Journal of the advanced practitioner in oncology最新文献

Depression in adult patients with cancer may lead to decreased treatment adherence, decreased quality of life, and possible suicidal ideation. Adequate screening can promote timely diagnosis and treatment of depression. A quality improvement project was implemented at a cancer center in which adult patients are diagnosed with and treated for cancer. A paper version of the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), a validated tool to screen for depression, was provided to patients during their scheduled appointment. A two-sample test of proportions was used to compare the proportion of patients screened before project implementation to the proportion of patients screened after project implementation. Depression screening rates increased from 2% before to 12% after project implementation. Frequent screening with the PHQ-9 should occur in adult patients with cancer to adequately identify depressive symptoms. Adequate screening will provide the necessary information for providers to make referrals to mental health services and allow patients to adhere to their treatment plans, improving their quality of life.

Background: Patients with cancer routinely undergo genomic tumor sequencing, a component of molecular profiling (MP), to better characterize their cancer and identify potential targetable alterations. Targeted treatments potentially confer higher response rates and better efficacy. With increasing complexity, patients may require detailed explanations of MP results. Patient understanding of MP results increases the likelihood that eligible patients receive targeted treatment. Advanced practice providers (APPs), defined as nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and pharmacists, frequently review and discuss MP results with patients. Purpose: The aim of this study is to understand APP experiences discussing MP results with adult cancer patients.

Methods: A qualitative study was conducted through virtual semi-structured interviews with APPs recruited via study invitation shared through the Advanced Practitioner Society for Hematology and Oncology (APSHO). Eligibility criteria included APPs with > 1 year of oncology experience and involvement in discussing MP results. Data were analyzed utilizing a constant comparative analysis and coded in three stages: open, axial, and selective.

Results: Thirteen participants were enrolled from across the United States. Participants discussed learning to understand and explain MP findings primarily through on-the-job experiences. Barriers to patient education were also described. Initially coded participant statements (open codes) produced six themes (axial codes).

Conclusions: With MP now standard practice in oncology, APPs frequently discuss these results with patients. This study highlights that additional and continuing education related to MP is needed in communicating complex results. Patient educational tools, specific to patients' MP findings and tailored to their preferences and literacy levels, are critically needed.

Purpose: Opioid-induced constipation (OIC) is highly prevalent in patients with cancer-related pain on opioid analgesics and has negative consequences on physical and psychological well-being and quality of life. Oncology clinical practice guidelines recommend the use of osmotic and stimulant laxatives for the prevention and management of opioid-induced constipation, not stool softeners such as docusate sodium. Prescribing practices continue to fall behind these recommendations.

Methods: This quality improvement project revised the laxative options available in the standard admission order set in the electronic medical record. Specifically, docusate sodium was removed and replaced with senna and polyethylene glycol 3350.

Results: A total of 2,742 patient admissions preintervention were compared to 2,752 admissions postintervention. The number of orders for docusate (p < .001) and docusate-senna (p = .002) orders decreased significantly after the intervention, in addition to the number of OIC diagnoses (p < .001). However, the number of orders for polyethylene glycol (p = .559), senna (p = .582), other laxatives (p = .245), or functional bowel disorder medications (p = .533) did not change significantly. No significant differences were observed in the frequency of laxative orders placed within 24 hours of an opioid order, number of laxatives prescribed at discharge, admissions related to bowel-related complications, or length of stay.

Conclusions: Interventions utilizing the electronic medical record can facilitate evidence-based management of OIC. Development of clinical practice guidelines and tailoring these interventions further is needed to adapt this approach at other institutions and sustain practice change.

Purpose: Breast cancer treatment may include chemotherapy, which is associated with significant toxicities. At the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson Health, a pilot program was developed to add an oncology clinical pharmacist to the breast cancer clinic. The purpose of this study is to identify the impact of the clinical pharmacist in supportive care management, add to existing literature discussing the impact of the clinical pharmacist in ambulatory oncology settings, and justify future, permanent ambulatory oncology pharmacist positions within the institution.

Methods: This single-center retrospective chart review assesses interventions made by the clinical pharmacist in patients with any stage of breast cancer who presented to the breast clinic for new chemotherapy treatment between September 1, 2020, and February 28, 2021. The primary outcome was to describe clinical pharmacist interventions at the first follow-up encounter after chemotherapy initiation. Secondary outcomes included classifying and quantifying total interventions and comparing intervention details between total and included patients within the 6-month timeframe.

Results: Of 44 included patients, 29 had a follow-up encounter. The clinical pharmacist directly managed 33% of the 58 patient-reported adverse drug effects. In 6 months, the clinical pharmacist made 1,068 interventions spanning 189.6 documented hours. The most common interventions were coordination of care, education, and supportive care pharmacotherapy interventions.

Conclusion: This study identified the pharmacist's role in supportive care management and reports the successful integration of a clinical pharmacist into a breast cancer clinic. Future directions include conducting prospective studies to further explore the impact of the clinical pharmacist on treatment outcomes.

Medullary renal cell carcinomas are exceedingly rare and essentially uniformly and rapidly fatal. Expeditious diagnosis is crucial. Immediate treatment with a clinical trial or platinum-based chemotherapy is needed for metastatic disease given the aggressive nature of medullary renal cell carcinomas. In this article, we discuss a 24-year-old man with no known significant past medical history who presented with a progressive cough and shortness of breath. After evaluation at an urgent care and four evaluations in the emergency department, the patient was admitted and ultimately diagnosed with metastatic medullary renal cell carcinoma. This case highlights the characteristics, presentation, rarity, and aggressiveness of medullary renal cell carcinoma.

Introduction: Despite standard prevention strategies, obinutuzumab carries a significant risk of infusion-related reactions (IRRs) for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL). Reported rates of IRRs vary in phase III clinical trials evaluating obinutuzumab-containing regimens. Although obinutuzumab has a higher rate of severe (grade 3 and higher) IRRs than rituximab, clinical risk factors predicting IRR have not been identified, and therefore strata informing patient-specific risk of IRR have not been applied in practice.

Methods: This multicenter, retrospective evaluation of patients with CLL/SLL estimated the incidence of obinutuzumab-related IRRs and evaluated risk factors for the development of IRR in a real-world population.

Results: 68 patients with untreated or previously treated CLL/SLL were included in the analysis, with the majority being older adult (median age = 70) males (61.8%) with Rai stage III and IV CLL. All-grade IRRs occurred in 25% of patients, and severe IRRs occurred in 1.5% of patients. Of the variables evaluated, absolute lymphocyte count was a significant predictor (p ≤ .05) of the odds of experiencing an IRR in patients receiving obinutuzumab.

Conclusion: Obinutuzumab IRR rates in a real-world population were comparable to most phase III clinical trial results succeeding implementation of split dosing and standard premedication. Absolute lymphocyte count is a statistically significant predictor for increased odds of experiencing an IRR. Future research evaluating risk-adapted obinutuzumab administration strategies is needed to recommend a specific approach.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most fatal cancers in the United States. Currently, it is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths, and it is estimated that by 2030, it will be the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths behind lung cancer. It has poor overall survival rates, even with aggressive treatment. Quality of life is low in this patient population, due to poor prognosis at diagnosis and complex symptomatology. The purpose of this article is to explore the role of the advanced practitioner in the diagnosis, treatment, and symptom management of pancreatic cancer.

The BRAF V600E mutation aberrantly activates the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, subsequently resulting in uncontrolled cellular proliferation, survival, and dedifferentiation. Approximately 2% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have a BRAF V600E mutation. BRAF and MEK inhibitor combination therapy targets two kinases within the MAPK pathway. Encorafenib (Braftovi) and binimetinib (Mektovi) are potent oral inhibitors of BRAF and MEK, respectively. With the recent US Food and Drug Administration approval of encorafenib plus binimetinib, adult patients with BRAF V600E-mutated metastatic NSCLC have an additional treatment option. In the phase II PHAROS study, encorafenib plus binimetinib achieved the primary endpoint of objective response rate by independent review committee and exhibited a manageable safety profile in this patient population. This article provides an overview of the efficacy and safety of encorafenib plus binimetinib and uses a fictional patient case to illustrate the role of advanced practice providers in providing individualized patient care and identifying and managing adverse reactions.

Bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) have emerged as crucial therapeutic agents for patients with relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and most recently, lung cancer. These therapies have demonstrated remarkable efficacy in clinical trials; however, multidisciplinary collaboration is essential to ensure optimal patient outcomes amid the operational complexities associated with BsAb therapy. As BsAbs are being prepared for broader adoption, clinicians and treatment centers must navigate operational challenges, including financial considerations, patient selection, caregiver involvement, and transitions of care. Centers must also be knowledgeable to manage toxicities such as cytokine release syndrome and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome. We therefore convened a panel of academic and community practice pharmacists with experience using BsAbs in clinical trial and standard-of-care settings to provide comprehensive recommendations with a focus on successful onboarding and operationalization of BsAb therapies.