Interview with the Innovators

The practice of using combinations of drugs in chemotherapy is not new and continues to evolve to include immune checkpoint inhibitors. Drug combinations can be more effective than single-agent therapy and may also reduce the risk of developing resistance. However, combining multiple drugs may increase the risk of drug interactions. Please join Laura Wood, RN, MSN, OCN, Megan Price, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, and Virginia Seery, MSN, RN, ANP-BC, AOCNP, as they discuss how they have a conversation with their patients about the benefits and risks of using drug combinations in anticancer therapy.

Although chemotherapy is effective in combating cancer, its full benefits are often not realized because many patients do not take their medications as prescribed. There are many factors that contribute to poor medication adherence, including communication barriers, adverse events, and factors that are related to the therapy, such as prescription of complex drug regimens. Because barriers to medication adherence are complex and varied, solutions to improve adherence must also be multifactorial. Laura Wood, RN, MSN, OCN, Megan Price, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, and Virginia Seery, MSN, RN, ANP-BC, AOCNP, discuss their best practices to help patients adhere to their chemotherapy regimens.

Helping the patient’s caregiver understand their role in the NSCLC patient’s journey

Addressing common questions from NSCLC patients and their caregivers

Providing psychosocial support and counseling for NSCLC patients and their family

Educating patients about cancer- and treatment-related side effect management

There are currently many online and print resources that you can use to help fulfill your patients’ educational needs. However, nurse navigators and advanced care practitioners can also call upon their training and experience to help patients better understand what they are about to undergo. Please join Laura Wood, RN, MSN, OCN; Virginia Seery, MSN, RN, ANP-BC, AOCNP; and Megan Price, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, as they discuss their best practices for helping patients understand their diagnosis, treatment options, and potential adverse events.

Combination therapy continues to evolve in the renal-cell carcinoma space. However, along with improved efficacy come the tests of adverse events and their impact on quality of life. Please join Laura Wood, RN, MSN, OCN, Virginia Seery, MSN, RN, ANP-BC, AOCNP, and Megan Price, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, as they discuss the ways in which drug combinations improve outcomes but also present their own set of challenges for patients’ quality of life.