ACCCBUZZ BLOG

By championing and encouraging advanced practice providers and allied health professionals to work at the top of their licenses, Wilmot Cancer Institute offers comprehensive care close to home through its breast care program that vastly improves the patient experience.

On the final day of the 43rd National Oncology Conference, a series of interactive panel discussions explored innovative strategies for remote patient monitoring across the globe, improving quality and safety amidst complex treatments, financial challenges in precision medicine and clinical trials, and more.

Day two of the 43rd National Oncology Conference featured lively panel discussions on operationalizing CAR T-cell therapy and bispecific antibodies, building sustainable supportive care services, expanding access amid rising patient volumes, as well as presentations from the six 2026 ACCC Innovator Award Winners.

Day one of ACCC’s 43rd National Oncology Conference featured a national look at financial advocacy, the Psychosocial Oncology Professionals Symposium, announcement of the President’s Theme from 2026-2027 ACCC President Douglas Flora, MD, LSSBB, FACCC, and recognition of the 2026 ACCC Innovators.

From comprehensive genetics education for nurses to a risk tool that identifies the patients who are most likely to miss their mammography appointment, the latest Oncology Issues identifies barriers to care and spotlights meaningful initiatives to mitigate them.

On Day 2 of the 2026 NCCN Fall Policy Summit, speakers and panelists discussed the greatest operational hurdles preventing personalized cancer screening, offered proven best practices in five real-world case studies, and explored policy solutions to modernize screening systems.

The 2026 NCCN Fall Policy Summit explored the current state of cancer screening and prevention services in the US, barriers that still drive disparities in screening uptake, and strategies to shift the paradigm of preventive cancer care.

Recognizing the critical role advanced practice providers and allied health professionals play in the care continuum, the American Oncology Network provides infrastructure, leadership, and professional growth opportunities to empower these members of the cancer care team to practice at the top of their license.

A recent ACCC video series with three cancer programs centered on how Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) therapy can be integrated into everyday practice without overwhelming clinical or administrative teams or the patients they care for.

From challenging misconceptions about breast cancer to incorporating paramedical tattooing for survivors after reconstruction, gather valuable takeaways from Oncology Issues in observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used by cancer care professionals to streamline workflows, optimize screening, and identify the best treatment and survivorship plans for patients with cancer. Learn how the technology's potential is being harnessed in the breast cancer care space.

From mental health concerns to fertility preservation, adolescents and young adults with cancer require a specialized approach to treatment and survivorship care. In honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, ACCC highlights a pivotal program from the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and resources that meet the critical needs of these patients.

In recognition of Leukemia and Lymphoma Awareness Month, ACCC compiled a group of resources to help care teams navigate two of the most commonly diagnosed adult leukemias: acute myeloid leukemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

An at-home option for cervical cancer screening breaks down barriers to care and offers the same level of precision as screening in the clinic.

On June 1, 2026, CMS published its interim final rule (IFR), Medicaid Program; Community Engagement Requirement for Certain Individuals in the Federal Register, followed by a public comment period, during which time ACCC submitted a comment letter requesting amendments to the IFR.

Decentralized clinical trial approaches, including remote consent, telehealth, local laboratory and imaging services, and more, can help reduce some of the many barriers that prevent eligible patients from participating in trials. But as the participants in ACCC’s Advancing Decentralized Clinical Trials in the Community Setting Roundtable Series emphasized, implementing DCT elements is not simply a matter of adopting new technology. Doing so successfully requires thoughtful workflows and oversight structures that consider equity, scalability, and sustainability.

From precision medicine to psychosocial care to navigation for a diverse population, the latest issue Oncology Issues brings insights into not just institutional and administrative barriers to treatment, but areas of care that directly impact the lived experience of those navigating the cancer care continuum.

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, developed a novel Pre-Intake Navigation (PIN) program, which identifies and resolves early financial and insurance barriers, enabling patients to access timely, high-quality cancer care with less anxiety and fewer delays. PIN shifts financial navigation from a late-stage, reactive task to an early, standardized, patient‑centered process embedded in the call center workflow.

Understanding both the benefits to be had from offering BsAb therapy to its community and the scope of this undertaking, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center took a novel approach with its APP-led BsAb step-up dosing clinic, which won the program a 2026 ACCC Innovator Award.

At the 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting, the Louisiana Oncology Society received the ASCO Jeffrey C Ward Affiliate Advocacy Award for advancing critical advocacy priorities that have translated into meaningful legislative victories. The Iowa Oncology Society and Washington State Medical Oncology Society were also recognized for their advocacy efforts in 2025 at the meeting, receiving second place awards.

Nationally, approximately 1 in 5 patients who qualify for CAR T-cell therapy never receive it due to geographic distance, travel burden, or limited availability at specialized inpatient centers. Recognizing a critical need in its community, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, launched the region’s first fully outpatient CAR T-cell therapy program for select blood cancers, fundamentally redefining how advanced cellular therapies can be delivered safely outside of a hospital setting and earning the program a 2026 ACCC Innovator Award.

To better reach its patients living in rural communities throughout Georgia with targeted interventions, 2026 ACCC Innovator Award winner Winship Cancer Institute developed an Embedded Community Staff model, which leverages the experiential knowledge of local community members.

2026 ACCC Innovator Award Winner UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center noticed a common pain point among patients who received oncolytic virus treatment for advanced melanoma: time spent in appointments. To minimize the need for multiple lengthy appointments, the center developed a pharmacist-led strategy that utilized virtual visits and premixing doses prior to in-person visits.

In a recent article from Oncology Issues, authors conducted a systematic literature review and found that two main drivers of care disparities exist for transgender and nonbinary individuals with cancer: rigid binary gender frameworks and gaps in mental health care.