Oncology nurses care for a complex patient population, and the inevitable emotional exhaustion and compassion fatigue that result can lead to decreased productivity, high staff turnover, and increased use of sick days. In a poster session on April 25, 2024, during the 49th Annual ONS Congress®, ONS members Jacqueline Anorga, RN, Meghan Manthorpe, BMTCN®, RN, BSN, and Maria Weinstein, MSN, RN, DON, described how they formed an oncology nursing peer group to provide connections and interventions to address burnout, fatigue, and turnover.
Lynch syndrome, now referred to as hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC), was first identified in a family in 1895. In 1966, Henry Lynch discovered a series of families with colon and other cancers in Nebraska. Today, the evidence demonstrates that HNPCC is associated with germline pathogenic variants in the MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2, and EPCAM genes, which are mismatch repair (MMR) genes.
Inspired by cultures around the Mediterranean Sea, the Mediterranean diet emphasizes whole, minimally processed, seasonal foods. It is rich in fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, legumes, and olive oil with moderate amounts of red wine and smaller portions of dairy, poultry, and seafood. Considered more of a lifestyle than a diet, a key element is sharing and enjoying food with family and friends, encouraging social exchange and communication.
For many cancers being treated with radiation therapy, evidence-based standards of care have transitioned to shorter treatment courses. However, Medicare’s outdated fee-for-service approach penalizes radiation oncologists for following those best practices. In May 2024, bipartisan lawmakers introduced a new bill in the U.S.
Oncology nurses, employers, and researchers are transforming cancer care every day. During the 49th Annual ONS Congress® in Washington, DC, ONS recognized 14 of those individuals and organizations for their outstanding contributions to oncology nursing with its 2024 ONS awards.
I had a small crisis at my home a few days before Christmas. In the midst of cookie baking and after 17 years of faithful service, my oven stopped working. I finished baking the cookies at my daughter’s home, but the big celebration was at my house. Although it was the least of my concerns among all the holiday dishes I now had to figure out how to cook, what my family was most worried about was how I would make the bread.
Amid the rising nursing shortages, new graduate RNs (NGRNs) and new-to-oncology nurses need on-the-job training as they enter inpatient and outpatient roles. Nurse residency programs are one strategy to address the competency gap. In a clinical session on April 27, 2024, during the 49th Annual ONS Congress®, ONS members Julianne Luttrell, MS, RN, CNL, NPD-BC, and Leah Scaramuzzo, MSN, RN, MEDSURG-BC, AOCN®, described how nurse residency programs have been successfully implemented in urban and rural healthcare settings.
Eflornithine (Iwilfin™) is the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration–approved oral maintenance therapy for high-risk neuroblastoma. Approved in December 2023, eflornithine has an orphan drug designation.
By providing a centralized team of support staff—including research nurses, clinical research associates, and clinical data specialists—the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI’s) Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis said it hopes to remove the research staffing challenges many of its sites have experienced since the COVID-19 pandemic. The agency announced the launch of its pilot Virtual Clinical Trials Office program in February 2024.
Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-ID) today released a draft legislative proposal to address persistent economic problems leading to shortages of generic medicines plaguing America’s healthcare system, including chemotherapy drugs and ADHD medications.