Articles

Oncology nurses in the University of Miami Health System were able to significantly increase efficiency, reduce waiting time, and treat more patients each day in their outpatient oncology infusion suite by revamping scheduling and using a master template. They described their success at the National Comprehensive Cancer Network 20th Annual Conference, held recently in Hollywood, Florida. Read More ›

When a loved one is going through treatment for cancer, the caregiver’s roles may be many and varied, from helping to get a second opinion and deciding about treatment, to talking with visitors, or trying to keep up the loved one’s spirits. Grocery shopping, making favorite meals, and taking the patient out to dinner at a favorite restaurant are probably on this list as well. However, during cancer treatment, the patient might not always feel like eating and might not want to eat the same foods he or she used to enjoy. For example, one day the patient may eat with gusto but the next, a favorite food may taste unappealing. The caregiver should not take this personally, as this is all a normal part of the process and how cancer treatment can impact a patient’s appetites and eating habits. Read More ›

You have just been diagnosed with cancer, and one of the first people you meet on your healthcare team is introduced as a navigator. “A what?” you think. “I need doctors, not a GPS!” But over time, you will realize this person is a great guide. Read More ›

A new clinical practice guideline for smoking cessation in oncology patients encourages use of evidence-based pharmacotherapy, behavioral therapy, and close follow-up with re-treatment, if needed, said Peter Shields, MD, Deputy Director, the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, at the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) 20th Annual Conference, held in March in Hollywood, Florida. Read More ›

“I want the country that eliminated polio and mapped the human genome to lead a new era of medicine, one that delivers the right treatment at the right time.” So said the president of the United States in his State of the Union Address on January 20, 2015. Read More ›

Use of adjuvant sorafenib and sunitinib failed to extend disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with locally advanced kidney cancer at high risk of recurrence, according to initial results from the ASSURE study presented at the 2015 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium. ASSURE is the first and largest study of adjuvant vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors in kidney cancer. Read More ›

Experts are hopeful that the field of prostate cancer will soon be catching up to breast cancer and some other tumor types with regard to genomic markers. A study featured at the 2015 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium suggests that the androgen receptor (AR) abnormality known as AR-V7 will turn out to be a predictive marker to help in treatment selection for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Read More ›