Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
New Study Sheds Light On Treatments For Pediatric Brain Cancers
Stat: Study Offers New Clues For Treating Brain Cancer In Children
Brain tumors are among the most common — and the most deadly — cancers among children. A new paper, published Wednesday in the journal Cell, explores the intricacies of how cancers of the brain operate in children and proffers tantalizing clues about how they may be treated. (Keshavan, 11/25)
In other developments —
CNN: UK Health Service To Pilot Blood Test That May Detect 50 Types Of Cancer
The UK's National Health Service (NHS) is to pilot a simple blood test that may detect more than 50 types of cancer and, it is hoped, could help thousands of people by allowing the disease to be treated more successfully at an earlier stage. The Galleri blood test, developed by Californian healthcare company Grail, will be piloted with 165,000 patients in what the NHS described as a "world-first deal" in a news release Friday. (Smith-Spark, 11/27)
Modern Healthcare: Targeting High-Risk Cancer Patients With Genetics
Adventist Health for several years has been rolling out a genetic testing and cancer risk-assessment program to sites across the Roseville, Calif.-based system. Now, the program is playing a part in Adventist’s efforts to get patients in need of cancer screenings back into its facilities despite fears over COVID-19. In the wake of the pandemic, patients have deferred or canceled preventive care appointments out of concern they’ll be exposed to the virus. That could have long-term consequences for cancer care, since fewer patients screened could make it harder to catch cancer cases at an early stage. (Kim Cohen, 11/28)
Stat: The Race To Deliver CAR-T Cancer Therapy During The Pandemic
On the evening that would jolt the global traffic of cancer treatments, David Kim was driving his baby daughter around, trying to get her to sleep. Bedtime was rough: Only the smooth motion of a car could get her to doze off. So Kim was playing dad-chauffeur, with the radio on low, when he heard that President Trump was banning travel between the United States and Europe. (Boodman, 11/30)
