Immunotherapy in the Age of COVID-19

Immunotherapy has become a mainstay in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer, but more recently, it has moved into the small cell lung cancer space, too. In this episode of “The Vitals,” Beth Sandy, NP, a nurse practitioner at the University of Pennsylvania Abramson Cancer Center, discusses the immune-related adverse events (irAEs) that nurses need to be aware of when treating patients with these agents.

Sandy also discussed how some irAEs, such as difficulty breathing — which is more common in lung cancer than other tumor types – can be similar to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) symptoms. She offered advice on how to determine which it is in this unprecedented time in oncology nursing.