U.S.-style Abandonment of Care: Lost in Translation

Dr. Michael Link, current President of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), used his September 26th blog post to promote "delivery of what we know" to the world's cancer patients. In his October 10th post, Link brings the story home to America, sharing "vignettes from the world of oncology [that] highlight the additional obstacles to delivery imposed by our deplorable system of medical care."

First Dr. Link summarizes how a new oral treatment for a specific type of leukemia (APL) indisputably improves patient outcomes with prolonged remissions and sometimes cures. Then he relates the story of one patient, Judy Ariba, who could not afford the $1700 per month co-pay for the expensive life-saving treatment.

"Ms. Ariba’s story, of course, is not the only example of a miraculous advance 'lost in translation' [or more ironically, of a miraculous advance of translational science lost in translation]...The miraculous targeted therapies that are being added to our armamentarium against cancer are only worthwhile if patients take them, and that is only likely if our patients can afford them."

He aims to use his leadership position to encourage oncology professionals to "take stock of our capacity to deliver these advances to our patients and how much of what we learn gets lost in translation."

 

Comments

[Rodney Stich]

There is a dark side to the cancer subject that, as usual, is never talked about. It is the cost-saving denial of routine cancer care by certain HMO oncologists. I am experiencing that following Stage III kidney cancer where the physicians are absolutely refusing to conduct the periodic post-nephrectomy blood tests and CT scans. Their money-saving tactic is to deny any tests (and the expensive kidney cancer drugs), do nothing, until I personally experience the effects of the cancer that has spread and caused me to suffer the cancer signs. By this stage, the possible curative or remission effects of kidney cancer drugs have passed. Details at www.defraudingamerica.com/kaiser_permanente.html. As with the Wall Street and other scandals, Medicare's oversign regulators at Maximus consider this conduct acceptable. Making things worse, I am caregiver for a woman diagnosed in early 2008 with Stage IV esophagus cancer, and who periodically undergoes difficult medical periods. Try that combination for size!!