Advanced Practice Providers' Role in Intimacy in Advanced Cancer Patients.

The primary objectives of early phase clinical trials are to determine the safety, tolerability, and recommended doses of an investigational agent for patients with advanced cancer. Although these advances in cancer treatment have resulted in patients living longer, patients often experience psychological side effects that may affect sexual health and intimacy. It is estimated that cancer and its subsequent treatments affect the sexual health and intimacy of 40% to 100% of this patient population.

Strategies for mitigating adverse events related to selective RET inhibitors in patients with RET-altered cancers.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of the selective RET inhibitors selpercatinib and pralsetinib has led to a paradigm change in the treatment of RET-altered lung and thyroid cancers through a higher response rate and a more tolerable safety and toxicity profile than multi-kinase inhibitors. Recently, selpercatinib has received a tissue-agnostic FDA approval for all RET-fusion-positive cancers, and pralsetinib has shown pan-cancer activity as well. Given the anticipated increase in the use of both drugs across multiple tumor types, it is crucial to recognize the possible side effects and approaches for their optimal management in order to maximize the clinical benefit for treated patients.

Management of Adverse Events in Early Clinical Trials by Advanced Practice Providers in the Outpatient Setting: The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Experience.

Background: Advanced practice providers (APPs) play important roles in enrolling, educating, and caring for patients in clinical trials. However, much remains unknown about the role of APPs in managing adverse events (AEs) in early (phase I to II) clinical trials. In this study, we assessed the outpatient management of grade 3 to 4 AEs by APPs in early trials and characterized the workflow of our APP Phase I to II Fast Track (FT) Clinic.

Occurrence of Type 1 Diabetes in A Patient Enrolled in An Immunotherapy Combination Phase 1 Clinical Trial: A Case Study.

Advances in cancer immunotherapy treatments have shown promising results in patients with metastatic malignancy who have been refractory to prior treatments. Immune checkpoint inhibitors such as pembrolizumab in combination with other systemic agents may unleash immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Immunotherapy-induced Type 1 diabetes is rare; however, if left undiagnosed, it may cause life-threatening metabolic endocrinopathies.