Five months into my oncology fellowship, I was tasked with my first solo consultation during the first week of my palliative rotation. I entered the room and was struck by how young and calm Jane was.

More than 40% of cancer diagnoses and 44% of cancer deaths can be prevented by lifestyle changes and other modifiable risk factors, the American Cancer Society (ACS) reported in study findings published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.

Although incidence varies by cancer type, approximately 20%–87% of patients experience cachexia during their cancer journey. Affecting nearly every patient with advanced cancer, cachexia is attributed to 20% of cancer-related deaths.

On August 29, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a final rule that raises the minimum age for certain restrictions on tobacco product sales. Once implemented, the requirements are expected to help decrease underage tobacco sales.

In 2008, Feeding America established September as Hunger Action Month to bring together food banks, food pantries, and local meal programs to raise awareness about hunger and inspire people to take action. Here are some ways that you can advocate for patients with cancer who are experiencing food insecurity this month.

Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center is the largest cancer care organization in Louisiana, with 19 locations, including Covington, a New Orleans suburb with a growing population of just under 12,000. In 2020, Covington providers were seeing an increasing number of patients facing food insecurity and financial toxicities. 

Equipping oncology nurses to conduct nutritional screening assessments can help reduce barriers and close gaps in the timely identification of patients with cancer who are at risk for or experiencing malnutrition, investigators reported in an article published in the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing. Implementing a standardized, nurse-led screening process helped their community cancer center identify that nearly 40% of their screened patients were at risk for malnutrition, while also increasing nurses’ comfort with and knowledge of cancer-related nutrition.

The relationship between nutrition and cancer outcomes is complex. Nutritional status is closely linked to cancer treatment outcomes as well as the prevalence and tolerance of side effects. Oncology nurses often educate patients about proper nutrition throughout their cancer journey, but adherence requires patients to have access to nutritious food. 

In 1965, advanced practice nurse Loretta Ford, EdD, RN, PNP, NP-C, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, along with pediatrician Henry Silver, MD, cofounded the United States’ first nurse practitioner (NP) program in pediatric care at the University of Colorado. They created the program in response to the needs of underserved women and children in rural Colorado. I had the great opportunity to meet Ford at the June 2024 American Association of Nurse Practitioners annual conference in Nashville, TN, when we discussed my passion to introduce the NP role to many South American countries. 

Individuals from minority groups, current smokers, and those with lower education or income levels are more likely to encounter—and remember seeing—tobacco-related advertising, marketing, or promotions when watching streaming platforms, researchers reported in study findings published in JAMA Network.