Bridging the Divide: Building Collaborative Ecosystems Between Academic and Community Oncology

In the United States, the vast majority of oncology care is delivered within community-based centers, yet the most resource-intensive, "next-generation" therapies often remain centralized in academic institutions. Matthew J. Matasar, MD, chief of the Division of Blood Disorders at the Rutgers Cancer Institute, addresses the dual burden facing the field: the clinical necessity of potent therapies and the ethical imperative to treat patients closer to home.

The discussion explores a transition away from a competitive "referral" mindset toward a collegial "shared care" model. By examining the successful rollout of T-cell engaging treatments as a blueprint, we highlight how academic and community oncologists can work hand-in-hand to ensure patients move smoothly between settings—receiving specialized intervention when necessary and returning swiftly to their established, local clinical teams for ongoing management.