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    COVID-19 Affects Cancer Caregivers, but Here Are Ways to Support Them
    COVID-19
    COVID-19 Affects Cancer Caregivers, but Here Are Ways to Support Them
    February 19, 2021
    Celebrate Oncology Nurse Leaders During Black History Month
    ONS Leadership
    Celebrate Oncology Nurse Leaders During Black History Month
    February 03, 2021
    Am I Too Shy to Lead?
    Nurse staffing
    Am I Too Shy to Lead?
    January 29, 2021
    Zoom Through Video Job Interviews With These Tips for Applicants and Hiring Managers
    nursing professional development
    Zoom Through Video Job Interviews With These Tips for Applicants and Hiring Managers
    January 22, 2021
    The Case of Concurrent Therapy Concerns
    Treatment side effects
    The Case of Concurrent Therapy Concerns
    December 18, 2020
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    Radiation therapy

    Targeted Radiation Reduces Pain From Spine Metastasis
    Research

    Targeted Radiation Reduces Pain From Spine Metastasis

    Palliative radiation targeted directly to the tumor with stereotactic body radiation therapy eliminated metastatic pain in 33% of patients for six months compared to 16% with standard radiation therapy. Researchers reported the study findings at the American Society for Radiation Oncology annual meeting.

    February 10, 2021
    The Case of Concurrent Therapy Concerns
    Treatment side effects

    The Case of Concurrent Therapy Concerns

    Sharon is a 60-year-old woman with metastatic breast cancer that was originally diagnosed in 2005 and treated with a mastectomy, deep inferior epigastric artery perforator flap reconstruction, chemotherapy, post mastectomy radiation, and five years of tamoxifen. Three months ago, her breast cancer recurred, and staging scans demonstrated metastatic disease in the lungs, left axilla, liver, and left iliac bone. A biopsy of the left iliac bone was ER positive, PR negative, and HER2 negative. Sharon began treatment with radiation to the painful left hip and letrozole, with the plan to start palbociclib once radiation was completed. 

    December 18, 2020
    Radiation Clinical Trials Must Evolve to Include Patient-Reported Outcomes
    Radiation therapy

    Radiation Clinical Trials Must Evolve to Include Patient-Reported Outcomes

    Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers treated with radiotherapy (RT). Conventional RT for low-risk patients usually involves 40–45 treatments given over eight or nine weeks. Several studies suggest that hypofractionated RT—fewer treatments but with a higher dose per treatment—may produce a similar survival benefit. When two treatments have similar survival outcomes, the decision process looks at symptom profiles, quality of life, and cost.

    October 14, 2020
    It’s Time to Take a New Look at Radiation Therapy
    Radiation therapy

    It’s Time to Take a New Look at Radiation Therapy

    Radiation therapy (RT) has been used as a safe and effective treatment option for patients with cancer for more than a century. Like any cancer therapy, it does carry risks and side effects, but RT has improved drastically over the past 20 years and has even been shown to enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapy.

    October 07, 2020
    New Treatments in Radiation Oncology
    Radiation therapy

    New Treatments in Radiation Oncology

    Included in the treatment plan for approximately 50% of all patients with cancer, radiotherapy (RT) is a significant component of cancer care. RT is a technology-driven oncology modality, which means it has continually evolved since being introduced in cancer care in the early 20th century.

    October 06, 2020
    ONS Bridge

    What Oncology Nurses Should Know About Medical Physicists in Radiation Oncology

    As many as 50% of patients with cancer receive treatment with radiation therapy with the goal of cure or reducing pain and other symptoms. During a presentation at the inaugural ONS Bridge™ virtual conference, Sotiri Stathakis, PhD, DABR, offered nurses insights into the field from the perspective of a medical physicist.

    September 10, 2020
    ONS Bridge

    Advanced Practice Providers Serve a New Role in Radiation Oncology

    No matter the subspecialty, advanced practice RNs have a significant role in patient treatment and care, but little data exist about their role in radiation oncology. During a presentation at the inaugural ONS Bridge virtual conference, Lorraine Drapek, DNP, FNP-BC, AOCNP®, of Massachusetts General Hospital, and Katie Bukolt, MSN, APRN, NP-C, AOCNP®, of Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center, discussed the nuances of advanced practice in radiation therapy settings.

    September 08, 2020
    Pelvic Radiation May Decrease Bone Mineral Density
    Radiation therapy

    Pelvic Radiation May Decrease Bone Mineral Density

    Women receiving pelvic radiation therapy for gynecologic cancers are at higher risk for significant decreases in bone mineral density (BMD), with 7.8% of women in the study diagnosed with a pelvic fracture, according to findings from a study published in Cancer.

    June 10, 2020
    Proton Therapy May Reduce Radiation’s Severe Side Effects
    Radiation therapy

    Proton Therapy May Reduce Radiation’s Severe Side Effects

    Proton beam radiation therapy is safer and equally effective as traditional radiation for adults with advanced cancers, researchers reported in study findings in JAMA Oncology.

    May 27, 2020
    Harnessing the Abscopal Effect May Change Cancer Care
    Radiation therapy

    Harnessing the Abscopal Effect May Change Cancer Care

    The abscopal effect is a unique phenomenon in cancer treatment that occurs when radiation shrinks untreated tumors found elsewhere in the body in addition to the targeted tumor. The effect has a long history, dating back to the 1950s, but it doesn’t commonly occur in practice and the mechanisms are not fully understood. Research has shown that combining immunotherapy with radiation increases the rate at which the abscopal effect occurs. Understanding how it appears in practice could potentially lead to new cancer treatments and a novel approach to combining immunotherapies with radiation.

    May 05, 2020
    Genomic Classifier Predicts Breast Cancer Radiation Benefit, Recurrence Risk
    Breast cancer

    Genomic Classifier Predicts Breast Cancer Radiation Benefit, Recurrence Risk

    The Adjuvant Radiotherapy Intensification Classifier (ARTIC) predicts which women with early-stage breast cancer will benefit the most from radiotherapy, as well as their risk for locoregional recurrence after radiation, researchers reported in study findings published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. 

    March 30, 2020
    Radiation Unnecessary for Children With ALL
    Radiation therapy

    Radiation Unnecessary for Children With ALL

    Children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at risk for cancer recurrence in the brain don’t need prophylactic radiation therapy, researchers reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. 

    March 18, 2020
    Social Disparities in Radiation Therapy
    Radiation therapy

    Social Disparities in Radiation Therapy

    Global radiation oncology research has seen an increased commitment to addressing disparities in the world and at home. The more radiation oncology proves and improves itself as a therapeutic modality, the more we are faced with the reality that the odds for survival are related to geography, poverty, education, and race.

    August 30, 2019
    ONS Congress

    Safety Is Key in Use of Radiopharmaceuticals

    Radiopharmaceuticals, or radioactive drugs, are playing an increasing role in cancer diagnosis and treatment and thus are an increasingly relevant area of practice for oncology nurses, Paul Searfoss, BS, CNMT, ARRT (N, CT), of Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, TN, said during a session on Saturday, April 13, 2019, at the ONS 44th Annual Congress in Anaheim, CA.

    April 13, 2019
    ONS Congress

    Combining Radiation With Immunotherapy May Improve Survival

    Combining radiation with immunotherapy can enhance the immune system’s ability to fight cancer, and evidence now suggests that this synergy may lead to improved patient survival, Annette E. Quinn, RN, MSN, of the University of Pittsburgh Hillman Cancer Center, said during a session on Thursday, April 11, 2019, at the ONS 44th Annual Congress in Anaheim, CA.

    April 11, 2019
    ONS Congress

    Patient Comfort Is Key to Managing Radiation Side Effects

    Radiation therapy may cause traumatic side effects in patients with cancer, yet many standard management strategies lack strong evidence. During their session at the ONS 44th Annual Congress in Anaheim, CA, Renata Benc, RN, BA, MSc(A), CON(C), of Jewish General Hospital of the Integrated Health and Social Services University Network for West-Central Montréal in Quebec, Canada, and John Hillson, RN, BSN, BA, OCN®, of Duke Cancer Institute in Durham, NC, instructed nurses on how to support patients undergoing radiation treatment.

    April 11, 2019
    ONS Congress

    Education and Support Are Vital for Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy

    Oncology nurses are a vital source of education and support for patients undergoing radiation therapy, enabling patients to complete therapy and minimize side effects, Richard L.S. Jennelle, MD, of the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, said during a session on Thursday, April 11, 2019, at the ONS 44th Annual Congress in Anaheim, CA.

    April 11, 2019
    Shorter EBRT for Early Prostate Cancer Has Similar Outcomes
    Prostate cancer

    Shorter EBRT for Early Prostate Cancer Has Similar Outcomes

    Patients receiving hypofractionated external-beam radiation therapy (EBRT) for early-stage prostate cancer experienced similar outcomes and toxicities as those receiving standard radiation at lower doses over a longer period of time, the American Society for Radiation Oncology, American Society of Clinical Oncology, and American Urological Association say in a new clinical guideline.

    February 20, 2019
    In a Patient Receiving Radiation to the Spine, What Sign Is an Indicator of Myelopathy?
    Radiation therapy

    In a Patient Receiving Radiation to the Spine, What Sign Is an Indicator of Myelopathy?

    February 08, 2019
    Which of the Following Represents the Rate of Radioactive Decay Equal to One Disintegration per Second?
    Nursing education

    Which of the Following Represents the Rate of Radioactive Decay Equal to One Disintegration per Second?

    Which of the Following Represents the Rate of Radioactive Decay Equal to One Disintegration per Second? 

    A. Gray

    B. Becquerel  

    C. Curie

    January 10, 2019
     How Do Nurse Practitioners Support Patients With Cancer During Radiation?
    Radiation therapy

    How Do Nurse Practitioners Support Patients With Cancer During Radiation?

    Nurse practitioners provide quality and value in radiation oncology clinics. By managing the effects of radiation during and after treatment, as well as following patients into survivorship, nurse practitioners are continually improving the quality of care that patients receive during and following treatment.

    June 05, 2018
    The Intersection of Radiation and Medical Oncology Nursing
    Radiation therapy

    The Intersection of Radiation and Medical Oncology Nursing

    Misconceptions about radiation treatments, associated side effects, and impact on patient care still permeate medical oncology for patients and providers alike. As educators, patient advocates, and caregivers, radiation oncology nurses play a critical role in the successful treatment and support of patients with cancer.

    June 05, 2018
    Overview of Radiation Therapy for Cancer
    Radiation therapy

    Get an Overview of Radiation Therapy for Cancer

    Radiation therapy is a precise cancer treatment that targets tumor cells specifically and spares healthy surrounding tissues. Contrary to pharmacologic treatment methodologies, side effects are predominantly site-specific.

    February 27, 2018
    ONS Congress

    Multidisciplinary Approach Is Useful for Radiation Safety Training

    Tara Tatum, MBA, RN, and Stella Dike, MSN, RN, OCN®, both from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, presented the findings during a poster session at the ONS 42nd Annual Congress in Denver, CO. The poster was titled “Radiation Safety Education: An Innovative, Multidisciplinary Approach to Enhancing the Knowledge and Skills of Oncology Nurses in an Inpatient Radiation Setting.”

    May 06, 2017
    Immunotherapy

    How Can Radiotherapy and Immunotherapy Combine for the Future of Cancer Care?

    Conventional radiation therapies typically use x-rays to deliver radiation treatments to patients with cancer. However, centers around the United States are focusing more on the promise of proton therapy, as well as researching the links between radiation treatments and immunotherapy.
    August 02, 2016
    Interdisciplinary teams

    Alpha, Beta, and Beyond: How Radiation Therapy Is Evolving in Cancer Care

    The field of radiation therapy has come a long way since the introduction of x-rays in 1896. Radiation therapy is now used in nearly 50% of all cancer cases and contributes to 40% of curative treatment. With recent advancements, radiation therapy has grown by leaps and bounds.
    August 02, 2016
    Prostate cancer

    Prostate Radiotherapy May Increase Bladder Cancer Risk

    Patients with prostate cancer who undergo radiation treatment, especially brachytherapy, may be at increased risk of bladder cancer more than 10 years later, according to the results of a new study presented at the American Urological Association annual meeting.
    July 12, 2016
    Cancer screening medical device
    Cancer recurrence

    Missing Radiation Therapy Sessions Increases Risk of Recurrence

    Patients who miss two or more regularly scheduled radiation therapy sessions may be at increased risk of recurrence even if they eventually complete their course of treatment, researchers reported after a recent study.
    April 05, 2016
    Side effects of radiation therapies
    Clinical practice

    The Case of the Suspicious Sunburn

    William calls your office complaining of painful redness and blisters on his chest. He admits that during the recent warm weather, he hadn’t been wearing a shirt while working in the yard. He initially thought it was a sunburn, but the symptoms continued to worsen and were unrelieved by typical sunburn remedies. Upon reviewing William’s chart, you see that he recently received radiation and chemotherapy therapy for Hodgkin disease. What would you do?
    June 18, 2013
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