Articles

With Ebola virus in the news, infection is a hot topic. At the recent National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) 9th Annual Congress: Hematologic Malignancies, Laura Zitella, MS, RN, ACNP-BC, AOCN, updated attendees on how to prevent and treat cancer-related infections.¹ Zitella is with the Stanford Cancer Institute in Stanford, California. Read More ›

A cancer diagnosis brings challenges for patients above and beyond undertaking a medical treatment regimen while managing their already demanding lives. It is a tidal wave that sucks away their time, energy, and money in its wake. Their supporters seek to ease these burdens for them, but these supporters are often at a loss as to just how or where to fill in. The modern world in “the cloud” is responding to these issues by developing websites, programs, and applications (apps) that cancer patients can use to help themselves in some very big ways. Read More ›

The annual meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) took place in San Francisco, California, on September 14-17, 2014. The meeting draws more than 11,000 attendees, bringing together clinicians, scientists, and researchers from all oncology disciplines. ASTRO highlights how technology and biology advance the field of radiation oncology and improve outcomes and quality of life for patients. As ASTRO’s needs statement for the annual meeting points out, nearly two-thirds of the estimated 1.6 million people who will be diagnosed with cancer this year will receive radiation therapy—this makes it imperative that all members of the multidisciplinary team be aware of best practices. Below are summaries of some highlights from the meeting. Read More ›

This second issue of Conquering the Cancer Care Continuum™ focuses on the serious nature of the problems associated with access to care. Whether it be access to cancer screening, diagnosis, treatment, or follow-up care, it is an issue that remains unresolved. Read More ›

The state of healthcare in 2014 necessitates that patients play an active role in the management of their health. But who, among Americans, has access to healthcare? This access occurs when an individual is fortunate enough to have available the timely use of services, so he or she can achieve the best health possible. Read More ›

When I joined the faculty of the McWhorter School of Pharmacy (MSOP) at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, in July of 2008, I was excited to discover a corporate spirit and passion for involvement with underserved populations that were similar to that of my own. Read More ›

I am very excited to announce our Third Annual Conquering the Cancer Care Continuum newsletter series. These publications will continue to address highly relevant topics in oncology management. The first issue focuses on current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) and includes articles written by a clinical oncology pharmacist, an oncology nurse practitioner, and a regulatory lawyer. Read More ›

As a nurse practitioner and a researcher whose focus is on supportive care in cancer, many of my patients and their caregivers look to me for answers to their questions regarding over-the-counter (OTC) supplements and prescription drugs used to treat various disorders. Oftentimes, patients seek my opinion concerning appropriate OTC and prescription drugs for treating such conditions as peripheral neuropathy. Read More ›

R is a 43-year-old man with a primary hepatocellular carcinoma. He was diagnosed 6 months ago with metastatic disease and today has been told that there are no remaining conventional treatment options available for the management of his cancer. To look at this patient is to see a young man who seems to be otherwise healthy, a man who continues to work full time, to travel, and to be an active husband and father. Read More ›