Panelists discuss how the care team identifies and manages symptoms in chronic graft-versus-host disease patients, particularly those with advanced disease, emphasizing key symptoms to monitor, approaches to symptom identification, and the critical importance of early detection and management for improving patient outcomes.
Panelists discuss how chronic graft-versus-host disease typically progresses in patients requiring third-line treatment and beyond, focusing on severe symptoms, the impact on quality of life, and potential long-term consequences of inadequately managed symptoms.
Panelists discuss how nurse practitioners educate patients about chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) and its long-term effects, exploring various educational resources and materials such as brochures, apps, websites, and videos that are most effective in supporting patients and their caregivers.
Panelists discuss how chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) differs from acute GVHD, its main challenges for patients, and its common symptoms and impact on daily life.
Michael Lai, ARNP, explained the mechanism of action of PARP inhibitors for the treatment of patients with prostate cancer.
The Immune Effector Cell Encephalopathy score and keeping a close eye on patients’ symptoms are critical when monitoring for potential ICANS during lymphoma treatment.
A multidisciplinary approach to adverse effect management addresses many needs patients with gynecologic cancers may have while undergoing treatment.
Applying diversity, equity, and inclusion to cancer clinics can help oncology nurses and APPs make an impact on patient care and research.
An expert explained how oncology nurses and APPs should stay informed on the latest genetic mutations that targeted therapies focus in on for non-small cell lung cancer.
An expert discusses recent advancements in breast cancer treatment, focusing on the addition of CDK4/6 inhibitors for high-risk ER-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer.
Meaghan Mooney, B.S.N., RN, OCN, discusses the steps she takes to be an extraordinary healer every day and offers advice for newer oncology nurses.
After reviewing the evidence, nurses switched from heparin-based flushes to all saline flushes for patients disconnecting chemotherapy at home.
An oncology nurse explains how her institution created a surgical path card that improved wait times and patient satisfaction in adults undergoing cancer surgery.
Advanced practice providers can lead clinical teams and patients to boost oncology clinical trial enrollment, a nurse practitioner explained.
The establishment of a multidisciplinary committee can help identify opportunities to best face the ongoing cancer drug shortage.
Patients with myelofibrosis should reflect on their personal priorities and quality of life goals, understand the range of available JAK inhibitor treatment options, and openly communicate with their doctor to arrive at a shared decision for managing their disease.
For most JAK inhibitors dosing starts at the maximum safe dose, while ruxolitinib often requires lower initial doses and dose reductions over the first 12 weeks when cytopenias typically worsen before partially improving, warranting consideration of earlier switching to alternative JAK inhibitors instead of pushing through transfusions.
Reasons to switch JAK inhibitors include worsening blood counts and insufficient symptom or spleen response at maximum doses, with the goal of avoiding gaps in treatment by stopping one JAK inhibitor when ready to start the next to prevent symptom rebound while still allowing for potential increased efficacy from an alternative mechanism of action.
Response is assessed in patients starting a JAK inhibitor by monitoring symptoms on a severity scale, spleen size, blood counts, and overall patient impression of change, with the goal being reduction of symptoms and stabilization of blood counts to improve quality of life.
The JAK inhibitors approved for myelofibrosis have common side effects of cytopenias and gastrointestinal issues, with additional risks of weight gain and cardiac effects and diarrhea; momelotinib and pacritinib show improved tolerability compared to earlier JAK inhibitors.
An expert discusses the four FDA-approved JAK inhibitors for myelofibrosis - ruxolitinib, fedratinib, pacritinib, and momelotinib.
Christine Cooper, RN, BSN, explains anemia in myelofibrosis is managed by stimulating red blood cell production with medications, transfusions, and newer therapies that may stabilize red cell counts.
Key patient goals for managing myelofibrosis include improving quality of life by addressing low blood counts and constitutional symptoms, considering disease-modifying therapies and transplant to maximize longevity based on predicted survival, and incorporating personalized priorities through shared decision-making with their doctor when choosing treatments.
Patients should be directed to resources like the NCCN guidelines and ClinicalTrials.gov and provided with thorough discussions covering frequency of visits, required testing, medication administration, side effects to enable fully informed decisions.
To determine risk level in myelofibrosis, prognostic models are used which assign points to various clinical and pathological factors to calculate a risk score that categorizes patients as low, intermediate, or high risk; additional information like mutations and chromosomes can further refine risk stratification.
Patients with myelofibrosis commonly present with fatigue, weight loss, night sweats, bone pain, low blood counts, and concentration issues, with diagnosis requiring bone marrow biopsy.
Nurses treating patients with MPNs should remember to advocate for and empower them.
An oncology nurse said he wants patients to tell them about all their symptoms, so that they can get to the root of what is important and plan treatment accordingly.
Rebecca Testi, MSN, APN, APN-G, from Hackensack Meridian Health, explains ways to help support patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms.
Patrick Buxton, RN, BSN, discusses how chronic fatigue can significantly affect the quality of life in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms.
