ONS Joins Oncology Organizations to Improve Patient Understanding and Outcomes for IV Cancer Therapies
ONS collaborated with the National Community Oncology Dispensing Association, Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association, and Association of Community Cancer Centers to launch the IV Cancer Treatment Education (IVE) online resource. After the success of the highly used Oral Chemotherapy Education (OCE) online resource, the four oncology healthcare organizations expanded their collaboration to launch this new initiative that provides patient and caregiver resources about IV cancer therapies and their side effects.
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Prognostic Biomarkers May Help Predict Rhabdomyosarcoma Outcomes
TP53 and MYOD1 variants are associated with more aggressive forms of rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare childhood cancer, and poorer outcomes, according to the results of the largest international genomic profiling study of the disease. The findings, which were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, have implications for somatic biomarker testing to guide tailored treatment approaches.
BTK Inhibitor Effective for Relapsed Hairy Cell Leukemia
Ibrutinib produces durable disease control for patients with high-risk hairy cell leukemia, a rare cancer, who have relapsed and for whom standard purine analogues are not a feasible therapeutic option, according to study results published in Blood.
Rare Cancer Advocacy Programs Help Patients Discover Resources and Make Connections
A cancer diagnosis can be difficult for any patient to receive, but a rare cancer diagnosis can put additional stress on a patient and their family. They may feel isolated and struggle to find accurate information on their diagnosis, which may be minimal because of limited funding and research. Rare cancer advocacy groups and programs offer critical patient support and empowerment, raise awareness, and initiate research for treatments.
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Hope in Rare Cancers: Care Is Complex, but Oncology Nurses Are Making a Difference
As individual diseases, cancer diagnoses like pheochromocytoma (cancer of the adrenal gland), neuroendocrine cancers, and malignant mixed Mullerian tumors (also called carcinosarcomas) are rare, but collectively they’re more common than breast, colon, lung, or prostate cancer.
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As the World Perpetually Pivots, ONS Has What Members Need
One of the many lessons we’ve learned since early 2020 is to hope for the best but prepare for the worst. When COVID-19 vaccination rates climbed and infection rates declined in spring 2021, we all confidently looked to September for a return to prepandemic activities. However, the Delta variant’s rapid transmission in July and resulting surge in infection rates paused our plans as the United States reevaluated the safety of a full return without restrictions.
The Case of the Swift Sepsis Response
Simon is a 72-year-old patient diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia. He underwent an HLA-identical sibling peripheral blood stem cell transplantation with fludarabine and melphalan as conditioning chemotherapies before the procedure. Simon is now more than 12 days posttransplant but still neutropenic with an absolute neutrophil count of 0. He has no signs of engraftment, is on total parenteral nutrition, and requires multiple blood transfusions and electrolytes through his central line catheter daily.
FDA Approves Zanubrutinib for Waldenström Macroglobulinemia
On August 31, 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved zanubrutinib (Brukinsa®) for adult patients with Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM).
Study Shows Anti-Vaping Advertising Campaigns Are Effective in Educating Youth About Tobacco Dangers
Young people who see anti-vaping advertisements and prevention campaigns are more likely to have accurate e-cigarette knowledge, which can lead to a decrease in tobacco use and consequently, lung cancer diagnoses, according to a July 2021 study from the Truth Initiative, an organization devoted to educating youth about smoking and tobacco industries.
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Study Ranks U.S. Healthcare Industry Dead Last Among Other High-Income Countries
The United States is worst among 11 high-income countries in delivery of and access to health care, according to an August 2021 study conducted by the Commonwealth Fund, despite spending the most, by far, of its gross domestic product (GDP) on health care than other countries surveyed. The survey used indicators across domains on access to care, care process, administrative efficiency, equity, and healthcare outcomes to compare healthcare system performance. Overall, the top-performing countries were Norway, the Netherlands, and Australia.