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Patient-Provider Communications

Heartbreak Hill

Ann J. Brady, RN, BSN May 24, 2012

The patient appeared to deny the inevitable course of his disease, and the nurse could only wait for him to reach his point of acceptance.

Cancer pain often undertreated, especially among minorities

Delicia Honen Yard May 16, 2012

One-third of outpatients with breast, prostate, colon/rectum, or lung cancer were receiving insufficient pain treatment, particularly minorities.

Potentially treatable side effects plague breast cancer survivors for years

Delicia Honen Yard May 11, 2012

Six years after breast cancer treatment, more than 60% of women experienced at least one side effect amenable to rehabilitative intervention.

Social media and survivorship: 21st century support

Bette Weinstein Kaplan May 10, 2012

A group at the Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, uses modern technology to provide survivorship care and counseling to patients.

Bedside handoffs transform nursing shift changes into relationship-based care

Joyce Pagan May 08, 2012

Patient handoffs conducted at bedside support the principles of relationship-based care and benefits both nurses and patients.

Heart risks heightened for partners of cancer patients

Delicia Honen Yard May 08, 2012

Spousal caregivers of cancer patients have increased risks of coronary heart disease and stroke that persist over time, researchers have discovered.

Knowing versus understanding

Ann J. Brady, RN, BSN May 01, 2012

Nurses anticipate a patient's need for pain meds. But understanding why a patient has no need for them may be difficult.

Managing side effects of tamoxifen

Lisa A. Thompson, PharmD, BCOP April 18, 2012

What is the risk for endometrial cancer in a patient taking tamoxifen to reduce recurrence of ER/PR positive breast cancer after treatment?

Cabazitaxel (Jevtana)

Bette Weinstein Kaplan April 17, 2012

Cabazitaxel is a taxane derivative indicated for treatment of hormone-refractory metastatic prostate cancer in patients previously treated with a docetaxel-containing regimen.

Women confused by DCIS breast diagnosis

Delicia Honen Yard April 16, 2012

Ductal carcinoma in situ has a positive prognosis but requires treatment similar to that for invasive breast cancer, sending a conflicting message.

Distress: Assessing the effects of coping with cancer

Rosemarie A. Tucci, RN, MSN April 11, 2012

A cancer diagnosis can cause high levels of distress. Nurses should assess patients frequently and know how to intervene promptly.

Many women with cancer missing fertility risk info, services

Delicia Honen Yard April 11, 2012

Few women of childbearing age who are diagnosed with cancer are taking steps to preserve their fertility during treatment.

Perceived stigma drives depression in lung cancer

Delicia Honen Yard April 09, 2012

Greater levels of perceived stigma were related to greater levels of depression in a recent study of persons with non-small cell lung cancer.

Parents stay offline when child has cancer

Delicia Honen Yard April 06, 2012

Parents prefer to receive information from a trusted healthcare provider rather than the Internet when their son or daughter is diagnosed with cancer.

Asian breast cancer patients unaware of "chemobrain"

Delicia Honen Yard April 04, 2012

The cognitive effects of chemotherapy are unfamiliar to Asian breast cancer patients even though these disturbances have affected their daily lives.

Surgical oncologists less likely than medical, radiation oncologists to discuss fertility risks with patients

Delicia Honen Yard March 27, 2012

Medical and radiation oncologists are more likely than surgical oncologists to discuss with patients how treatment might affect future fertility.

Stereotactic radiotherapy safe for people with lung cancer and COPD

Delicia Honen Yard March 06, 2012

Stereotactic body radiotherapy is a good option for people with stage 1 non-small-cell lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Blood cancers often require termination of early pregnancy

Delicia Honen Yard February 29, 2012

The urgent need for treatment may require a woman with a hematologic cancer to end an early-stage pregnancy, but not necessarily a later-stage one.

Surgery, chemotherapy for breast cancer usually okay in pregnancy

Delicia Honen Yard February 28, 2012

The majority of pregnant women with breast cancer can undergo surgery, chemotherapy, or both, but radiation therapy is generally not advised.

Some pregnancies can continue despite cervical, ovarian cancers

Delicia Honen Yard February 27, 2012

The current trend is to preserve pregnancy in women diagnosed with cervical or ovarian cancer whenever feasible, according to a recent review.

Does informed consent mean  the patient understands?

Ann J. Brady, RN, BSN February 22, 2012

The patient's understanding that surgery was the best next step in her treatment was on her own terms. The nurse needed to understand that.

Side effects of certain cancer drugs may be fatal

Delicia Honen Yard February 22, 2012

Sorafenib, sunitinib, and pazopanib have been found to carry a heightened risk of fatal complications, but the incidence remains low overall.

ACS updates recommendations for cancer prevention

February 21, 2012

The American Cancer Society has updated its 2006 guidelines on nutrition and physical activity for cancer prevention.

Using ESAs in patients with cancer-related anemia

Sarah Wenger, PharmD; Lisa A. Thompson, PharmD, BCOP February 15, 2012

Although the risks of erythropoietin-stimulating agents can outweigh the benefits, select patients may benefit.

HPV self-testing again shows potential screening value

Delicia Honen Yard February 10, 2012

Another study has shown that human papillomavirus (HPV) testing of self-collected cervicovaginal specimens may be an effective way to screen more women for cervical cancer.

Patients Desire Involvement in Planning Breast CA Treatment

February 09, 2012

Preferences shift to wanting more say in decisions following breast cancer treatment consultation.

Psychosocial approach useful in managing cancer pain

Delicia Honen Yard February 03, 2012

Psychosocial interventions, including skills instruction and education, can help reduce pain in persons with cancer, confirm the results of a recent meta-analysis.

Information gap may skew mastectomy decisions

Delicia Honen Yard January 23, 2012

Women with early-stage breast cancer often lacked knowledge about their disease and were not asked their preference regarding surgery, according to recent survey findings.

Quality of life after esophagectomy on par with general population for most

Delicia Honen Yard January 18, 2012

After surgical treatment of esophageal cancer, quality of life stays the same or gets better for many people, research indicates. Those who show early signs of impaired QoL should be identified and helped.

Meditation technique brings peace of mind to breast cancer survivors

Delicia Honen Yard January 16, 2012

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) showed a trend toward improving psychological outcomes by reducing mood disturbance in women who had survived early-stage breast cancer.