Optimizing vaccination status is a key element of care for patients with cancer, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) said in the March 2024 publication of its new Vaccination of Adults With Cancer guideline. However, it requires assessing each patient’s unique health profile and active interaction and coordination among healthcare providers, including primary care practitioners, pharmacists, and nursing team members.

Psychological distress in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT) affects overall survival and quality of life, yet nurses have no standard of practice to follow for their psychological assessment, ONS members Brooke E. Trigiani, RN, MSN, OCN^®, and Carolee Polek, PhD, RN, AOCNS^®, BMTCN^®, reported in the February 2024 issue of the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing.

Incidence rates of young-onset colorectal cancer (YO-CRC) in otherwise healthy individuals aged younger than 40 have increased 2% per year during the past four decades, and the trend is projected to continue for at least another 10 years. YO-CRC can have a significant psychological impact on adolescents and young adults (AYAs), and the population needs specialized nursing care.

Dance/movement therapy (DMT) is an integrative symptom management modality that uses the elements of dance and movement along with other body-focused activities, including guided imagery, mindfulness, breath awareness, and therapeutic play to support self-expression and promote well-being. Defined by the American Dance Therapy Association as “the psychotherapeutic use of movement to promote emotional, social, cognitive and physical integration of the individual,” DMT has been used in pediatric cancer settings. However, data on its delivery and outcomes are limited.

New federal data show America’s nursing workforce has become more diverse over the past 15 years, but underrepresentation remains a problem in a field struggling with burnout and racism. A diverse nursing workforce can reduce health disparities, provide more culturally competent care, and, in turn, improve patient outcomes.

On April 5, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval to fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki (Enhertu^®) for adult patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive (IHC3+) solid tumors who have received prior systemic treatment and have no satisfactory alternative treatment options. It is one of seven anticancer agents with a tumor-agnostic FDA approval.

In March 2024, in collaboration with the Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses and the Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology, ONS released a new joint position statement, Fertility Preservation in Individuals With Cancer, to highlight its importance for both patients and their families.

Even very young children can sense when there’s a change in routine, when parents or guardians are having hushed conversations in the next room, or when the energy in the room is lower than usual. They know when something is happening to someone they love, and they need to talk

A significant portion of young patients with breast cancer have concerns about fertility, but only 20% of them pursue fertility preservation. Published in Cancer Medicine, new study findings highlight the importance of providing patient education about fertility preservation and the effects of cancer treatment on fertility as well as addressing barriers to fertility care.

A few years ago, ONS member Amy Gundelach, RN, MSN, AG-CNS-BC, OCN^®, survivorship program coordinator at the University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center in Albuquerque, was managing two male patients—a 25-year-old and a 30-year-old—who were seeking a survivorship support group of young adult peers and a survivorship therapist for young adults. She discovered that her institution didn’t have any materials tailored specifically tailored for young adult cancer survivors’ needs, compared to their older counterparts.