: Role of the Pathologist details how pathologists can use the latest biomarkers and apply artificial intelligence technology in cancer diagnosis and management. It is also relevant to oncologists and medical practitioners involved in cancer management seeking an up-to-date resource on the topic.

Book Evolution of Translational Omics

Download or read book Evolution of Translational Omics written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2012-09-13 with total page 354 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Technologies collectively called omics enable simultaneous measurement of an enormous number of biomolecules; for example, genomics investigates thousands of DNA sequences, and proteomics examines large numbers of proteins. Scientists are using these technologies to develop innovative tests to detect disease and to predict a patient's likelihood of responding to specific drugs. Following a recent case involving premature use of omics-based tests in cancer clinical trials at Duke University, the NCI requested that the IOM establish a committee to recommend ways to strengthen omics-based test development and evaluation. This report identifies best practices to enhance development, evaluation, and translation of omics-based tests while simultaneously reinforcing steps to ensure that these tests are appropriately assessed for scientific validity before they are used to guide patient treatment in clinical trials.

Book Personalized Medicine in Oncology

Download or read book Personalized Medicine in Oncology written by Ari VanderWalde and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 174 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nowhere is the explosion in comprehensive genomic testing more evident than in oncology. Multiple consensus guidelines now recommend molecular testing as the standard of care for most metastatic tumors. To aid in the advancement of this rapidly changing field, we intend this Special Issue of JPM to focus on technical developments in the genomic profiling of cancer, detail promising somatic alterations that either are, or have a high likelihood of being, relevant in the near future, and to address issues related to the pricing and value of these tests.The last few years have seen the cost of molecular testing decrease by orders of magnitude. In 2018, we saw the first “site-agnostic” drug approvals in cancer (for microsatellite unstable cancer (PD-1 inhibitors) and NTRK-fusions (TRK inhibitors)). Research on targetable mutations, determination of genetic “signatures” that can use multiple individual genes/pathways, development of targeted therapy, and insight into the value of new technology remains at the cutting edge of research in this field. We are soliciting papers that present new technologies to assess predictive biomarkers in cancer, original research (pre-clinical or clinical) that demonstrates promise for particular targeted therapies in cancer, and articles that explore the clinical and financial impacts of this paradigmatic shift in cancer diagnostics and treatment.

Book Diagnostic Immunohistochemistry E Book

Download or read book Diagnostic Immunohistochemistry E Book written by David J Dabbs and published by Elsevier Health Sciences. This book was released on 2017-11-29 with total page 992 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: User-friendly and concise, the new edition of this popular reference is your #1 guide for the appropriate use of immunohistochemical stains. Dr. David J. Dabbs and leading experts in the field use a consistent, organ system approach to cover all aspects of the field, with an emphasis on the role of genomics in diagnosis and theranostic applications that will better inform treatment options. Each well-written and well-researched chapter is enhanced with diagnostic algorithms, charts, tables, and superb, full-color histologic images, making this text a practical daily resource for all surgical pathologists. Features a systematic approach to the diagnostic entities of each organ system, including detailed differential diagnoses, diagnostic algorithms, and immunohistograms that depict immunostaining patterns of tumors. Covers many more antigens than other texts, and discusses antibody specifications with tables that convey information on uses, clones, vendors, sources, antibody titers, and types of antigen retrieval. Discusses diagnostic pitfalls through immunohistologic differential diagnosis wherever appropriate so you can provide the most accurate diagnoses. Contains new material on non-lymphoid malignancies, Hodgkin/non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and an expanded chapter on digital imaging and quantilative immunohistochemistry. Provides new grading schemes for several organs, along with new antibodies to cover more genomic immunohistochemistry applications. Offers more emphasis in the breast section of "eyes on" tissue for molecular/IHC prognostics compared to the current trend of gene-expression profiling of breast cancer.

Book Ovarian Cancers

    Book Details:
  • Author : National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
  • Publisher : National Academies Press
  • Release : 2016-04-25
  • ISBN : 0309380499
  • Pages : 397 pages

Download or read book Ovarian Cancers written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2016-04-25 with total page 397 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In an era of promising advances in cancer research, there are considerable and even alarming gaps in the fundamental knowledge and understanding of ovarian cancer. Researchers now know that ovarian cancer is not a single disease-several distinct subtypes exist with different origins, risk factors, genetic mutations, biological behaviors, and prognoses. However, persistent questions have impeded progress toward improving the prevention, early detection, treatment, and management of ovarian cancers. Failure to significantly improve morbidity and mortality during the past several decades is likely due to several factors, including the lack of research being performed by specific disease subtype, lack of definitive knowledge of the cell of origin and disease progression, and incomplete understanding of genetic and non-genetic risk factors. Ovarian Cancers examines the state of the science in ovarian cancer research, identifies key gaps in the evidence base and the challenges to addressing those gaps, considers opportunities for advancing ovarian cancer research, and examines avenues for translation and dissemination of new findings and communication of new information to patients and others. This study makes recommendations for public- and private-sector efforts that could facilitate progress in reducing the incidence of morbidity and mortality from ovarian cancers.

Book Targeted Therapies in Cancer

    Book Details:
  • Author : Francesco Colotta
  • Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
  • Release : 2007-12-05
  • ISBN : 0387738983
  • Pages : 200 pages

Download or read book Targeted Therapies in Cancer written by Francesco Colotta and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2007-12-05 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Billions of dollars are spent every year on research into targeted therapies for cancer. That’s why it’s more than ever crucial for the thousands of scientists working in the field to keep right up to date with the cutting edge. This fascinating collection of material goes a long way to helping them do so, featuring as it does contributions to a crucial international meeting in Italy. The meeting provided a forum for scientists and clinicians working in cancer drug discovery and therapy to share their opinions and experiences. The text here offers readers an overview of diverse approaches, ranging from drug discovery to cellular therapy. Overall, the book addresses the key question of whether ultimately targeted therapy in cancer will be a myth or a reality.

Book Delivering High Quality Cancer Care

    Book Details:
  • Author : Committee on Improving the Quality of Cancer Care: Addressing the Challenges of an Aging Population
  • Publisher : National Academies Press
  • Release : 2014-01-10
  • ISBN : 9780309286602
  • Pages : 0 pages

Download or read book Delivering High Quality Cancer Care written by Committee on Improving the Quality of Cancer Care: Addressing the Challenges of an Aging Population and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2014-01-10 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the United States, approximately 14 million people have had cancer and more than 1.6 million new cases are diagnosed each year. However, more than a decade after the Institute of Medicine (IOM) first studied the quality of cancer care, the barriers to achieving excellent care for all cancer patients remain daunting. Care often is not patient-centered, many patients do not receive palliative care to manage their symptoms and side effects from treatment, and decisions about care often are not based on the latest scientific evidence. The cost of cancer care also is rising faster than many sectors of medicine--having increased to $125 billion in 2010 from $72 billion in 2004--and is projected to reach $173 billion by 2020. Rising costs are making cancer care less affordable for patients and their families and are creating disparities in patients' access to high-quality cancer care. There also are growing shortages of health professionals skilled in providing cancer care, and the number of adults age 65 and older--the group most susceptible to cancer--is expected to double by 2030, contributing to a 45 percent increase in the number of people developing cancer. The current care delivery system is poorly prepared to address the care needs of this population, which are complex due to altered physiology, functional and cognitive impairment, multiple coexisting diseases, increased side effects from treatment, and greater need for social support. Delivering High-Quality Cancer Care: Charting a New Course for a System in Crisis presents a conceptual framework for improving the quality of cancer care. This study proposes improvements to six interconnected components of care: (1) engaged patients; (2) an adequately staffed, trained, and coordinated workforce; (3) evidence-based care; (4) learning health care information technology (IT); (5) translation of evidence into clinical practice, quality measurement and performance improvement; and (6) accessible and affordable care. This report recommends changes across the board in these areas to improve the quality of care. Delivering High-Quality Cancer Care: Charting a New Course for a System in Crisis provides information for cancer care teams, patients and their families, researchers, quality metrics developers, and payers, as well as HHS, other federal agencies, and industry to reevaluate their current roles and responsibilities in cancer care and work together to develop a higher quality care delivery system. By working toward this shared goal, the cancer care community can improve the quality of life and outcomes for people facing a cancer diagnosis.