New Service Offers Timely Access to Updates in NCCN Guidelines™ & NCCN Compendium™

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN®) introduces NCCN Flash Updates™, a new service that provides notification when an update is made to the NCCN Guidelines™ or NCCN Compendium™. A preview of an NCCN Flash Update was recently sent to all registered users of NCCN.org notifying them that the NCCN Guidelines™ for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MPM) was published as an addition to the Complete Library of NCCN Guidelines™.

February 1, 2010

FORT WASHINGTON, PA — The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN®) announces the launch of NCCN Flash Updates™, a new service that provides subscribers with e-mail notification when updates are published to the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology® and NCCN Drugs & Biologics Compendium™.

All registered users of NCCN.org recently received a complimentary preview of an NCCN Flash Updates notifying them that the NCCN Guidelines™ for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MPM) was published as an addition to the Complete Library of NCCN Guidelines™. The NCCN Flash Update included recommended treatment options for patients with MPM as well as first-line therapy regimens.

“The NCCN Guidelines™ are updated on a continual basis as new research data and clinical evidence emerge. Therefore, it is imperative that clinicians receive timely notice of updates so that they can make more informed treatment decisions for their patients,” said William T. McGivney, PhD, CEO of NCCN. “Further, individuals who must be aware of NCCN’s latest recommendations for policy, consulting or analytic purposes can receive these update notifications. NCCN Flash Updates™ is another example of NCCN’s ability to deliver innovative offerings that simplify access to the latest expert recommendations in cancer care.”

In a recent survey of NCCN Guidelines™ users, it was reported that nearly 90 percent of physician respondents use the NCCN Guidelines™ in their decision-making about patient care.

In addition to the new NCCN Guidelines™ for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MPM), a new chapter for malignant pleural mesothelioma has also been added to the NCCN Compendium™.

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that is estimated to occur in about 2,500 people in the United States every year. The disease is deadly and difficult to treat; median overall survival is approximately one year.

To subscribe to NCCN Flash Updates™ or for additional information, visit NCCN.org.

The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology® are developed and updated through an evidence-based process with explicit review of the scientific evidence integrated with expert judgment by multidisciplinary panels of physicians from NCCN Member Institutions. The most recent version of this and all the NCCN Guidelines™ are available free of charge at NCCN.org.

About the National Comprehensive Cancer Network

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network^® (NCCN^®), a not-for-profit alliance of 23 of the world's leading cancer centers, is dedicated to improving the quality and effectiveness of care provided to patients with cancer. Through the leadership and expertise of clinical professionals at NCCN Member Institutions, NCCN develops resources that present valuable information to the numerous stakeholders in the health care delivery system. As the arbiter of high-quality cancer care, NCCN promotes the importance of continuous quality improvement and recognizes the significance of creating clinical practice guidelines appropriate for use by patients, clinicians, and other health care decision-makers. The primary goal of all NCCN initiatives is to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of oncology practice so patients can live better lives. For more information, visit NCCN.org.

The NCCN Member Institutions are:

City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center
Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center
Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center
Duke Cancer Institute
Fox Chase Cancer Center
Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center / Seattle Cancer Care Alliance
The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins
Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Moffitt Cancer Center
The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute
Roswell Park Cancer Institute
Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital/The University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Stanford Cancer Institute
University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center
UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center
UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
University of Colorado Cancer Center
University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center
UNMC Eppley Cancer Center at The Nebraska Medical Center
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center