April 2014

Sexual problems, such as loss of desire, failure to get aroused easily, and vaginal dryness and pain during sexual activity, are prevalent among breast cancer survivors, and they rarely go away without treatment.

Healthcare providers are expected to advise patients about the potential effects of cancer treatment, including impact on fertility. In many facilities, it's a required component of the informed consent process.

Women diagnosed with epithelial ovarian, tubal, and peritoneal cancers should be considered for genetic counseling and testing, even in the absence of a family history.

Low sexual desire is a common problem among women diagnosed with breast cancer, ranking as one of the top three causes of post cancer distress

Leading experts in the rapidly evolving field of lung cancer treatment assembled for the 1st Annual Miami Lung Cancer Conferenceâ„¢ in Miami Beach, Florida, on March 8, to offer their perspectives on the latest research and provide clinical insights for practitioners dealing with challenging cases.

The number of cancer survivors in the United States is approaching 14 million, but that good news also means more attention must be paid to quality-of-life concerns for these individuals, as well as any long-term after effects of treatment.

April is National Safe Handling Awareness Month, a great time to spotlight the ongoing importance of implementing safe practices when handling chemotherapy and other hazardous drugs in the oncology setting-not only for healthcare practitioners, but for patients and their caregivers, too.

Palliative care is the new buzzword in the hospital environment.

Oncology practitioners now have several resources to consult for advice on genetic testing for their patients following the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) December 2013 update of its 2005 BRCA recommendations, plus new recommendations from the American Socieity of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) announced in February and published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Studies show that young women diagnosed with breast cancer are not routinely receiving information about fertility preservation (FP) before their anticancer therapy begins, posing a missed opportunity for healthcare practitioners to provide women with options for improving their chances for a future pregnancy.

As oncology nurses, we have too often seen young adults who, successfully cured of their childhood cancers, return with serious or debilitating health concerns or even a secondary malignancy as a late effect from chemotherapy or radiation.