[Publication] Immuno-Oncology in 2021: Committed to the Cutting Edge of Care

The development of immunotherapies for cancer treatment during the past decade has moved at a swift pace, transforming the treatment landscape for numerous cancers. Despite the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, by mid-2020, there was a 22 percent increase in the number of actively investigated IO agents from 2019.

Due to the carefully coordinated care immuno-oncology treatments require, members of the cancer care team must work collaboratively with one another and with non-oncology sub-specialists to obtain optimal outcomes for patients. Barriers remain to IO implementation in community cancer programs across the U.S., including providers’ limited familiarity with emerging IO agents, the impact of financial toxicity on patient access to treatment, and a lack of interdepartmental care coordination.

In our annual report on the growing use of immunotherapies to treat cancer in the U.S., we offer a concise view of the ACCC IO Institute's ever-evolving resources hub, recent accomplishments and publications, and new priorities. In its pages, you will learn about:

• The results of the 2020 IO Census Survey, the fourth annual study of the current landscape of IO therapies in cancer care: Respondents shared their thoughts about current barriers to treatment (financial toxicity and poor coordination with sub-specialists ranked highest), their top priorities (collecting patient-reported outcomes and having access to IO-inclusive clinical trials ranked high), and the difficulty maintaining operations in the midst of a pandemic.
• The growing role of telemedicine and virtual irAE tumor boards during the pandemic and the potential for continued reimbursement for virtual care beyond COVID-19.
• The launch of Project ECHO®, a joint effort between the ACCC IO Institute and Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center to use a hub-and-spoke model to share specialist expertise and build capacity in community care teams.
• The development of IO survivorship resources to help promote effective communication and coordination among cancer care team members and address the psychosocial and physical well-being of IO survivors.
• The creation of new educational resources for cancer care team members on coordinating patient care with emergency department providers, transitioning patients back to primary care, and coordinating with dermatologists to treat the side effects of IO therapy.

ACCC Releases Annual Report on Current State of Immuno-Oncology - via The ASCO Post

ACCC Survey Reveals Biggest Challenges and Concerns Regarding IO Therapies - via AJMC

ACCC Report: Immunotherapy Research Grew in 2020 Despite COVID-19 Pandemic - via OncLive