As you may or may not know (I had no clue before joining Team Manta!), ASCO brings together over 40,000 individuals in Chicago each year for their Annual Meeting. ASCO is a US-based organization primarily focused on advancing cancer care and supporting oncology professionals. ASCO provides a platform for oncology professionals to collaborate, share knowledge, and stay updated with the latest advancements in cancer research and treatment. The society organizes annual meetings, conferences, and educational programs to disseminate information on cancer-related topics, including clinical trials, treatment guidelines, and supportive care.
We will be doing podcast recaps with our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Doug Blayney, as well as a metastatic breast cancer patient & nurse, Janice, in the coming weeks, so stay tuned! Our entire team attended this year, and we had a few takeaways from the conference:
Strides in Lung Cancer Treatment Took Center Stage
Lung cancer was one of the "stars of ASCO" this year. News about the Phase III CROWN study, which evaluated the ALK TKI lorlatinib, has shown the most favorable outcomes ever recorded for patients with advanced NSCLC. The study involved 296 participants with advanced, previously untreated ALK+ NSCLC, who were randomly assigned to receive either lorlatinib (149 patients) or crizotinib (147 patients). Those treated with lorlatinib experienced longer progression-free survival (PFS) and improved control and prevention of brain metastases compared to those who received crizotinib.
Right Info Right Time = Patients With More Decision Making Power
Patients benefit most when they receive information just prior to when they need to make a care decision. 60% of cancer patients want shared decision making about treatment with their doctor and 40-80%* of the time, depending on the kind of drug, if a patient asks for a clinically accurate drug, the oncologist will grant their choice. Manta empowers patients with education about biomarkers, therapies for their stage/type of cancer, and considerations like preserving fertility, at exactly the time they need to discuss these options with their doctor and decide on the best treatment for their life.
CAR-T and Bi-specifics Need One Source of Truth
CAR-T and Bi-specifics are so complex, care teams, patients, and caregivers need a step by step visual protocol tailored for each therapy so that everyone can be on the same page about treatment and supportive care. For example, there are 9 stages of treatment over 3+ months requiring a care team of between 10-15 people* for CAR-T.
Community Oncology Partnerships Are An Untapped Strength
Manta’s strength with community oncology centers, where over 55%* of cancer treatment happens, is an invaluable channel to help support both physicians as well as underserved patients. This scalable platform brings together all key stakeholders in healthcare to make sure patients have access to information about all the new cutting edge cancer therapies no matter where a patient is being treated.
Source:
*40-80% - sourced from industry conversations at ASCO