September 2017

Perhaps when you read the title, your first thought was, “Oh great. Someone is going to tell me what I can and cannot do in my nursing practice.”

An ongoing study found some differences by ethnicity regarding the importance of factors influencing treatment decisions at end of life, which reinforces the need for EOL communication to be tailored.

During and after treatment, the majority of patients will be back at their jobs sometime after diagnosis and treatment, but that doesn’t have to come with emotional distress if possible outcomes are discussed.

Ninety percent of patients with cancer may experience chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) during treatment, and many will see this adverse effect long after treatment ends.

Copanlisib (BAY 80-6946), a novel PI3K inhibitor, is being combined with standard rituximab (Rituxan)-based regimens in patients with relapsed, indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in 2 phase III clinical trials that investigators hope will expand treatment options in refractory disease settings, particularly with less toxic alternatives.

This precise radiation therapy allows physicians to treat patients with a wide range of cancers and with less potential for adverse effects than traditional radiation therapy.

Being an ear to listen or a voice to help navigate patients through their cancer journey can provide the catalyst they need to remain positive as they fight the disease.

With the rate of diagnosis growing, oncology nurses play a key role in detecting the disease in early stages by becoming familiar with signs and symptoms.

“New oncology therapies offer nurses a new challenge, and we will accept this challenge.”

How nurses can serve on the front line of CAR T-cell therapy to ensure patients have the best care.