Cleveland Clinic’s Dr. Matt Kalaycio Appointed Chair of Board of Directors for NCCN

NCCN has announced the election of Matt Kalaycio, MD, FACP, as Chair of the Board of Directors, with Christopher H. Lieu, MD, elected as Vice Chair, succeeding Dr. Kalaycio in the position he has held since 2022.

“The exemplary leadership from our board of directors is invaluable as NCCN defines and advances high-quality, high-value, patient-centered cancer care around the world,” said NCCN CEO Crystal S. Denlinger, MD, who took on the role in October of 2023. “Their steady guidance during a transitional time helps us maintain our highly trusted, continuously updated, evidence-based, expert consensus recommendations for cancer care, which were accessed more than 15 million times in 2023 alone. I look forward to working even more closely with Matt and Chris and relying on the substantial expertise, caring, and leadership they bring to these positions.”

Dr. Kalaycio is a leading expert in hematology and medical oncology who specializes in the treatment of leukemia, hematopoietic cell transplantation, and CAR T-cell therapy. He is Vice Chair of Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute and a professor of medicine at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University.

“NCCN is committed to ensuring that all cancer patients receive the latest evidence-based treatment options by not only informing healthcare providers of available treatments but also offering education and support to the patients and their caregivers,” said Dr. Kalaycio. “As I take on the role of Chair of the NCCN Board of Directors, I eagerly anticipate further advancing the organization’s mission.”

Dr. Lieu is an Associate Professor; Co-Director, Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology; and Associate Director for Clinical Research for the University of Colorado Cancer Center. He focuses on gastrointestinal cancers, and his research focuses on drug development, including investigating novel strategies for treating and preventing colorectal cancer in young adults. Dr. Lieu is also a member of the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines) Panel for Neuroendocrine Tumors and serves on the FDA Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee.

“I am very honored to serve as the Vice Chair of the NCCN Board of Directors,” said Dr. Lieu. “The University of Colorado Cancer Center has been an NCCN Member Institution since 2013 and has been heavily involved in NCCN’s mission to improve and facilitate quality, effective, equitable, and accessible cancer care across the globe. I am thrilled to take on this role and am also looking forward to continuing to learn from, and interact with, the incredible leadership at NCCN.”

The position of Board Chair was previously held by John W. Sweetenham, MD, FRCP, FACP, FASCO, Professor of Medicine and Associate Director for Clinical Affairs at the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center at UT Southwestern in Dallas, Texas.

“We are grateful for everything John has done over the years to improve the lives of people with cancer, both through his work with NCCN and throughout his illustrious career,” said Dr. Denlinger. “He has been a beacon of stable, supportive governance. We will always appreciate the time and thoughtfulness he has shared with us.”

NCCN Board of Directors Treasurer Patrick J. O’Brien, MBA, from Fox Chase Cancer Center, and Secretary Maria M. Gonzalez, MPH, BS, from Stanford Cancer Institute, will continue to serve in their current positions.

NCCN and Flatiron Health Announce Collaboration to Improve Cancer Care Quality With Real-World Data

Flatiron Health, a leading healthtech company dedicated to improving cancer care and advancing research using real-world data, announced the renewal of their collaboration with NCCN. The collaboration between Flatiron and the NCCN dates back to 2014, when Flatiron Health first launched a cloud-based repository of NCCN Member Institution data—the NCCN Quality & Outcomes Database.

“We strive to ensure that everyone, everywhere, is able to access high-quality cancer care based on the latest evidence and expert consensus,” said Crystal S. Denlinger, MD, Chief Executive Officer, NCCN. “This ongoing collaboration with Flatiron will help us leverage data in pursuit of that goal. We are happy to renew our commitment to work together to help people with cancer live better lives.”

This latest extension and refresh of the decade-long collaboration represents an opportunity to build upon a longstanding relationship to enable research with real-world data, create a meaningful impact on cancer care, allow cancer centers across the country to have access to Flatiron’s high-quality, curated data sets, and evaluate and enhance the quality of care given at their sites.

Additionally, Flatiron and NCCN will continue to work together to support quality improvement initiatives at participating NCCN Member Institutions through the continued development of metrics and benchmarks to assess, measure, and impact quality of care.

“The continuation of Flatiron’s long-standing relationship with NCCN is an exciting opportunity and step forward in executing our mission to improve and extend lives by learning from the experience of every person with cancer,” said Neal Meropol, MD, Vice President of Research Oncology, Flatiron Health. “This collaboration will expand the impact of real-world data in addressing evidence gaps and improving care standards along with leading cancer centers in the NCCN alliance.”

For more information, visit NCCN.org and flatiron.com.