Random DNA Copying Causes Most Cancer Mutations
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center have demonstrated that random, unpredictable DNA copying mistakes account for nearly two-thirds of the mutations that cause cancer. The results were reported in Science.
Cultivate Your Immunotherapy Education With ONS Resources
Cancer centers across the country, especially those in larger medical centers, are seeing many immunotherapy agents in standard care now. Patients are hearing about advancements in immunotherapies, they’re excited by the possibilities, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is approving new drugs or indications almost every month. Although many patients still don’t recognize the distinction between standard treatment options and immunotherapy, it’s vital for nurses to stay educated and understand how these treatments work differently from traditional care options.
Adverse Events Influence Patient-Reported Quality-of-Life Scores
Researchers conducted a single-center, cross-sectional study to examine the relationship between patient-reported quality-of-life (QOL), adverse events (AEs), and treatment characteristics (including tumor type, drug class, number of cycles, and treatment intent). The study’s findings were presented at the 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting.
Patient-Provider Communication on Immunotherapy Can Be Improved
Guidelines regarding healthcare provider communication about immunotherapy do not currently exist. Researchers sought to determine patient and provider preferences for this type of information and to identify barriers to communication about immunotherapy. The study’s findings were presented at the 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting.
Discussion About Goals of Care May Improve Patient Understanding
Discussing goals of care with patients with advanced cancer can provide better information on the disease, treatment options, and prognosis, as well as elicit patient values. A randomized, controlled trial tested a coaching model to improve healthcare providers’ communication on goals of care. The study’s findings were presented at the 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting.
Chemotherapy Use Near the End of Life Is More Common in United States
National guidelines suggest that the use of chemotherapy near end of life (EOL) is aggressive and is associated with poorer patient quality of life. In addition, Medicare payments for outpatient chemotherapy have decreased since around 2005–2006. In a recent study presented at the 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting, researchers evaluated the impact of U.S. payment reform and guidelines on chemotherapy use at EOL, comparing chemotherapy use at EOL in the United States and other countries.
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Patients Are Equally Satisfied With Phone Calls and In-Person Consultations Before Chemotherapy
Previous research has indicated that patient satisfaction is linked to time spent with a physician. However, long wait times and organizational issues in an outpatient setting may increase the need for alternative care models. In a study presented at the ASCO Annual Meeting, researchers assessed the use of phone calls instead of a face-to-face consultation prior to chemotherapy (CT) and the effect on patient satisfaction and quality of life.
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Researchers Identify Factors Associated With Readmission for Patients With Metastatic Cancer
Hospital readmission rates may be avoidable in some patients with metastatic disease. Researchers assessed patient factors more likely to be associated with increased readmissions, such as demographics, comorbidities, hospital type, payer, and discharge disposition, in a study presented at the ASCO Annual Meeting.
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Location of Discharge Affects Quality of Life and Symptom Burden for Those With Advanced Cancer
Patients with advanced-stage cancer experience frequent hospitalizations, followed by post-discharge transitions of care that can influence patient quality of life. A study presented at the ASCO Annual Meeting sought to examine predictors of discharge location for these patients.
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Cancer Screening Protocol Improves Morbidity and Mortality
Long-term (10-year) follow-up of a cancer screening tool indicated more early cancer diagnoses, according to a study presented at the ASCO Annual Meeting.