Oncology Nursing News Top Stories: July 2022

Each month, we take a look back at the most popular Oncology Nursing News® stories.

Topics from July 2022 include key advances in cancer survivorship toxicity management and efforts towards targeting KRAS mutations in the treatment paradigm for patients with pancreatic cancer. Additionally, recently reported data showed the potential quality-of-life benefit observed with ribociclib (Kisqali) for patients with hormone receptor–positive, HER2-negative breast cancer.

Other top stories include an interview with Gretchen McNally PhD, ANP-BC, AOCNP, on the need for naloxone training for oncology nurses and advanced practice providers (APPs) and a conversation between 2 palliative care experts on why buprenorphine should be considered for the treatment of cancer-related pain.

5. Frontline Ribociclib-Related Quality of Life Favorable to Abemaciclib in HR+/HER2-Advanced Breast Cancer

Ribociclib was favorable over abemaciclib (Verzenio) in reducing diarrhea, fatigue, appetite loss, and arm symptoms (such as pain or swelling in the shoulder or arm and difficulty raising the arm), according to a matched-adjusted indirect comparison using published data from individual patients treated in the MONALEESA-2 (NCT01958021) and MONARCH-3 trials (NCT02246621).

4. Targeting KRAS Mutations May Help Address Unmet Need in Pancreatic Cancer Treatment

In recent years, the identification of genetic mutations such as BRCA1/2 in pancreatic cancer has shifted the treatment landscape toward targeted therapies. Despite this progress, combination chemotherapy remains the standard frontline treatment for patients with localized or advanced disease. Today, many investigators are turning their eye to KRAS mutations, as these mutations are the most common genetic alterations for patients with pancreatic cancer and may represent a viable treatment landscape, according to Philip A. Philip, MD, PhD, FRCP.

3. Key Advances in Cancer Survivorship Toxicity Management

In this episode of The Vitals, Lidia Schapira, MD, FASCO, highlights from the 2022 ASCO Symptoms and Survivorship track anddiscusses key advances in the treatment of toxicities that may present later in cancer survivorship care. She discusses the importance of baseline measurements and health equity considerations in clinical practice and underscores the potential effect evolving technologies may have on the treatment landscape.

2. Are Oncology Nurses Underutilized in Positively Affecting the Opioid Epidemic?

In an interview with Oncology Nursing News®, Gretchen McNally PhD, ANP-BC, AOCNP, a nurse practitioner in hematology at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center– Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, discusses how oncology nurses might have the opportunity to save more lives with proper naloxone training. Responses obtained from nurses and APPs at McNally’s institution demonstrated that they would feel comfortable administering naloxone, provided they had the proper training, and would be interested in pursuing educational trainings on the agent.

1. Experts Make the Case for Buprenorphine Use in Cancer-Related Pain Management

At the Annual Meeting on Supportive Care in Cancer, Mary Lynn McPherson, PharmD, BCPS, FAAHPM, and Amy A. Case, MD, FAAHPM, argued that buprenorphine should play a larger role in cancer-related pain management because of its unique pharmacology and consequent safety profile. As a partial agonist, buprenorphine has less μ-receptor signaling, which may result in fewer opioid-related adverse events. However, this does not mean buprenorphine is not an effective analgesic. It has a higher binding affinity compared with most full μ-opioid agonists, suggesting that it is a very effective pain management option.