b'Source: Chien, H-C, Morreall, D, Patil, V, Rasmussen, KM, et. al. Treatment Patterns and Outcomes in a Nationwide Cohort of Older and Younger Veterans with Waldenstrm Macroglobulinemia, 20062019. Cancers. Published April 4, 2021.DOI: 10.3390/cancers13071708. Inhindsight,theresearchersnotedthisfindingreceivenewertreatmentsevenearlier,beforeevi-wasnotparticularlysurprising.Thisdiagnosticdence from clinical trials was published. and prognostic marker was only recently introducedThe researchers said they hope their study high-into clinical practice and some of the patients in ourlights the need to incorporate the collection, analy-study (even those in the modern era) were treatedsis, and reporting of real-world data into the daily preceding its introduction to clinical practice, saidclinical operation of all healthcare systems. There Halwani. In addition, it historically takes years foris a tremendous opportunity to learn from real-world these diagnostics to become highly adopted in clini- datatogenerateknowledgeaboutpatients,espe-cal practice. ciallythoseunderrepresentedinclinicaltrials,as In terms of treatment patterns, the studys findingswell as improve the quality and value of care deliv-demonstratetherapidadoptionofevidence-basedered, said Halwani. While this will never replace treatmentsforWMamongolderpatientswithinclinical trials, it will serve as a necessary comple-the VHA. The initial utilization of combined dexa- ment, allowing healthcare systems such as the VA to methasone, rituximab and cyclophosphamide (DRC)move towards a rapid learning healthcare system.occurred during the same quarter as the publication1American Cancer Society. Key Statistics About Waldenstrom Mac-of its Phase 2 clinical trial. The results also reveal aroglobulinemia. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/waldenstrom-macro-rapid uptake of ibrutinib, which was first utilized inglobulinemia/about/key-statistics.htmlthe older population within the same month of FDA2Chien, H-C, Morreall, D, Patil, V, Rasmussen, KM, et. al. Treatment approval, as well as bendamustine with rituximabPatterns and Outcomes in a Nationwide Cohort of Older and Younger (BR) and bortezomib with rituximab and dexametha- Veterans with Waldenstrm Macroglobulinemia, 20062019. Cancers. sone (BDR). Younger patients, meanwhile, tended toPublished April 4, 2021.DOI: 10.3390/cancers13071708. 39'