June 2021 – COA Patient Advocacy Network News Bulletin
Upcoming Advocacy Chat: Your Source for Policy & Cancer Research Insights
Communicating About Community Oncology: Cancer Communication and the Power of Social Media
Traditionally, cancer communication has been limited to in-person meetings, clinical documents, news stories and other traditional mediums, given the sensitive nature of the subject. Social media is changing this paradigm, making it easier to reach larger audiences and creating new ways to discuss cancer-related topics. Dr. Sanjay Juneja, better known as TheOncDoc on TikTok, joins COA’s Rose Gerber, director of patient advocacy & education, to discuss how social media can help those diagnosed with cancer and the various ways to combine traditional medical messaging with the power and reach of social media to make the greatest impact
RSVP for the Advocacy Chat on June 9th at 12:00 p.m. ET.
ICYMI: Community Oncology Clinical Trials
COA’s Rose Gerber and American Oncology Network’s Vice President, Clinical Research, Katie Goodman discussed provider and patient perspectives on clinical trials, their value in the community setting, eligibility requirements, and more.
Watch it today on the @OncologyCOA YouTube channel.
2021 Virtual Community Oncology Advocacy Summit: Empowering Your Cancer Advocacy
On July 21, CPAN is hosting its annual Advocacy Summit for all cancer advocates, from physicians and nurses, to patients and survivors. This is an exciting day where attendees will learn how to craft effective messages to policymakers from the local to federal level.
This free event features sessions on communications, current issues, and how you are the difference maker when it comes to policy.
Join us on July 21 and learn how you can make a difference
Chapter Spotlight; Regional Cancer Care Associates
Connecticut, Maryland & New Jersey
Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA) is one of the largest oncology networks in the United States, providing a uniquely personal, community-based approach to cancer care. RCCA builds customized treatment plans informed by a deep understanding of patients’ unique symptoms and medical history, which helps build relationships that facilitate honest communication between all parties. This enables RCCA’s diverse team of physicians and nurses to provide quality, affordable, and compassionate treatment options for all individuals and their support systems, fostering an approach that encompasses connectivity and engagement.
RCCA regularly conducts 300+ clinical trials to stay on the leading-edge of cancer treatment and technologies, contributing to the development of more effective and efficient means for diagnosing and treating disease.
Staff members engage CPAN to raise awareness of issues complicating cancer care delivery and the health implications of bad policies on patients. Their participation in community oncology advocacy benefits the profession, treatment development, and most importantly, the patient.
Learn more about CPAN’s Advocacy Army and read RCCA’s full story.
Share Your Story
Millions of people are diagnosed with cancer each year, and every patient has a story to tell. Read real stories from patients treated in the community oncology setting that particularly inspired us. Hopefully, they will inspire you too.
Do you have a community oncology story to tell? Share yours with CPAN.
Cancer News You Can Use
| Bipartisan Bill Aims to Ensure Timely Access to Oral Oncology Drugs
Pharmacy Times 05/27 Representatives Terri Sewell (D-AL) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced the Timely Access to Cancer Treatment (TACT) Act to ensure patients with cancer can access their medications in a timely manner. The TACT Act requires pharmacy benefit managers and insurers make drugs available to patients within 72 hours, otherwise patients can obtain their medication from the licensed pharmacy of their choice. Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial Still Sees No Death Reduction MedPage Today 05/22 Long-term follow-up of a huge, randomized trial found that ovarian cancer screening with transvaginal ultrasound alone, or in combination with CA125 blood testing, did not reduce mortality from the disease compared with no screening, though use of CA125 testing detected cancers at an earlier stage. What’s at Stake For Employers In Congress’ Drug Pricing Fight Axios 05/21 Employers and their workers have hundreds of billions of dollars at stake in the fight over House Democrats’ drug pricing bill, according to a new West Health Policy Center analysis. New Biosensor Developed to Aid Early Diagnosis of Breast Cancer Medical Xpress 05/21 A team of Spanish researchers have developed, at the laboratory level, a prototype of a new biosensor to help detect breast cancer in its earliest stages. The Pandemic Caused Many to Forgo Routine Medical Care — It’s Time to Get Back in the Habit Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 05/20 As the COVID-19 pandemic recedes as a direct threat, other known public health risks need to come back into focus. Doctors around the country are seeing upticks in late-stage cancer diagnoses, which has led to the public awareness campaign “Time to Screen,” a partnership between CancerCare, the Community Oncology Alliance (COA) and the COA’s Patient Advocacy Network. Lawmakers Mull Telehealth Payment Models for Post-COVID Modern Healthcare 05/19 While lawmakers acknowledge that patients should still have access to telehealth services after the COVID-19 pandemic lapses, they differ on their plans for how Medicare should pay for the access. |
Community Oncology 101: Coordinating Treatment Close to Home
Patients receive better care when they are treated in their own communities. Community oncology centers support patients clinically, socially, and financially each year in sites across the United States.
Learn why this care setting is critically important for patients and their support system.
Resources for Advocates & Chapters
COA provides a wide variety of resources for community oncology practices, professionals, and advocates. Here are a number of resources that provide tools to help you succeed and amplify your voice to drive policymaking, innovation, and reform of the cancer care system in this country.
Recent News & Updates
A new study from researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) has suggested that diets rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains may possibly be linked to a higher risk of early‑onset lung cancer.
At the 2026 NCCN Annual Conference, Anjali Albanese, an oncology social worker at Fox Chase Cancer Center, sat down for an interview with CURE to discuss the emotional and psychosocial impact of a cancer diagnosis among younger adults.
Breast, colorectal and prostate cancers account for most screen-detectable cancers in adults aged under 50 years, with most “unfortunately diagnosed symptomatically,” a presenter at ACP’s Internal Medicine Meeting said.
Popular niacin (vitamin B3) derivatives, which are readily available in retail stores and often promoted as anti-aging supplements, may have a protective effect on cancer cells, according to a new study.
