March 2022 – COA Patient Advocacy Network News Bulletin
Advocacy Chats – Insightful Conversations on Policy Issues & Cancer Research
What is High Quality Cancer Care? A CPAN Advocacy Chat
Cancer care should be high quality – but what does high quality mean, and who defines it? How does a community oncology practice achieve the standard of “high quality” care, and how does the practice maintain it? On March 9 at 12 p.m. ET, Bo Gamble, COA Director of Practice and Quality Initiatives, will join COA Director of Patient Advocacy and Education, Rose Gerber, to discuss the meaning of “high quality” in a community oncology practice, the challenges of managing competing care standards, ensuring the patient’s voice is heard, and more. Video coming soon
ICYMI: The Financial Crisis of Cancer: A CPAN Advocacy Chat
A cancer diagnosis is life changing. Patients must confront the emotional toll, rearrange their lives to accommodate treatment, adjust to new physical challenges, and lean on friends and family for help. One of the biggest changes is adjusting to the financial burden. Family Reach CEO, Carla Tardif, joined COA’s Rose Gerber to discuss how Family Reach helps cancer patients through emergency relief, financial coaching, and more. Stream it on @OncologyCOA’s YouTube channel today.
CPAN Announces Harsha Vyas, MD, FACP, As Medical Co-Chair
Oncologist Brings New Perspective to Growing Advocacy Network
The COA Patient Advocacy Network (CPAN) has announced that Harsha Vyas, MD, FACP, of the Cancer Center of Middle Georgia, is the new Medical Co-Chair of the network. Dr. Vyas will serve alongside Miriam Atkins, MD, FACP, as the other half of the co-chair team that guides CPAN activities. Vyas replaces outgoing co-chair Lakshmi Aggarwal, MD, who is stepping down to focus on various initiatives at the practice and state level.
Before joining the CPAN leadership team, Dr. Vyas helped launch a CPAN Chapter at his own practice in 2018 and has led advocacy efforts in Georgia and Washington, D.C. He brings a wealth of experience to the position and looks forward to helping CPAN grow in 2022 and beyond.
Understanding Advocacy in a Community Oncology Setting – How Advocacy Makes a Difference
Advocacy is an incredible tool that anyone can use to affect policy and change lives. While every advocate is different, the most effective advocates come prepared to share their personal stories and experiences of perseverance, courage, and action. By sharing personal stories, advocates help policymakers understand the need for action.
The more people who communicate with policymakers on a single issue, the more likely policymakers are to consider their position seriously before acting. Advocacy organizations, like CPAN, work to organize advocates around central issues or policies to amplify the voice of each advocate. Leveraging all advocacy channels, groups of advocates can influence policymakers with a collective voice becoming a force that policymakers cannot afford to ignore.
- Learn more about community oncology, the challenges facing practices, and how you can get involved by visiting CPAN’s Education & Resources library.
Cancer News You Can Use
Low-Meat And Meat-Free Diets Linked To Lower Cancer Risk, Study Finds
TODAY 02/25
The study, published in BMC Medicine, showed that after more than a decade of follow-up, regular meat-eaters had a higher risk for all cancers compared to the other dietary groups. Those who followed a low-meat diet — especially men — had a reduced risk for colorectal cancer, vegetarian postmenopausal women had a lower risk for breast cancer, and being vegetarian or pescatarian was associated with a reduced risk for prostate cancer in men.
How Diet May Affect Colorectal Cancer Risk In Black Communities
VeryWell Health 02/17
Black people are about 20% more likely to receive a diagnosis of colorectal cancer and about 40% more likely to die from it than most other racial and ethnic groups. However, there is little evidence on how people in this population can reduce their risk. A new study of more than 70,000 people showed that intake of polyphenol – a micronutrient found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, coffee, and tea – was lower among Black people than white people, which may contribute to their increased risk of developing colorectal cancer.
Women At Higher Odds For Side Effects From Some Cancer Treatments
HealthDay 02/15
Gender differences extend to cancer treatments, with women having a higher risk of severe side effects from certain treatments than men, a new study finds. Women had a 34% higher risk of severe side effects than men, including problems such as pain, nausea, or high blood pressure, while some were related to blood or bone marrow.
The Health System Isn’t Ready For An Advanced Cancer Surge
Vox 02/14
The Covid-19 pandemic dealt a crushing blow to the preventive services, like cancer screenings, that can catch potential health problems before they become life-threatening. Colonoscopies dropped by nearly half compared to 2019, prostate biopsies by more than 25 percent, and new diagnoses declined by 13 percent to 23 percent, depending on the cancer. Now, doctors fear that the missed screenings will lead to a more permanent disconnect between patients and the health system.
Revamped ‘Cancer Moonshot’ Could Prevent Deaths And Improve Quality Of Life For Survivors
NBC News 02/03
At the heart of President Biden’s reignited initiative is a lofty goal to reduce cancer’s mortality rate by at least 50% over the next 25 years. That could mean millions more cancer survivors — a group that can face long-term health struggles. President Biden’s plan includes a focus on enhancing the experience of surviving cancer, news that was welcomed by oncologists, patient advocates, and researchers.
Community Oncology 101 – What are Clinical Trials
Many community oncology providers offer clinical trials in their practices, providing patients access to the newest therapies available. In this edition of Community Oncology 101, learn more about what clinical trials are, why community oncology practices use them, and how they help deliver high quality care.
Resources for Chapters
CPAN Advocacy Chats – monthly, 30-minute educational webinars – are designed to keep advocates up to date on the most pressing issues facing community oncology and cancer care. Visit CPAN’s Advocacy Chat page to learn more about pharmacy benefit managers, clinical trials, the importance of cancer screening, and more.
Community Oncology Alliance | 1225 New York Ave. NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20005
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