Articles

As healthcare professionals who work with people living with cancer, we often see patients when they are most vulnerable. For many patients, their moments of greatest vulnerability are at the time of diagnosis and while discussing treatment. During such moments, patients typically feel overwhelmed and inundated with a large amount of information to process and assimilate, while at the same time dealing with the emotional impact of a cancer diagnosis. Read More ›

This issue of The Oncology Nurse-APN/PA (TON) brings you highlights of the news from the 2012 American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) annual meeting. Part of our ASTRO coverage includes the results of a study that show that many patients with incurable lung cancer misunderstood the goals of palliative radiation therapy. Read More ›

For preventing bone metastases in women with early breast cancer, the current body of evidence does not support the use of osteoclast-targeting agents, ie, bisphosphonates, according to Julie Gralow, MD, director of Breast Medical Oncology at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington. Read More ›

The management of relapsed/ refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a vexing problem and requires extensive, aggressive supportive care throughout the course of therapy, explained Joseph C. Alvarnas, MD, City of Hope Comp­rehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, Cali­fornia, in a presentation at the National Com­prehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) 7th Annual Congress on Hematologic Malignancies. Read More ›

Sildenafil is often used by men treated with radiation or radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer to achieve an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse, and it is effective to varying degrees when used on an as-needed basis. Read More ›

Doxepin, a tricyclic antidepressant approved for the treatment of depression and anxiety, as well as moderate pruritus, significantly improved oral mucositis pain in patients treated with radiation therapy for head and neck cancer in a phase 3 trial. Read More ›

Radiation therapy extends life in older women with early breast cancer, according to 2 different studies presented at the ASTRO 54th Annual Meeting. Read More ›

Many patients with incurable lung cancer mistakenly believe that radiation therapy administered for palliative treatment of pain and other cancer symptoms represents a potential cure, according to a study presented at the ASTRO 54th Annual Meeting. Read More ›

Anticoagulation prophylaxis is effective in preventing both symptomatic and asymptom­atic catheter-related deep vein thrombosis in ambulatory cancer patients with locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors, French investigators reported at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2012 Congress, held in Vienna, Austria. Read More ›

Carfilzomib (Kyprolis, Onyx Pharmaceuticals, South San Francisco, CA) is a proteasome inhibitor that recently received accelerated FDA approval as single-agent treatment for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM),¹ as well as designation as a “Preferred Regimen” for salvage therapy according to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines.² Carfilzomib differs structurally and mechanistically from bortezomib; it functions by irreversibly inhibiting chymotrypsin-like activity of the constitutive proteasome and the immunoproteasome and offers a novel treatment option for patients with advanced MM.³

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