In this month’s issue of The Oncology Nurse-APN/PA (TON), we bring you the news from the European Society for Medical Oncology 2012 Congress. Some of the most exciting news came from the update of the PROFILE 1007 trial, with results showing that crizotinib was more effective than standard chemotherapy with pemetrexed or docetaxel as a second-line treatment for non–small cell lung cancer. We also cover the latest treatment information about pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, which, as one presenter noted, is “not a rare disease any longer.”
With all the research news, it’s important to recognize the role oncology nurses play in direct patient care and acknowledge that this care often goes beyond the strictly medical. We present an article from the Cancer Legal Resource Center that covers the basics of how healthcare professionals can provide documentation to certify their patients’ medical conditions. Patients confront many nonmedical situations that relate to their cancer diagnosis, including how to deal with employment and public benefits issues, and we as oncology nurses are often asked to provide guidance.
Please read the article by Rich Devlin, where he tells us about the journey he and his wife made after her diagnosis of breast cancer. Oncology nurses regularly interact with family caregivers and we know how central they are to the well-being of patients. Noteworthy Numbers presents some of the statistics related to family caregivers. We want to hear from you. Please tell us what you want to see in TON. Contact us at editorial@greenhillhc.com.
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