Nearly a century ago, cancer staging was a simple categorization of disease as either local, regional, or distant. Then in the 1940s, a French surgeon developed the concept for a staging system that uses the size of the primary tumor (T), its lymphatic involvement (N), and the presence of metastases (M) to stage a patient’s cancer based on the anatomic extent of the disease at the time of diagnosis.
Mrs. Johnson has just been told she's in remission from breast cancer. Which of the following isn't a surveillance recommendation?
A. Routine mammography screening every 12 months for locally recurrent tumors or new primary cancers
B. Screening for cervical and colorectal cancer every six months for two years
C. Gynecologic evaluation every 12 months for women on tamoxifen therapy who have an intact uterus
D. Detailed history and physical examination every three to six months for three years
On August 8, 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved mogamulizumab-kpkc (Poteligeo) for adult patients with relapsed or refractory mycosis fungoides or Sézary syndrome after at least one prior systemic therapy.
Researchers have found a significant difference in overall survival in men versus women receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors for advanced cancers. The findings from the systematic review and meta-analysis were reported in Lancet Oncology.
Healthcare reform has been a hot political topic since before the introduction of the Affordable Care Act. Potential changes in the American healthcare system will be at the hands of which party controls the House of Representatives and the Senate. The upcoming midterm elections in November 2018 could determine a shift in power and potentially add further Medicaid expansion to the list of incoming health care changes.
Although care coordination and interdisciplinary collaboration are essential components of every oncology nurse’s role, oncology nurse navigators (ONNs) take that work even farther by helping patients and caregivers navigate a complex healthcare system and access much-needed resources. By ONS’s definition, ONNs are key in meeting patient and caregiver needs while providing evidence-based, cost-effective, and quality cancer care by eliminating barriers to timely care.
Long-time ONS member and oncology nurse scientist Karen Meneses, PhD, RN, FAAN, Professor and Associate Dean for Research at the School of Nursing at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) passed away unexpectedly on August 1, 2018.
Cancer doesn’t discriminate. It can strike anyone at any time. Being told that you have cancer can be a frightening experience, and feelings of loneliness and isolation are not uncommon, especially for young adults with cancer.
Each spring brings a flurry of annual meetings held by oncology organizations: Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC), American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), and ONS’s. This year I attended all and was part of panel presentations at ACCC and AACR to bring the nursing perspective to the topics.