Daniel A. Vorobiof, MD, of the Sandton Oncology Centre, and Bernardo Leon Rapoport, MD, of The Medical Oncology Centre of Rosebank, discuss the first study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a single dose of intravenous fosaprepitant. The use of this NK1 inhibitor and another (rolapitant) in a...
Matthew J. Loscalzo, LCSW, of the City of Hope, discusses the ways in which a person’s gender influences how he or she reacts to and copes with a cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Allison J. Applebaum, PhD, and William S. Breitbart, MD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discuss the early days of this new treatment for despair and distress in cancer patients.
Allison J. Applebaum, PhD, and William S. Breitbart, MD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discuss a meaning-centered psychotherapy workshop they conducted for an international group of clinicians.
Allison J. Applebaum, PhD, and William S. Breitbart, MD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, explain how they brought this new treatment to help stressed caregivers of loved ones with cancer.
Jimmie C. Holland, MD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and Tammy A. Schuler, PhD, of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, demonstrate a dialogue between a clinician and a recently diagnosed cancer patient whose distress was discovered with the use of the Distress...
Mark Lazenby, PhD, APRN, FAPOS, of the Yale School of Nursing, discusses the APOS–ACCC project to screen for psychosocial distress in community cancer centers. These model programs improve patient care and the patient experience.
Jeff Dunn, AO, PhD, GAICD, of the Cancer Council Queensland, discusses reducing the burden of cancer on individuals and communities.
Allison J. Applebaum, PhD, and William S. Breitbart, MD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discuss a powerful treatment approach that is grounded in a moving personal story.
Robert T. Croyle, PhD, of the National Cancer Institute, discusses the research program on the variation in the quality of cancer care, our ability to monitor quality and measure outcomes, and understand the psychosocial aspects of care.
Patricia A. Ganz, MD, of the University of California, Los Angeles, discusses the Institute of Medicine report on patient-centered care, its relation to psychosocial services, and the role IPOS/APOS members can play.
Andrea F. Patenaude, PhD, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, discusses the challenges to implementing standards for pediatric and adolescent psycho-oncology and looks ahead at next steps in the field.
Christopher J. Recklitis, PhD, MPH, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, discusses what is known about suicide after cancer, the risks faced by prostate cancer patients within the first year after diagnosis, and challenges across the treatment trajectory
Julia H. Rowland, PhD, of the National Cancer Institute, discusses the growing number of promising interventions to improve health and function for those living with and beyond a cancer diagnosis, as well as those who care for and about them.
Lori Wiener, PhD, DCSW, LCSW-C, of the National Cancer Institute, and Karen Fasciano, PsyD, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, discuss the challenges of the art and science of psycho-oncology.
Lori Wiener, PhD, DCSW, LCSW-C, of the National Cancer Institute, and Paul B. Jacobsen, PhD, of the Moffitt Cancer Center, discuss the highlights of this year’s meeting, which for the first time brings together the international and American psychosocial oncology societies.
Bradley J. Zebrack, PhD, of the University of Michigan School of Social Work, and Ursula Sansom-Daly, PhD, of the University of New South Wales, talk about providing supportive care services that meet the unique needs of adolescents and young adults with cancer.
In a study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Ferguson et al found that cellulitis in the affected arm, but not blood draws, injections, trauma to the affected arm, or air travel, was associated with an increased risk of lymphedema in women treated for breast cancer. Study Details In...
Retrospective analyses of the ATAC, TEAM, and BIG 1-98 adjuvant endocrine therapy trials in breast cancer have suggested that treatment-emergent endocrine symptoms may be associated with superior survival outcomes. However, in a study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Stearns et al...
In the LEAN (Lifestyle, Exercise, and Nutrition) study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Harrigan et al found that telephone and in-person weight loss counseling was effective in reducing weight and C-reactive protein level in overweight or obese women treated for breast cancer. In the ...
In an Italian trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Bandieri et al found that low-dose morphine provided better and more rapid pain relief than weak opioids in patients with moderate cancer pain. Study Details In the open-label 28-day trial, 240 adults with moderate cancer pain from ...
Patients with incurable cancer and numerous other serious health conditions who consulted with a palliative care team within 2 days of hospitalization had significant savings in hospital costs, according to a new study led by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Published by...
CancerCare, a leading national nonprofit organization providing free, professional support services to anyone affected by cancer, has received a $1.5 million grant to assist people diagnosed with breast cancer. The grant will support a CancerCare program in partnership with Susan G. Komen called...
ASCO has issued a new template for health-care professionals to use when providing a survivorship care plan to patients who have completed curative cancer therapy. The survivorship care plan contains important information about treatment the patient received, the patient’s need for future checkups...
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Basch et al, a trial conducted among patients receiving routine outpatient chemotherapy for advanced solid tumors at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center indicated that patient use of tablet computers to report common symptoms was associated with ...
Systematic collection of cancer patients’ symptoms using computer surveys was linked to less frequent emergency room admissions, longer average chemotherapy adherence, greater quality-of-life improvements, and improved survival, according to a new randomized, controlled trial spearheaded by a ...
Two studies presented at the 57th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting examine the common problem of cancer-associated thrombosis. One looked to validate dosing guidelines for avoiding chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia, a common autoimmune response to therapy; the second compared ...
In a study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Nudelman et al found that increased chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy symptoms at 1 month after completing treatment for breast cancer was associated with increased cerebral perfusion and increased gray matter density at 1 month....
Women who have ovarian cancer often develop a condition called ascites, which is a buildup of fluids in the abdomen. The most common treatment for ascites is puncturing the abdomen and manually draining the fluid, which is painful, risky, and must be repeated every few weeks. University of...
Men with prostate cancer who are undergoing radiation therapy can benefit from yoga, researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania reported at the Society for Integrative Oncology’s 12th International Conference. The new, first-of-its-kind study, led...
“Anemia was highly prevalent and independently associated with functional disability” among older adults with cancer, according to an analysis of data conducted by Owusu et al. “Older patients with anemia were more than twice as likely to have functional disability than those...
Backed by a growing body of research, investigators at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute are calling for all hospitals to establish bereavement programs for families of deceased patients. In a report published by Morris and Block in the Journal of Palliative Medicine, researchers say such...
In a Canadian phase III trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Chow et al found that prophylactic dexamethasone reduced the incidence of radiation-induced pain flare compared with placebo in patients receiving palliative radiotherapy for bone metastases. Study Details In this double-blind trial,...
Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc's telotristat etiprate was shown to have clinical benefit in treating carcinoid syndrome in cancer patients not adequately controlled by long-acting somatostatin analog therapy, the current standard of care, according to data from the phase III TELESTAR study presented...
A collaborative, patient-reported outcome–based approach by palliative care and radiation oncology teams results in better outpatient symptom management and a decrease in end-of-life hospitalizations and costs for late-stage cancer patients, according to research presented by Read et al...
For cervical cancer patients undergoing postsurgical radiation therapy, image-guided intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) resulted in a 14% reduction in moderate-to-severe bowel side effects when compared to conventional three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D CRT), according to...
For high-risk patients who receive chemoradiotherapy for head and neck cancer, frequent follow-up appointments conducted by advance practice nurses (APNs) in a clinical outpatient setting allowed for more intensive symptom management, resulting in fewer post-treatment emergency room visits and...
The steroid dexamethasone reduces radiation-induced pain flare in cancer patients with painful bone metastases, according to research presented by Chow et al (Abstract LBA1) October 18, 2015 at the American Society for Radiation Oncology’s (ASTRO’s) 57th Annual Meeting in San Antonio,...
In a UK phase III noninferiority trial reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Hoskin et al found similar effects of single-dose ibandronate and single-dose radiotherapy on localized metastatic bone pain in patients with prostate cancer. Study Details In the open-label trial,...
A multivariable analysis of clinical factors associated with tamoxifen use among premenopausal women with hormone receptor–positive breast cancer showed that fertility preservation was a significant factor and “the only predictor of both noninitiation and early cessation” of...
A survey exploring the relationship between spiritual support and end-of-life care by evaluating clergy members’ opinions and experiences related to care provided to congregants at the end of their life has found that a majority of clergy endorse religious beliefs regarding their...
When integrated into routine oncology care, palliative care can improve symptom burden, quality of life, and patient and caregiver satisfaction. However, because the number of palliative care specialists in the United States is too small to meet the number of patients requiring palliative care, the ...
An innovative service model that partners radiation oncology with palliative care leads to better results for patients, according to a new analysis. The model of care, established at Mount Sinai Medical Center, is one of only a handful in the country. The study (Abstract 110) will be presented at...
Determining the answer to a simple question, “Would you be surprised if this patient died within the next year?” can be an important tool to help predict which patients with cancer may be in their final year of life, according to the findings from a study by Vick et al. The tool, known...
Two phase III studies of anamorelin found that the medication effectively combats wasting and increases body weight and lean body mass in certain patients with lung cancer. Results (Abstract ORAL29.01) from the ROMANA 1 and ROMANA 2 phase III trials of anamorelin were presented at the 16th...
In a study assessing placebo effects reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Mao et al found that sham electroacupuncture produced a greater reduction in hot flashes than placebo pills and gabapentin, with the greatest reduction being achieved with real electroacupuncture. Study Details In...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved rolapitant (Varubi) to prevent delayed-phase chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Rolapitant is approved in adults in combination with other antiemetic agents that prevent nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses of...
Concerns about fertility kept one-third of young women with breast cancer surveyed in a recent study from taking tamoxifen, despite its known benefit in reducing the risk of breast cancer recurrence. In addition, the study found fertility concerns led one-quarter of women who started...
In two phase III trials reported in The Lancet Oncology, Rapoport et al found that the addition of rolapitant to serotonin (5-HT3) receptor antagonist and dexamethasone treatment significantly improved complete response rates in prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in patients...
In a phase III study reported in The Lancet Oncology, Schwartzberg et al found that the addition of rolapitant to serotonin (5-HT3) receptor antagonist and dexamethasone treatment significantly improved complete response rates in prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in patients...