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Nurse practitioner Beth Faiman outlines nursing strategies to monitor, assess, and manage toxicities associated with talquetamab in multiple myeloma.

How Nurses Can Assess and Manage Talquetamab Toxicities

Beyond administering CAR T-cell therapy and bispecifics, oncology nurses must apply proactive, supportive care and an understanding of complex treatments.

Transformative Care: A Nurse Guide to Novel Therapies in Blood Cancers

David A. Braun, MD, PhD, explained that personalized cancer vaccines can be associated with toxicities typical of both vaccines and immunotherapies.

Personalized Cancer Vaccines: Watching For Immune-Related, Vaccine AEs

Experts outline AE risks—including ICANS, CRS, HLH—as T-cell engager use expands, highlighting the crucial role of nurses and APPs.

Nurses, APPs Key to AE Management as T-Cell Engagers Move Into Solid Tumors

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Bridget Hoyt is the assistant editor for Oncology Nursing News. She earned her BA in communication studies at Rider University with a minor in public relations. She can be reached at 

Melissa Rikal, MSN, FNP-BC, AOCNP, shares strategies to help nurses improve adherence and patient education for oral oncolytic therapies.

Simplifying Oral Oncolytic Adherence in Oncology Practice

Sabrina Serani is a senior editor for Targeted Oncology.

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IMvigor011 showed significant improvement in survival outcomes with adjuvant atezolizumab in ctDNA-positive MIBC.

IMvigor011 Confirms ctDNA-Guided Care in Bladder Cancer

Ronald Bleday, MD, is the section chief of the Division of Colorectal Surgery and vice chair for quality and patient safety in the Department of Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.

A significant reduction of opioid use in patients after colorectal surgery was supported by clinician and patient compliance, says Ronald Bleday, MD.

Opioid Reduction in Surgical Oncology Supported by Cultural Shift

Oncology Nursing News connects oncology nurses and APPs with updates on therapy advances, side effect management, and patient-centered cancer care.

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, Holly Chitwood, DNP, FNP-C, AGACNP-BC, walks through a patient case with a 70-year-old male with metastatic colorectal cancer.

 His providers used circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) testing to monitor his minimal residual disease (MRD) levels throughout active treatment. This approach, although not currently addressed in National Comprehensive Cancer Center Guidelines, allows patients and providers to have an idea of how the treatment is working earlier compared with what imaging can usually demonstrate, she explains.

Chitwood is an assistant professor in the College of Nursing at the University of Kentucky, as well as a practicing oncology APRN who primarily cares for patients with gastrointestinal, hepatic-biliary, and sarcoma tumors in her clinic. To read the full case study, please check out our show notes below.

“This is a new technology that we have. It is basically looking at what is in your blood to see how much circulating tumor DNA is floating around.”

“In this case, and in a lot of my patients, you will see ctDNA is about, you know, anywhere from 2 to 3 months [ahead], predating what you will see on imaging.”

“You have to be very judicious in explaining the results, 

 if you have a positive result, and the patient should be included in the decision making.”

ctDNA Continues to Emerge As A Potentially Useful Disease Monitoring Tool in CRC

ctDNA Makes Headway as Promising Marker for Patients With Anal Cancer and Other GI Malignancies

ESMO Guideline on Liquid Biopsy Address Quality Standards for Clinical Implementation

New Treatment Methods Launch a Shift in CRC Treatment

Terri Pollack Offers Perspective on 2023 ASCO GI Cancers Symposium

Chitwood H, Myers A. Use of circulating tumor DNA to monitor minimal residual disease among patients with colorectal cancer. 

 2023;27(4):369-374. doi:10.1188/23.CJON.369-374

Holly Chitwood, DNP, FNP-C, AGACNP-BC, explains how circulating tumor DNA monitoring helps providers screen minimal residual disease in individuals with colorectal cancer. 

ctDNA Monitoring is a Piece of the Puzzle in CRC Treatment

Data presented during the 2023 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium have accentuated the amount of ongoing research across many of these hard-to-treat gastrointestinal malignancies, according to Terri Pollack, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC. Specifically, data surrounding the utility of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) should be exciting for RNs and nurse practitioners alike, as it allows providers and patients to visualize if a treatment is working long before a traditional test would show.

Pollack is a nurse practitioner with the Gastrointestinal Cancer Site Disease Group in the Department of Medical Oncology at the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. For this episode of 

, she discusses key data presented during the GI Cancers Symposium. Besides promising data with ctDNA, she also discusses data from the phase 3 SUNLIGHT trial (NCT04737187), which showed that adding bevacizumab (Avastin) to trifluridine/tipiracil (Lonsurf) improved overall survival in patients with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) and the phase 3 BREAKWATER study (NCT04607421), which is assessing encorafenib (Braftovi) plus cetuximab (Erbitux) along with chemotherapy for patients with 

 V600E–mutant mCRC.

“Great things are coming,” she told 



“For those individuals and their families that understand what we've explained about [ctDNA]; it's really exciting” 



“From a clinical perspective, we can utilize the data from the ctDNA results to sort of overshadow a scan that we might not see anything yet. It’s just this other tool in the toolbox. I feel like it's maybe going to be like a power drill instead of a little screwdriver.” 



“Three point three months in median overall survival really can mean a lot to an individual challenged with this type of cancer and their family.” 

Targeting KRAS Mutations in Gastrointestinal Oncology

Trifluridine/Tipiracil Plus Bevacizumab Improves OS in Refractory Metastatic

Encorafenib Triplet Elicits Antitumor Activity in BRAF V600E+ mCRC

Switch Maintenance Regimens Demonstrate Similar Efficacy for Patients with RAS Wild-Type mCRC

Kelley Rone on the Evolving Role of Immunotherapy in GI Cancers

Zev Wainberg on Combination Chemotherapy Regimens in Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

Alvarez J, Cercek A, Mohan N, et al. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) for response assessment in patients with anal cancer treated with definitive chemoradiation. 

 2023;41(suppl 4):1. doi:10.1200/JCO.2023.41.4_suppl.1

Tabernero J, Prager GW, Fakih M, et al. Trifluridine/tipiracil plus bevacizumab for third-line treatment of refractory metastatic colorectal cancer: the phase 3 randomized SUNLIGHT study. 

. 2023;41(suppl 4):4. doi:10.1200/JCO.2023.41.4_suppl.4

Kopetz S, Yoshino T, Kim T, et al. BREAKWATER safety lead-in (SLI): encorafenib (E) + cetuximab (C) + chemotherapy for BRAFV600E metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). 

l. 2023;41(suppl 4):119. doi:10.1200/JCO.2023.41.4_suppl.119

FDA approves encorafenib in combination with cetuximab for metastatic colorectal cancer with a BRAF V600E mutation. FDA. Updated April 9, 2020. Accessed February 23, 2023. bit.ly/3KysLlt

In this episode of "The Vitals," Terri Pollack, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC, underscores potentially practice-changing data which were presented during the 2023 GI Cancers Symposium.

Terri Pollack Offers Perspective on 2023 ASCO GI Cancers Symposium 

, we ring in the New Year 2023 by combing through 2022 FDA approvals. Listen as associate editor, Lindsay Fischer, recounts key approvals on a month-by-month basis, with input from some of the investigators from behind the research. To read the full information surrounding the approvals, be sure to check out our news coverage below. Other resources can also be found below.

, and for all the engagement in 2022. We look forward to bringing you more oncology news in 2023.

We want to hear from you! Which drugs approved in 2022 have been practice changing? Have you had any difficulty or success in incorporating these novel agents into clinical use? Any challenges with supporting patients on these regimens? Email 

FDA Approves Tebentafusp to Treat HLA-A*02:01 Positive Uveal Melanoma

Cilta-Cel Snags FDA Approval for Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma

Neoadjuvant Nivolumab Plus Platinum-Doublet Chemotherapy Is Now Approved for Resectable NSCLC

FDA Greenlights Olaparib for BRCA-Mutated, HER2-Negative Breast Cancer

FDA OKs Relatlimab/Nivolumab for Unresectable or Metastatic Melanoma

FDA Approves Pembrolizumab in MSI H/dMMR Advanced Endometrial Carcinoma

FDA Approves 177Lu-PSMA-617 for Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

Axi-Cel Snags FDA Approval for Second-Line LBCL

FDA Approves Trastuzumab Deruxtecan for Unresectable or Metastatic HER2+ Breast Cancer

FDA Grants Ivosidenib Plus Azacitidine Approval for Newly Diagnosed AML With IDH1 Mutations

FDA Grants Azacitidine Approval For Pediatric Patients With Myelomonocytic Leukemia

FDA Grants 2 Frontline Nivolumab-Based Regimens Approval for Unresectable Advanced or Metastatic ESCC

Tisagenlecleucel Receives FDA Approval for Relapsed or Refractory Follicular Lymphoma

FDA Grants Accelerated Approval to Dabrafenib Plus Trametinib for BRAF V600E–Mutated Solid Tumors

FDA Approves Liso-Cel for Second-Line Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Crizotinib Approved For ALK+ Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumors

HER2-Directed Therapy, Trastuzumab Deruxtecan, Approved for Metastatic NSCLC

Trastuzumab Deruxtecan Is Approved for Patients With Metastatic HER2-Low Breast Cancer

FDA Approves Darolutamide Tablets for Select Patients With Prostate Cancer

Capmatinib Snags Full FDA Approval for MET Exon 14 Skipping NSCLC

FDA Grants Ibrutinib Approval for Pediatric Graft-Versus-Host-Disease

FDA Gives Pemigatinib Greenlight for FGFR1 Rearranged Myeloid/Lymphoid Neoplasms

Durvalumab Plus Gemcitabine/Cisplatin Approved by the FDA for Advanced or Metastatic Biliary Tract Cancers

Sodium Thiosulfate Gets Green Light for Chemotherapy-Induced Hearing Loss in Pediatric Patients

Selpercatinib Is Approved for 2 RET Fusion–Positive Solid Tumors, Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer

FDA Approves Futibatinib for Pretreated, Advanced or Metastatic Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma with FGFR2 Rearrangements

FDA Approves Durvalumab in Combination with Tremelimumab for Unresectable HCC

Teclistamab-cqyv Snags Accelerated Approval for Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma

Cemiplimab Gets Go Ahead In Combination With Chemotherapy For Advanced NSCLC

Brentuximab Vedotin Gets Green Light for High-Risk Hodgkin Lymphoma in Pediatric Patients

Durvalumab/Tremelimumab/Chemotherapy Combination Approved for NSCLC Indication

Mirvetuximab Soravtansine-gynx Gets Go Ahead in Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer

Olutasidenib Approved for IDH1-Mutated Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Adagrasib Receives Accelerated Approval for KRAS G12C Mutated NSCLC

Watch: Newly Approved Tebentafusp Requires Up-Front Active Toxicity Management in Melanoma

Dr. Geyer Highlights Optimal Dosing Strategies for New Olaparib Indication in Breast Cancer

Nurse Takeaways: Latest Pembrolizumab Indication in Endometrial Cancer

Podsada Discusses Biomarker Testing and ADC Therapies in Breast Cancer

Goodwin Provides Nursing Perspective on Recent FDA Approvals in NSCLC

Futibatinib Approval Ushers in Targeted Therapy Option for Patients With Unresectable, Intrahepatic FGFR2-Positive Cholangiocarcinoma

Barber Discusses the Integration of Durvalumab/Chemotherapy Combination as New Standard of Care in Biliary Tract Cancers

In this episode of The Vitals, we recount the oncology drugs that received FDA approvals in 2022.  

A Look Back at 2022 FDA Approvals in Oncology

® spoke with Christine Miaskowski, PhD, RN

professor in the Department of Physiological Nursing and Anesthesia at UCSF School of Nursing. Miaskowski discusses results from research which showcases an increased risk of hearing loss among patients who received platinum- or taxane-based cancer treatments. She also discusses the importance of including hearing assessments as a standard of care for survivors.

Top takeaways from the discussion include:

“When we did audio metrically confirmed hearing loss [assessments], we found that between 50% to 70% of survivors had confirmed hearing loss.” 

“It’s really, very surprising because it is a group of patients with very common cancers: breast, lung, gynecologic and GI [gastrointestinal] malignancies.” 

“The good news is that the type of hearing loss these patients experience is amenable to a hearing aid. So, if we can get people tested, and they demonstrate this kind of hearing loss, we can improve their quality of life.” 

“Nurses care about interactions with other people, people’s quality of life, [their] social function… if you've got hearing loss, and you're sitting at a table with people, and you can't hear them, you're not going to be likely to participate.” 

“We don’t even think about [some of] these consequences; in terms of occupation, social gatherings, safety for a child… We really, as nurses, need to be doing something about this.” 

Episode 33: Balancing the Benefit and Toxicity of Cisplatin in Young Children with Cancer

Episode 45: Key Advances in Cancer Survivorship Toxicity Management

Audiological Assessments May Be Vital Component of Cancer Survivorship Care Following Chemotherapy

Hearing Loss Found in Testicular Cancer Survivors After Cisplatin Therapy

In this episode of “The Vitals,” Christine Miaskowski, PhD, RN, discusses research showcasing that adult patients receiving either a platinum-based chemotherapy, taxane alone, or a combined regimen of platinum- and taxane-based treatment may be at risk of hearing loss. 

Gastrointestinal Cancer

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