Highlights from volume 41, number 4 Oncology Issues. August 20, 2026 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 newest issue of Oncology Issues offers innovative tools, workflows, and patient-centered treatment methodologies designed to improve accessibility, equity, and the patient experience. From precision medicine to psychosocial care to navigation for a diverse population, this issue 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. Read on for a preview of the important work being done in multidisciplinary care teams across ACCC's membership in the latest Oncology Issues. Unlocking precision oncology through smarter data. Precision oncology is transforming cancer care, but fragmented data, evolving knowledge, and complex workflows create significant challenges for community cancer centers. Bayhealth - Delaware's second largest health system - and N-Power Medicine - an oncology research network, data, technology, and service provider - teamed up to develop a sustainable precision oncology and research program. This article explores how community oncology programs can collaborate with technology and research companies to expand diagnostic and treatment offerings. Learn how Bayhealth and N-Power Medicine have leveraged data integration, technology, and multidisciplinary expertise to harmonize clinical and molecular information and build a more connected approach to a precision oncology program. Implementing Collaborative behavioral health care in community oncology. Clinical advances such as molecular diagnostics and immunotherapy have made cancer care increasingly precise, but too often, the psychosocial effects of treatment do not receive the same rigorous attention. In the Collaborative Care Model, behavioral health is integrated into medical care rather than operating as a separate referral pathway, ensuring mental health is not an afterthought. Building team-based care in community oncology. Amid growing complexity in cancer treatments and patient needs, building a cohesive, multidisciplinary care team is more important than ever. For Cancer Care Associates of York, a team-based approach to care coordination has proven vital in improving staff communication, combatting clinician burnout, and enhancing patient outcomes. Advancing whole-person Cancer Care with transcranial magnetic stimulation. Depression in oncology is not only distressing to patients, but also a clinically significant concern, associated with greater symptom burden, poorer treatment adherence, and reduced quality of life. While antidepressants and other systemic medications are a common solution, clinicians and patients may prefer to avoid additional drugs due to adverse effects, drug-drug interactions, or patient preference. This article explores the potential of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a noninvasive intervention for depression that offers a nonpharmacologic treatment option and may help overcome some of the barriers associated with traditional antidepressants. Learn more about how TMS works, safety considerations, and which groups of patients may be good candidates for this treatment. Community, culture, and care: transforming oncology Services through Native Health Navigation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, CHRISTUS St Vincent Regional Medical Center in New Mexico identified significant gaps in the healthcare system for American Indian patients, particularly when being referred from the Indian Health Service for complex cases. In response, the center created a Native Health Navigation Program, run by and for American Indians, to support the logistical and cultural transition between healthcare providers. Through patient support and provider education, this program offers culturally responsive care that helps patients better navigate the healthcare system and access clinical trials. Read the full article to understand how this cancer program approaches navigation for its unique community to ensure patients feel heard, respected, and supported. The future of Cancer Care is predictive - and it's here. For patients with early-stage Hodgkin lymphoma, high cure rates have brought a new challenge: how to balance effective treatment with the long-term consequences of therapy. Through a global collaboration involving RWJBarnabas Health/Rutgers Cancer Institute, Tufts Medical Center, and the University of Manchester, researchers developed the Early-Stage cHL International Prognostic Index, the first validated risk prediction model for adults diagnosed with early-stage Hodgkin lymphoma. For this article, Oncology Issues interviewed Andrew M. Evens, DO, MBA, MSc, Deputy Director for Clinical Services at Rutgers Cancer Institute and Chief Physician Officer at the Jack & Cheryl Morris Cancer Center, about how this partnership is improving patient care by quantifying risk at the individual level, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach to treatment. Dr. Evens describes the data-driven tool's ability to bring greater precision to risk assessment, treatment decisions, and patient conversations, as well as its accessibility as a free online resource. University of Chicago's path to operationalizing decentralized phase 1 trials across a regional network. There is a common and deeply rooted assumption in oncology that early-phase clinical trials must be limited to academic centers to remain safe. University of Chicago Medicine challenges that belief through its commitment to offering decentralized clinical trials (DCTs), which bring some or all elements of clinical research closer to patients. This case study explores the program's approach, a decade in the making, to offering phase 1 DCTs across a regional network, demonstrating how decentralization can expand access, engage diverse populations, and preserve safety. Read about the lessons learned at University of Chicago Medicine regarding infrastructure, financing, and patient experience that can be applied to clinical research across cancer programs. Beyond the features. In addition to the feature articles, this issue of Oncology Issues offers: * Columns from Editor-in-Chief Krista Nelson, LCSW, OSW-C, FAOSW, FAPOS, FACCC, and 2025-2026 ACCC President Una Hopkins, DNP, MSN, BSN, FNP-BC, NE-BC, FACCC, RN * An overview of how new Medicaid work requirements impact eligibility * A guide to the appropriate use of modifiers in oncology coding * Insights from the author of Tiny Scrubs, Big Dreams, a children's book inspiring future healthcare leaders * A spotlight on ACCC program member University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center in Madison, Wisconsin. Dive into the full issue to learn from colleagues across the country and put their insights into practice.

PCC partners with My Gene Counsel and N-Power Medicine to expand precision genetic testing. Pacific Cancer Care has been selected as the pilot site for a new precision medicine program that uses digital tools to expand patient access to guideline-recommended genetic risk assessment and hereditary cancer testing. The program, developed in partnership with My Gene Counsel and N-Power Medicine, integrates automated risk assessment and personalized patient education directly into PCC's clinical workflow - helping ensure that every eligible patient is identified and offered genetic testing. National studies show that a significant percentage of eligible cancer patients are never offered hereditary testing, missing opportunities for targeted therapies, risk management, and earlier detection. This pilot aims to close that gap, with plans to expand to additional oncology practices nationwide if successful.

N-Power Medicine, a company leading the reinvention of the clinical trial process, today announced the acquisition of Syapse Holdings Inc. (“Syapse”),