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Early locoregional therapy (with surgery and radiation) does not improve overall survival in women with newly diagnosed stage IV breast cancer and an intact primary tumor compared with systemic therapy alone, according to results of the ECOG-ACRIN E2108 randomized phase 3 trial presented at the Plenary Session of the ASCO20 Virtual Scientific Program.

A review of the use of scalp cooling in breast cancer treatment, the variables impacting success, and how the navigators can promote informed decision-making.

Navigators can meet the ever-growing needs of patients undergoing genetic testing. Here’s how.

Making art and telling stories with patients can lead to profound healing, according to Sharon Chappell, PhD, breast cancer survivor, author, and educator at Cal State Fullerton.

A targeted therapy used to treat non-Hodgkin lymphoma has demonstrated durable remissions in treatment-naive chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), according to data presented at the ASCO20 Virtual Scientific Program.

Treatment with the anti–PD-1 antibody pembrolizumab significantly extended progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with classic Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) compared with standard brentuximab vedotin (BV) therapy in the phase 3 KEYNOTE-204 trial reported at the ASCO20 Virtual Scientific Program.

A single infusion of autologous cryopreserved tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy (lifileucel) induced responses in more than one-third of patients with advanced melanoma who had disease progression on multiple prior therapies, including anti–PD-1 and BRAF/MEK inhibitors, according to an update of a phase 2 global multicohort study.

Compassion fatigue and burnout were common among oncology navigators even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Here’s a thoughtful look at compassion fatigue, burnout, and the resiliency skills navigators should embrace.

Oncology navigators rely on metrics to demonstrate the value of their role. According to JoAnn Lovins, MS, RN, NEA-BC, performance—characterized by measures such as employee engagement, finance, volume growth, quality, and patient engagement—has recently emerged as a key metric in demonstrating the value of navigation.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created significant barriers to care, which can lead to increased mortality rates for thousands of patients with cancer. Nurses and nurse navigators are focused on using their skills and experience to combat this trend. Ongoing efforts include educating patients on the importance of undergoing cancer screenings, utilizing telehealth services to enhance communication with patients, addressing staffing shortages, and taking the necessary steps for preparing for potential spikes in COVID-19 cases.