NCCN Releases First Three Chapters of the NCCN Drugs & Biologics Compendium™

JENKINTOWN, PA, November 29, 2004 — The National Comprehensive Cancer Network announces an important new publication and authoritative source of information to guide the selection of appropriate treatment for patients. The first three chapters of the NCCN Drugs & Biologics Compendium™ have been recently released and focus on the appropriate use of drugs and biologics in colon, rectal, and anal cancers.

“A variety of constituencies in the health care community look to NCCN for evaluative information to aid their decision-making. NCCN again is responding to these needs by providing evaluative recommendations in an easy-to-use format,” said William T. McGivney, PhD, CEO of the NCCN. “One target audience for the NCCN Drugs & Biologics Compendium™ comprises decision-makers at insurance/managed care companies, PBMs, etc. who seek authoritative and definitive information to establish coverage policies. In cancer care, the issue of the appropriateness of use beyond FDA-approved labeling is critical and is addressed extensively by the Compendium.”

The NCCN Drugs & Biologics Compendium™ delineates the appropriate uses of drugs and biologics in the care of cancer patients. The Compendium’s identified uses are derived directly from the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology™, recognized and applied nationally as the standard for clinical policy in oncology. As with the guidelines, the Compendium will span the continuum of cancer care from early stage to advanced stage disease, from supportive care to palliative care. The Compendium is made available free of charge in user-friendly electronic and paper formats.

The Compendium lists disease indications and specific recommendations for use as described in the NCCN Guidelines. The end-user is also provided the recommendation category that defines the level of evidence and degree of consensus that support the recommendation. Published “chapter-by-chapter”, future chapters of the Compendium will concentrate on acute myeloid leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia, lung cancer, kidney cancer, testicular cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and breast cancer. NCCN anticipates that it will require 18-24 months to develop a full compendium from the guidelines that address appropriate treatment for 97% of all cancer patients and all major supportive care areas.

For more information on the NCCN Drugs & Biologics Compendium™ and other NCCN programs, please contact NCCN at 215-690-0255 or at www.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