Cancer

On behalf of the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA), the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) investigated whether (former) heavy smokers within statutory health insurance (SHI) should be offered lung cancer screening using low-dose computed tomography (LDCT).

In June 2020, the Andalusian Health Technology Assessment Department (AETSA) published an update of the earlier report (2012) on assessment of effectiveness and safety of tumor treating fields (TTF) therapy in glioblastoma.

In June 2020, NHS England announced that it is accelerating the use of stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) requiring fewer doses than standard radiotherapy, decreasing the number of hospital visits that potentially vulnerable patients need to undergo. It will now be available through the NHS by the end of the current financial year, rather than full rollout by 2022.

The Swiss cantons are required to jointly draw up a plan for the provision of highly specialized medical treatments (MHS). Until September 2020, the Conference of Cantonal Health Directors is discussing whether complex gynecological tumors, pediatric oncology, bariatric surgery, highly specialized pediatric surgery, and other areas of care should enter the MHS.

The corresponding decision by the (the Federal Joint Committee) of January 16, 2020, was published in the Federal Gazette and came into force on April 9, 2020.

On April 27, 2020, the Italian Ministry of Health shared the invitation of the Italian “Alliance against cancer,” which is intended for all the interested companies that wish to participate in the CAR-T research project.

The revised EBM (German Uniform Evaluation Standard) catalog came into force on April 1, 2020. MTRC has compiled the selection of the most significant changes.

The revised EBM (German Uniform Evaluation Standard) comes into force on April 1, 2020. Among others, the amendments made concern the billing of the services within the framework of early detection of cervical cancer. Also, the new fee order item (GOP) for the human papillomaviruses (HPV) genotyping service was added.

Patients with a newly diagnosed glioblastoma will have an opportunity to benefit from the therapy with tumor-treating fields (TTF) at the expense of statutory health insurance. The Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) decided on March 20, 2020, the details concerning the indications and the quality assurance measures that will apply when prescribing this outpatient treatment method.

In March 2020, Swedish Skåne Region has released a report for the use of hydrogel spacer in radiotherapy of prostate cancer. Treatment with hydrogel spacer provides long-term improved quality of life, but the scientific base is limited. The scientific evidence base on the positive effect of the spacer in erectile function is insufficient.

At the beginning of 2020, the Galician Scientific and Technical Advice Unit released a health technology assessment on the treatment of benign thyroid nodules (TNs) by thermal laser or radiofrequency ablation that aimed to assess its safety and clinical effectiveness compared to standard treatment. The methods were considered safe and effective procedures for the treatment of benign, solid, and symptomatic TNs.

At the beginning of 2020, the Galician Scientific and Technical Advice Unit released a health technology assessment on irreversible electroporation (IRE) for the treatment of liver and pancreatic cancer that aimed to analyze its safety, effectiveness, considerations for use, and the economic, organizational, social, ethical, or legal aspects. The efficacy evidence of IRE in achieving complete ablation is insufficient. Safety evidence is also insufficient as it is unclear whether IRE is safer as the standard treatment.