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    Innovative Oncology Nurses Break Down Communication Barriers for Patients Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
    Special Populations
    Innovative Oncology Nurses Break Down Communication Barriers for Patients Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
    March 10, 2023
    How I Practice Mindfulness as an Oncology Nurse
    Nurse well-being
    How I Practice Mindfulness as an Oncology Nurse
    March 03, 2023
    Clinical and Pharmaceutical Nurse Educators Collaborate to Bring Training to Nurses and Improve Patient Care
    Oncology nurse education
    Clinical and Pharmaceutical Nurse Educators Collaborate to Bring Training to Nurses and Improve Patient Care
    January 13, 2023
    Oncology Nurse Uses Retirement to Help Patients and Healthcare Professionals Understand Pancreatic Cancer Biomarker Testing Results
    Pancreatic cancer
    Oncology Nurse Uses Retirement to Help Patients and Healthcare Professionals Understand Pancreatic Cancer Biomarker Testing Results
    November 11, 2022
    The Life of Marie Curie and Her Contributions to Oncology
    Cancer treatments
    The Life of Marie Curie and Her Contributions to Oncology
    November 07, 2022
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    Radiation therapy

    Rural Patients Who Miss Radiation Doses Are More Likely to Die From Cancer
    Radiation therapy

    Rural Patients Who Miss Radiation Doses Are More Likely to Die From Cancer

    Regardless of residence, nearly 25% of patients with cancer overall miss at least 10% of the doses in their radiation treatment plans—but the implications on outcomes are far greater for patients living in rural areas than their urban counterparts, according to new research findings published in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics.

    December 28, 2022
    The Life of Marie Curie and Her Contributions to Oncology
    Cancer treatments

    The Life of Marie Curie and Her Contributions to Oncology

    November 7, 2022, is the 155th birthday of Maria Sklodowska, who is better known as Madame Marie Curie, one of the greatest minds of chemistry, physics, and radiation oncology. The day also marks the fifth anniversary of #WomenWhoCurie, a social media campaign from the Society for Women in Radiation Oncology that supports and increases visibility of women in radiation oncology.

    November 07, 2022
    Can Patients Use Continuous Glucose Monitors During Radiation Therapy for Cancer?
    Radiation therapy

    Can Patients Use Continuous Glucose Monitors During Radiation Therapy for Cancer?

    Sally is a 65-year-old patient with T3N1M0 human papillomavirus–negative cancer of the supraglottic larynx who is beginning treatment with radiation and chemotherapy. She has a history of type 1 diabetes mellitus, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic nephropathy, and hospital admissions for diabetic ketoacidosis. She has been using a continuous glucose monitor and insulin pump to help her effectively manage her diabetes. She is concerned that her chemotherapy regimen will involve taking dexamethasone, which will affect her hard-to-control diabetes. Sally tells you she wants to wear her CGM and IP during treatment.

    August 19, 2022
    Today’s Immunotherapy Combinations
    Immunotherapy

    Today’s Immunotherapy Combinations

    Immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment, especially for patients with diseases considered otherwise incurable. Since May 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved 27 immunotherapy combinations, including chemoimmunotherapy and regimens with targeted therapies, and researchers are reporting highly promising data from clinical trials of its combination with radiation.

    February 01, 2022
    Telehealth Has Value During Radiotherapy, Patients Say
    Patient resources

    Telehealth Has Value During Radiotherapy, Patients Say

    More than 90% of patients report that telehealth consultations during radiotherapy treatment are high quality and may be even better for understanding information from their healthcare team than in-person visits, researchers reported in the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.

    December 22, 2021
    The Case of the Missing Oral Mucositis
    Radiation therapy

    The Case of the Missing Oral Mucositis

    Bob is a 68-year-old patient with early-stage cancer of the glottic larynx (right true vocal cord). He is receiving a hypofractionated three-dimensional conformal therapy without concurrent chemotherapy, 225 cGy each day for five days a week to a total dose of 6,075 cGy. He is now in his fourth week of treatment at 4,000 cGy and experiencing side effects. His voice is a high-pitched whisper and talking requires a lot of effort. He reports pain when swallowing his favorite foods like nachos and has lost 2 kg since his last weight check four days ago. Bob also reports some dizziness with position changes, and his pulse and blood pressure screenings show that he’s mildly orthostatic.

    October 22, 2021
    Radioprotectant May Also Be a Radiobooster
    Radiation therapy

    Radioprotectant May Also Be a Radiobooster

    Initially studied for its radioprotective effects on healthy cells, avasopasem may also increase cancer cells’ response to radiation treatment, researchers reported in Science Translational Medicine.

    October 06, 2021
    Proton Pump Inhibitors May Boost Radiation’s Effects
    Radiation therapy

    Proton Pump Inhibitors May Boost Radiation’s Effects

    September 29, 2021
    Treatment side effects

    How to Handle Even the Worst Radiation Therapy Side Effects

    Some of the most painful side effects of cancer and its treatment occur with radiation therapy. Although patients may find the effects emotionally devastating, nurses can help take a proactive management approach by preparing patients for what’s ahead. Annette Quinn, RN, MSN, from the University of Pittsburgh Hillman Cancer Center, outlined the most common but distressing side effects and tips for managing them during a session held on April 29, 2021, for the 46th Annual ONS Congress™.

    April 29, 2021
    ONS Congress

    The Horizon Looks Promising for Emerging Radiation Therapies in Oncology Care

    Cutting-edge advancements in radiation therapy (RT) may allow oncology practitioners to only target the current tumor and avoid damaging healthy tissue. During a session on April 29, 2021, at the ONS 46th Annual Congress, W. Neil Duggar, PhD, DABR, of the University of Mississippi Medical Center, provided an overview of RT from a medical physics perspective, with a focus on how developing technologies may revolutionize care for patients with cancer. 

    April 29, 2021
    ONS Congress

    Radiation Oncology Nurses Must Innovate and Transform in Today’s Workplace

    In a highly technical environment, radiation oncology nurses’ role on the interprofessional team is both critical and flourishing. But it’s also ever-evolving, speakers explained during a session on April 27, 2021, for the 46th Annual ONS Congress™.

    April 27, 2021
    ONS Congress

    Radiopharmaceuticals Pack a One-Two Punch Against Cancer

    Radionuclides, also called radioisotopes, are unstable chemical elements that release radiation as they break down, and that action can be combined with cancer drugs to fight tumors with a new punch. During a session on April 27, 2021, for the 46th Annual ONS Congress, Pam Grubbs, APRN, CNS, MS, AOCNS®, of Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, discussed how oncology is using radiopharmaceuticals in a variety of ways.

    April 27, 2021
    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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