All Articles

San Francisco, CA—Sexual dysfunction is prevalent in women with breast cancer, and is a consequence of treatment that pre- and postmenopausal women receive. As reported at the 2015 Breast Cancer Symposium, however, the safety and efficacy of available treatments remain understudied at this time.

Fertility and early menopause after cancer can pose challenging emotional and medical issues for patients and their clinicians. Survivors who become infertile because of their cancer treatment are at an increased risk for emotional distress and are often affected by unresolved grief and depression, according to Ann H. Partridge, MD, MPH, Medical Oncologist, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston.

The multidisciplinary care model is perceived to be more patient-centered and efficient for patients with lung cancer than the serial care model, according to Satish K. Kedia, PhD, Professor, Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Memphis, TN, and colleagues.

At the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (AONN+) Sixth Annual Conference, held in Atlanta, GA, in October, Barbara Antolino-Smith, RN, BSN, CPN, Pediatric Oncology Nurse, Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital, PA, was the recipient of the 2015 Oncology Nurse Excellence (ONE) Award.

Patients’ experiences, self-awareness, self-confidence, dignity, and personal integrity represent the fundamental obligations of psychosocial care, according to John Wynn, MD, DFAPA, Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Medical Director, PsychoOncology & Supportive Care, Swedish Cancer Institute, Seattle, WA. Dr Wynn went on to describe the significant role of oncology psychosocial care during his keynote address at the 2015 Association of Oncology Social Work 31st Annual Conference in Seattle, WA.

Financial distress and toxicity are ongoing issues for patients with cancer, Dan Sherman, MA, LPC, Founder/President, The NaVectis Group, Caledonia, MI, explained in his presentation about the importance of financial navigation at the 2015 Association of Oncology Social Work 31st Annual Conference in Seattle, WA. The top concern of patients with cancer is no longer a fear of dying, but fear of the financial obligations. “Forty-two percent of insured cancer patients express a significant or catastrophic financial burden…. That’s almost 50% of the oncology population saying this is catastrophic,” he said.

The following trials represent a selection of key clinical trials that are currently recruiting patients with prostate cancer for inclusion in investigations of new therapies or new combinations of available therapies for patients with prostate cancer.

Oncology nurse navigators (ONNs) must be able to recognize and address numerous complications that occur during and after treatment, including myelosuppression and pain.