Telemedicine in Community Cancer Care: How Technology Helps Patients With Cancer Navigate a Pandemic.

COVID-19 places unprecedented demands on the oncology ecosystem. The extensive pressure of managing health care during the pandemic establishes the need for rapid implementation of telemedicine. Across our large statewide practice of 640 practitioners at 221 sites of service, an aggressive multidisciplinary telemedicine strategy was implemented in March by coordinating and training many different parts of our healthcare delivery system.

Prevention and treatment of bone loss in patients with nonmetastatic breast or prostate cancer who receive hormonal ablation therapy.

Hormone ablation therapy is a mainstay in the treatment of breast and prostate cancers. However, aromatase inhibitors (AIs) used in postmenopausal women with breast cancer and androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) used in men with prostate cancer contribute to substantial bone loss, thereby increasing the risk of osteoporotic fractures. Evidence-based guidelines, therefore, urge oncology practices to screen these patients for bone loss and, if needed, provide treatment to maintain bone health.

Awareness, concern, and communication between physicians and patients on bone health in cancer.

Purpose: This study aims to explore physician-patient communications about bone metastases and cancer treatment-induced bone loss (CTIBL).

Methods: The study utilizes online survey of patients with breast cancer, prostate cancer, and multiple myeloma, and the physicians who treat them.

Results: Even though 69 and 48 % of patients with nonmetastatic breast and prostate cancer aware of treatment-induced bone loss, only 39 and 23 %, respectively, were concerned about bone loss.

Molecular biology and immunology.

Objectives: To review basic molecular biology and immunology concepts to provide a foundation for the understanding of current and developing biological treatments for cancer.

Data Sources: Published scientific papers, review articles, and book chapters.

Conclusion: Research into the structure, functions of the human cell, and development of molecular biology techniques, has increased the understanding of cancer pathophysiology.

Breast-conserving therapy with adjuvant paclitaxel and radiation therapy: feasibility of concurrent treatment.

As commonly used, adjuvant paclitaxel after doxorubicin in high-risk breast cancer patients results in a prolonged delay of the onset of radiation therapy after breast-conserving surgery. Concurrent delivery of breast irradiation with paclitaxel would allow for earlier initiation of radiation. We report on the toxicity of concurrent paclitaxel and breast irradiation after doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide.

The role of licensed nursing personnel in radiation oncology part B: integrating the ambulatory care nursing conceptual framework.

Purpose/objectives: To describe the professional opportunities for licensed nursing personnel in radiation oncology within the conceptual framework developed for ambulatory care nurses by the American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing (AAACN).

Data Sources: Published articles and books.

Data Synthesis: Using AAACN's framework, the researchers identified three roles that are part of every ambulatory care nurse's practice and can be readily customized to radiation oncology: an organizational/systems role, a professional role, and a clinical nursing role.

The role of licensed nursing personnel in radiation oncology part a: results of a descriptive study.

Purpose/objectives: To identify the specific administrative, clerical, patient care, patient education, and research responsibilities that licensed nursing personnel perform in the field of radiation oncology.

Design: Descriptive.

Sample: 281 licensed nursing personnel employed in the field of radiation oncology in North America.