Major benefits of your membership fee include the following: National presence - WSMOS is represented on the ASCO Clinical Practice Committee and other major national initiatives of importance to oncology. Advocacy in the state of Washington - WSMOS is active at the state level on issues of significance to the oncology community including the Medicare Carrier Advisory Committee. Collaboration - WSMOS continues to be a liaison between our members and other groups that support the practice of oncology and the treatment of our patients. Reimbursement - WSMOS is a leader in advocacy to state insurance carriers for medical reimbursement issues of concern to oncologists. Education - WSMOS provides membership meetings which bring the socioeconomic issues and scientific advances in our discipline into the practical reality of our practice setting. Web access - Unlimited access to the WSMOS website. Publications - WSMOS members receive the WSMOS Newsletter, ACCC's Oncology Issues, and the Compendia-based Drug Bulletin. Society members are listed on the WSMOS website and in ACCC's national reference publication, Community Cancer Programs in the United States. Download the WSMOS Membership Application Forms Here: Physician Emeritus Fellows Administrator Corporate Membership Opportunities   Your support as a Corporate Member is vital to the continued advancement of WSMOS interests. With your support, WSMOS will continue to be the leading professional organization for oncologists in the state of Washington and a resource for the oncology community through professional education, and information dissemination. Click here to download information on WSMOS Corporate Membership.

Updated VELCADE Label Announced On January 4, 2010 Millennium announced that the FDA has approved a supplemental new drug application (sNDA) for VELCADE, which expands the label to include long-term overall survival data from the landmark VISTA trial and provides specific dosing recommendations for patients with hepatic impairment. the VISTA trial examined the use of VELCADE based therapy in patients with previously untreated multiple myeloma (MM). Click Here to read the press release, Click Here to read the Physician Announcement Letter Lilly Announces New Alimata Indication On July 6, 2009, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved an additional indication for ALIMTA® (pemetrexed for injection) (HCPCS code J9305). Now, ALIMTA is indicated for the maintenance treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer whose disease has not progressed after four cycles of platinum-based first-line chemotherapy. Click Here to read the announcement letter to WSMOS from Lilly. Click Here to access the updated ALIMTA package insert. Updated Abraxane Monograph in DrugDex On February 4, 2009 DrugDex updated its Abraxane monograph to include first-line combination treatment of NSCLC.  The language from the DrugDex monograph appears below.   4.5.E   Non-small cell lung cancer, Advanced or metastatic, first-line treatment, in combination with carboplatin and bevacizumab 1)  Overview FDA Approval: Adult, no; Pediatric, no Efficacy: Adult, Evidence favors efficacy Recommendation: Adult, Class IIb Strength of Evidence: Adult, Category B See Drug Consult reference: RECOMMENDATION AND EVIDENCE RATINGS 2)  Summary: In an open-label, phase 2 study presented in abstract form and as a presentation (n=50), 31.3% of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) achieved a partial response following first-line therapy with nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel, carboplatin, and bevacizumab.(Reynolds et al, 2007; Reynoldset al,null). Copies of the updated Abraxane monograph are available at Abraxis Oncology’s ARC of Support – that number is (800) 564-0216, Option 3.  Representatives are available from 8 AM to 8 PM, Monday to Friday. Novartis Announces Afinitor® Approved for Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation is pleased to announce the introduction of Afinitor®  (everolimus) tablets, approved by the FDA on March 30, 2009.  Afinitor® is a once daily oral mTOR inhibitor indicated for the treatment of advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC).  Afinitor® is available by prescription only and package in a blister card. More information: Click Here for the Letter to Wholesalers Click Here for Pharmacy Ordering Instructions Click Here for the Labeling Revised 03/2009 Allos Therapeutices Announces FDA Approval of FOLOTYN™ FOLOTYN™ (pralatrexate injection) has received FDA approval for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory peripheral T-cell lymphoma. More information is available at www.allos.com.                       This website brought to you by:   Washington State Medical Oncology Society 113 W. 7th Street Suite 205 Vancouver, Washington 98660 360.258.0443 Phone 360.695.6937 Fax wsmos@comcast.net