Donna L. Berry, PhD, RN, AOCN, FAAN, Director, Phyllis F. Cantor Center for Research in Nursing & Patient Care Services, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, discusses the importance of listening to patients with cancer.

In the last 20 years, Berry says that the field of nursing has been exploring how to help patients communicate what is important to them. Often times, providers (nurses, nurse practitioners, physicians, and physician assistants) do not always hear and understand what is important to a patient.

Berry presented at the Oncology Nursing Society 38th Annual Congress some exemplars to inspire the audience to heed characteristics, influential factors, and competing interesting from patients to truly help them navigate cancer therapy.

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Donna L. Berry, PhD, RN, AOCN, FAAN, Director, Phyllis F. Cantor Center for Research in Nursing & Patient Care Services, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, discusses the importance of listening to patients with cancer.

Donna L. Berry on Listening to Cancer Patients

Donna L. Berry, PhD, RN, AOCN, FAAN, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Director, The Phyllis F. Cantor Center for Nursing Research, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, discusses an evidence-based pilot study that examined the role of nurse-led patient education to enhance adherence to oral therapies.

This pilot study was initially deployed in the thoracic department at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for patients receiving the oral agent erlotinib to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

The trial used an adapted version of MOATT, the oral agent teaching tool provided by the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC). The goal of the study was to teach patients about possible side effects before they received treatment. Additionally, 72 hours after the initial treatment, a nurse would talk the patient to assess possible side effects that may have occurred.

In general, Berry notes, this program proved to be a very successful way to increase both knowledge and adherence to oral therapies. Berry adds that the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute plans to deploy this system across other treatment areas that use oral therapies.

Donna Berry, from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Explains a Nurse-Led Education Program That Enhanced Oral Therapy Compliance.

Donna Berry Discusses Nurse-Led Patient Education

Donna L. Berry, PhD, RN, AOCN, FAAN, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Director, The Phyllis F. Cantor Center for Nursing Research, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, discusses a study that examined the relationship between symptom distress and adherence to oral chemotherapy or hormonal therapy that is taken at home.

The study enrolled 77 patients with a range of cancer diagnoses and found that as symptom distress increased, adherence decreased. Inversely, those reporting low symptom distress reported perfect adherence to therapy.

Berry notes that the findings from the study stress the importance of proper patient education and appropriate symptom management. Teaching a patient how to deal with the side effects of oral therapy may help improve adherence.

Donna L. Berry, from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, on Symptom Distress and Oral Therapy Adherence.

Donna Berry on Symptom Distress and Adherence

Donna L. Berry, PhD, RN, AOCN, FAAN, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Director, The Phyllis F. Cantor Center for Nursing Research, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, discusses the challenges and compliance issues that are associated with the use of oral therapies for cancer.

Oral cancer therapies are becoming more common, Berry suggests. Additionally, some of these agents have substantial side effects and because they are taken at home on a regular basis the side effects that occur cannot be observed by the treatment team.

If difficult side effects occur, such as skin rash or diarrhea, many patients may stop taking their medication without first consulting a physician. Inversely, if intolerable side effects do not occur they may take twice the recommended dose with the hope that it will work better. Additionally, if a dose is missed they may take a double dose the next day to compensate. 

Inaccurate self-administration is one of the most difficult challenges faced when trying to manage oral cancer treatments.

Donna Berry, from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, on Compliance to Oral Cancer Therapies.


Donna Berry on Compliance to Oral Cancer Therapies

Donna Berry, PhD, RN, AOCN®, FAAN, from the Phyllis F. Cantor Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute describes her research in the Electronic Self-Report Assessment for Cancer (ESRA-C) program which provides a series of questions about symptoms, side effects, and quality-of-life concerns.

Donna Berry Describes the Electronic Self-Report Assessment for Cancer (ESRA-C) Program

Donna Berry Describes the ESRA-C Program

Donna Berry, PhD, RN, AOCN®, FAAN, from the Phyllis F. Cantor Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute on the challenges patients with prostate cancer face that she discovered in her research into the Personal Patient Profile-Prostate which is a web-based decision support system that helps men with newly diagnosed localized prostate cancer to make treatment decisions.

Donna Berry on the Challenges Patients With Prostate Cancer Face

Donna Berry on Prostate Cancer Patients' Challenges

Donna Berry, PhD, RN, AOCN®, FAAN, from the Phyllis F. Cantor Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute describes her thoughts on the future of oncology nursing; specifically eliminating the science and practice gap.

Donna Berry from the Phyllis F. Cantor Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute on the Future of Oncology Nursing

Donna Berry on the Future of Oncology Nursing

Donna Berry, PhD, RN, AOCN®, FAAN, from the Phyllis F. Cantor Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute on the implications of oral oncolytics as observed in her research on patient adherence to oral oncolytic therapy, symptom management, patient quality of life, and patient decision making in cancer treatment.

Donna Berry from the Phyllis F. Cantor Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute on the Implications of Oral Oncolytics

Donna Berry on the Implications of Oral Oncolytics

Donna Berry, PhD, RN, AOCN®, FAAN, from the Phyllis F. Cantor Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute on the Symptom Management Excellence Initiative that combines patient-reported data, multidisciplinary input, and evidence-based practice to implement standardized approaches to cancer symptom management.

Donna Berry from Phyllis F. Cantor Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute on the Symptom Management Excellence Initiative

Donna Berry, PhD, RN