Sexual Dysfunction: Common Side Effect.

For sexual dysfunction, standards of care are based on emerging evidence-based practice. Sexuality is an integral part of quality of life that can be radically altered by the adverse effects of cancer therapies. Following treatment, sexual dysfunction can arise from physical and psychological changes in body image and self-concept, altered sense of attractiveness, physical discomfort, and emotional distress, diminishing overall quality of life.

Hot Flashes: Clinical Summary of the ONS Guidelines™ for Cancer Treatment-Related Hot Flashes in Women With Breast Cancer and Men With Prostate Cancer.

Cancer-related hot flashes are often a lasting and distressing side effect of hormone-blocking therapies that are most often experienced by women with breast cancer and men with prostate cancer treated with these therapies. Hot flashes have been defined as a sensation of heat that may be accompanied by facial flushing, perspiration, chills, heart palpitations, night sweats, and feelings of anxiety. The frequency and intensity of hot flashes can cause fatigue and sleep disturbances that diminish quality of life and reduce adherence with prescribed therapies that block estrogens or androgens.

ONS Guidelines™ for Cancer Treatment-Related Hot Flashes in Women With Breast Cancer and Men With Prostate Cancer.

Purpose: Hot flashes are a common and troublesome side effect of surgery or endocrine therapy. They may lead to physical and psychological distress and negatively affect quality of life. This clinical practice guideline presents evidence-based recommendations for pharmacologic, behavioral, and natural health product interventions for treatment-related hot flashes in patients with breast or prostate cancer.

Hot flash management: update of the evidence for patients with cancer.

Hot flashes are a distressing symptom frequently experienced by survivors of breast cancer or prostate cancer who are receiving estrogen or androgen-deprivation therapies. The frequency and intensity of hot flashes can lead to diminished quality of life and decreased adherence with prescribed antineoplastic therapies. This evidence-based review synthesizes and updates the findings of the highest quality evidence-based studies of interventions to manage hot flashes resulting from cancer therapies in patients with breast or prostate cancer since the initial Putting Evidence Into Practice review of hot flashes in 2011.

Tamoxifen benefits and CYP2D6 testing in women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer.

Cancer intervention strategies have been increasingly focused on developing therapies that are personalized and tailored to each individual's unique genetic profile. Evolving understanding of the metabolism and pharmacogenomics of tamoxifen, an early example of targeted therapy for women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, has created decision-making challenges for healthcare providers and their patients. This article reviews the pharmacology of tamoxifen, the genetics and physiology of the CYP2D6 enzyme system that has important effects on tamoxifen metabolism, and subset data analyses from large controlled, clinical trials that cast new light on previously held beliefs about the utility of CYP2D6 genotyping for predicting tamoxifen effectiveness and improved breast cancer outcomes in women with early-stage, hormone receptor-positive breast cancer.

Putting evidence into practice: evidence-based interventions for hot flashes resulting from cancer therapies.

Survival rates for people treated for breast or prostate cancer have increased steadily since 2000, which has been attributed to advances in early detection and improvements in treatments. However, breast and prostate cancer therapies that target estrogen and testosterone production are associated with hormone-deprivation symptoms--most commonly hot flashes--that may have a significant negative impact on quality of life. Compared to the healthy population, hot flashes occur most often in these two groups, so the authors conducted a literature search specifically for evidence-based interventions to manage hot flashes experienced by women treated for breast cancer and men treated for prostate cancer.

The sexuality discussion: tools for the oncology nurse.

Receiving a cancer diagnosis and experiencing the effects of antineoplastic therapies can have a devastating effect on a person's emotional, physical, and psychological well-being and a significant negative effect on sexual desire and function. Oncology nurses are the ideal healthcare professionals to assess the sexual health status of their patients and to intervene to sensitively address sexuality issues. Having this discussion can be uncomfortable for both nurses and patients, but using communication tools can help nurses gain confidence in their abilities to address sexuality concerns in an effective and comfortable manner and to provide patients with useful information and insights.

SPIKES: a framework for breaking bad news to patients with cancer.

SPIKES is an acronym for presenting distressing information in an organized manner to patients and families. The SPIKES protocol provides a step-wise framework for difficult discussions such as when cancer recurs or when palliative or hospice care is indicated. Each letter represents a phase in the six-step sequence.

You are special: recognizing the gifts you bring to oncology nursing.

To raise awareness about the need to recognize and celebrate the unique gifts and qualities nurses bring to oncology, the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) Nominating Committee thought that discussing the many contributions of oncology nurses would be enlightening and empowering. This article originally was offered by the authors as a presentation at the ONS 29th Annual Congress in May 2004.