From The Editor April 2023

TON - April 2023 Vol 16, No 2
Catherine Bishop, DNP, NP-C, AOCNP
Hematology/Oncology Nurse Practitioner

I am pleased to present the April issue of The Oncology Nurse-APN/PA (TON), a journal specifically designed for nurses, navigators, and advanced practice providers who work tirelessly to improve the lives of patients with cancer.

This issue begins with an inspiring interview with Abbey Kaler, MS, APRN, FNP-C, Nurse Practitioner and Patient Navigator, Advanced Breast Cancer Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston (see here). As an integral member of a team of dedicated professionals, Ms Kaler uses her education, experience, and compassion to provide comprehensive care, guidance, and support to meet the unique needs of women with advanced and metastatic breast cancer in the clinic.

Next, we turn our attention to a new study conducted by the National Cancer Institute, highlighting the lack of awareness among many Americans regarding the link between alcohol consumption and cancer (see here). Key takeaways from this report include the need to raise public awareness of the fact that drinking alcohol—even beer or wine—can increase the risk for developing certain types of cancer, and the important role that members of the healthcare team play in getting this message out to patients so they can make informed decisions.

In this issue of TON, you will also read about a new FDA rule requiring mammography facilities to inform women about their breast density, which represents an important step in improving the prevention, detection, and treatment of breast cancer (see here). Nurses, navigators, and advanced practice providers will no doubt play a critical role in educating patients on the existence and implications of this new rule as it is implemented in facilities throughout the country over the next 18 months.

Here, you will find a summary of findings from a comprehensive survey of more than 12,500 nurses nationwide, which was conducted as part of the Pulse on the Nation’s Nurses Survey Series. According to the American Nurses Foundation, these results confirm the need for “consistent and sustainable solutions to support the nursing profession, especially in key areas such as nurse burnout and workplace violence.”

We also feature details of a recently released American Cancer Society report, which uncovers concerning shifts in colorectal cancer (CRC) statistics in the United States (see here). In particular, researchers found that incidence rates of CRC among younger adults have been on the rise, and there is also a trend toward the disease being initially diagnosed at more advanced stages in people of all ages. Although it remains unclear what is causing these shifts, the results underscore the need to educate patients on the importance of following the latest CRC screening guidelines, which offer the best chance of detecting the disease in earlier stages and improving clinical outcomes.

As in every TON issue, we have also included safety and efficacy data on agents and combination regimens being evaluated in phase 3 clinical trials for various malignancies, as well as a roundup of new oncology drugs and new indications approved by the FDA (see here).

As always, we hope that you will enjoy this issue of TON, and we invite you to visit www.TheOncologyNurse.com to share your feedback with us. You can also send an e-mail with any questions or comments you may have to info@TheOncologyNurse.com.

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