Cancer

TMA Spotlights ACS Study to Improve Cancer Data for Black Women - 10/25/2024

Serving its goal of increasing access to cancer care, the Texas Medical Association’s Committee on Cancer is amplifying recruitment efforts for a new study, calling on Texas physicians to generate awareness to boost study enrollment and promote health equity. Read more.

Private Insurers Must Cover Surveillance Colonoscopies, TMA Urges Feds - 01/03/2024

To uphold the established standard of care for colorectal cancer screening, commercial insurers regulated by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) must cover follow-up surveillance colonoscopies that take place after the removal of precancerous polyps or lesions in initial screening tests.

The Power of One Voice: Elisabeth Potter, MD's Advocacy Helped Upend CMS' Plan to End Certain Breast Surgery Coverage - 11/01/2023

Elisabeth Potter, MD’s spirited advocacy helped upend CMS’ plan to eliminate coverage for a preferred breast reconstruction surgery.

TMA Partners to Boost HPV Vaccination Rates - 09/06/2023

To help improve HPV vaccination rates, the Texas Medical Association joined with a coalition of more than 40 other organizations Tuesday to announce a renewed statewide immunization campaign to prevent HPV-related cancers.

Medicare Expands Coverage for Colorectal Cancer Screening - 02/24/2023

Medicare patients soon will benefit from expanded coverage of colorectal cancer screening tests, following advocacy by the Texas Medical Association and others in organized medicine.

CPRIT Awards $49 Million to Texas Cancer Researchers - 10/05/2022

The $49 million recently granted by the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas shows how the agency makes Texas a leader in cancer research, says Temple internal medicine specialist Mammen Sam, MD, chair of the Texas Medical Association’s Committee on Cancer.

Talk to Patients About: Human Papillomavirus Vaccine - 07/29/2022

The vaccine for human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most effective life-saving measures in medicine, and yet it has long suffered from poor public perception.

Medicare Lowers Thresholds to Cover Lung Cancer Screening - 04/05/2022

Medicare has announced expanded coverage for lung cancer screening using low-dose computed tomography, the only recommended screening test for the disease.

Commentary: I'm a Better Physician 'Thanks' to Cancer - 10/28/2021

The last thing a nonsmoking asymptomatic female physician expects during her usual hourly aerobic exercise is a phone call from her internist about a “spiculated lung nodule.” There was no need for the rest of the radiologist’s sentence: “suspicious for malignancy.”

Colorectal Cancer Screening More Accessible Thanks to State, National Initiatives - 06/08/2021

Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in Texas, but it’s also highly preventable through screening. A pair of recent measures – one each at the state and national levels – are designed to boost access to those screenings.

Screening Families of North Texans to Identify Persons with an Increased Risk for Cancer Due to Lynch Syndrome - 12/04/2019

In 2016, the UT Southwestern Medical Center’s Cancer Genetics Program was awarded a grant (PP160103) by the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) to increase awareness of hereditary cancer syndromes, particularly Lynch syndrome (LS), and implement a population-based genetic screening program to identify those at high genetic risk for cancer.

Texas Voters Approve Renewed Funding for Cancer Research - 11/06/2019

Texas' ongoing battle against cancer just got new life. Voters statewide overwhelmingly approved Proposition 6 on Tuesday to continue funding for the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT), the state's cancer-fighting agency.

Prop. 6 Passage Will Save Lives - 11/06/2019

Statement by David C. Fleeger, MD, president of the Texas Medical Association, in reaction to the passage of Proposition 6.  “Thanks to Texans who checked ‘yes’ in support of Proposition 6 in today’s election, the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) can build on its legacy of saving countless Texans’ lives, while saving and making Texas millions of dollars every year...."

Vote Tuesday to Keep Texas A Leader in Cancer Research - 11/04/2019

The Texas Medical Association is encouraging you to vote for a proposition that would extend Texas’ place as a leader in the fight against cancer. “Please vote AGAINST cancer and FOR saving Texans’ lives. Physicians of TMA urge everyone to VOTE FOR Proposition 6 on Tuesday's ballot to continue to fund the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT),” TMA President David C. Fleeger, MD, said.

Texas Health Care Professionals Praise CPRIT’s Cancer-Prevention Funding - 10/22/2019

Kathleen Schmeler, MD, spends a lot of time trying to vaccinate young Texans against human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes cervical cancer and other types of cancer. As part of a special four-person panel on the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas Monday, Dr. Schmeler described how funding from CPRIT makes her work possible.

Commentary: Texas Has a Secret Weapon Against Cancer - 10/14/2019

Cancer is the No. 2 cause of death in Texas and across the United States. The good news is that things change, and we can be active agents in making sure that they change for the better. Reauthorization of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) would do more than keep the ball rolling; it would save lives.

Vote for CPRIT - 09/26/2019

On Nov. 5, Texans will vote on Proposition 6, a constitutional amendment designed to extend CPRIT’s funding by $3 billion and keep the agency’s grants flowing for an estimated 10 additional years. (See “Vote for Proposition 6 on Nov. 5,” page 21.) TMA supports this effort to keep CPRIT’s current funding from running out in 2022.

Get Your Patients to Vote Against Cancer - 09/18/2019

A measure to extend Texas’ place as a leader in the fight against cancer is on the ballot, and you should encourage your patients to get out and vote. To help spread the message about Proposition 6, which extends funding for the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT), TMA has created a push card that you can place in your waiting room.

Texas Physicians Urged to Vote for Prop. 6 on Nov. 5 to Preserve CPRIT - 09/17/2019

State Rep. John Zerwas, MD (R-Richmond), encouraged his fellow Texas physician leaders to vote Nov. 5 for Proposition 6, a constitutional amendment designed to extend funding for the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. "It's an incredibly important thing to all of us," Dr. Zerwas told physicians at the 2019 Texas Medical Association Fall Conference on Saturday.

Register Today: A Texas-Sized Fight Against Cancer - 09/09/2019

If you would like to learn how Texas physicians and CPRIT grantees are saving lives, and what it will take to achieve a cancer-free future in our state, be sure to attend the Texas Medical Association Distinguished Speaker Series: “A Texas-Sized Fight Against Cancer: Progress and Perspectives From Four Texans Leading the Way.”

Help Protect Your Patients From Colorectal Cancer - 03/26/2019

We’re reaching the tail end of March, which is a good time to remind you that March has been designated National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. To help curb colorectal cancer in Texas, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission encourages physicians to talk to their patients about regular screening.

CPRIT Saves Lives - Extend Its Life - 02/13/2019

TMA applauds the Texas Legislature for making the fight against cancer a statewide priority, and we urge the state to continue making strides in this work. Texas physicians want nothing but the best care for their patients and families, and CPRIT brings the best in cancer care, prevention, and treatment directly to our state. Please make provision for CPRIT’s continued funding.