Articles

ACOSOG Z1031: Neoadjuvant Comparison between Letrozole, Anastrozole, and Exemestane for Postmenopausal Women with Estrogen Receptor–Rich Stage 2/3 Breast Cancer

BOSTON—Nurses have been involved in radiation oncology since the early 1940s, but as nursing roles in general have evolved over time, so has the role of these nurses. A group of advanced practice nurses (APNs) shared how they came to be part of their facility’s radiation oncology department and how the increased strain on healthcare is opening opportunities in this field for APNs.

BOSTON—As more targeted therapies for non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) become available, experts are assessing which patients’ tumors should be genotyped and when. Although genotyping—not to be confused with genetic testing—is becoming increasingly important in developing a treatment plan, professional guidelines do not yet recommend incorporating it as a routine part of care for patients with NSCLC.

BOSTON—Recognizing steroid-induced hyperglycemia early and addressing it promptly can prevent significant adverse effects associated with this complication. Educating patients on the importance of and methods for maintaining good blood glucose control helps mitigate damage to the vascular system and kidneys from hyperglycemia. It also lessens susceptibility to infection, a complication of hyperglycemia that is of serious concern in immunocompromised patients.

In a multicenter, randomized, phase 2/3 trial, the 4-drug combination oxaliplatin/irinotecan/fluorouracil/leucovorin (FOLFIRINOX) prolonged median overall and progression-free survival and increased the overall response rate compared with gemcitabine, the reference standard, for patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma and good performance status (0-1). However, the combination regimen was associated with more adverse events, especially febrile neutropenia, and a decrease in quality of life.

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is one of the most common subtypes of indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Although FL is considered incurable with currently available therapy, the introduction of monoclonal antibodies has improved clinical outcomes for this group of patients. Ongoing research focuses on assisting practicing oncologists with selecting the proper therapeutic options for specific clinical scenarios.

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (PNET) refers to several tumor types located in the pancreas. These tumors are classified as functional or nonfunctional depending on production and secretion of bioactive hormones. Functional PNETs cause clinical symptoms associated with their tumor classification.

Clear cell (CC)-renal cell carcinoma (RCC), the predominant histologic type of RCC, is highly dependent on angiogenesis, via the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway.¹ The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway also appears to play a role in VEGF production, as well as directly promote tumor cell growth.