In-Person Medical Education Helps Further APP’s Career
Ebele Ezenwa, DNP, APRN, APRN, FNP-C Throughout my career as an advanced practice provider (APP), I have had the opportunity to attend several in-person medical
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Recent Articles
A Model for Success: The AYA Cancer Program at Mass General Cancer Center
Part 2 of a two-part article on caring for adolescents and young adults in oncology At an age when most young people are charting their
Optimizing Prognosis Post-Diagnosis: The Interplay of Diet, Exercise, and Cancer Outcomes
Krystle Zuniga, PhD, RD, CSO, LD Despite a wealth of information on the relationship between modifiable lifestyle factors and cancer incidence, there is a limited
Leadership Forum Provides Networking, Education, Support for APP Leaders in Oncology
Advanced practice provider (APP) leaders face a variety of challenges when it comes to the utilization of APPs in oncology, including setting up a governance
From Chance to Choice: My Journey in Oncology
Jenny Veliz-Urzua, DNP, MBA, FNP-BC, RNFA When I started my career, I was set on primary care. I was motivated by the benefits of disease
Provider Perspective: Building an AYA Program at Mass General Cancer Center
Sara E. Stevens, CNP As a young child, I remember thinking I would be a nurse when I grew up, in part due to aunts
A Model for Success: The AYA Cancer Program at Mass General Cancer Center
Part 2 of a two-part article on caring for adolescents and young adults in oncology At an age when most young people are charting their futures, some face an unexpected detour: a cancer diagnosis. For adolescents and young adults (AYAs), typically defined as those between 15 and 39 years old, cancer arrives at a critical juncture of personal development and affects more than just their health.1 Cancer significantly impacts their emotional growth, education, and social lives. This creates a unique set of challenges that go well beyond medical treatment alone.2 Recognizing these distinct challenges, healthcare providers are increasingly focusing on comprehensive care models for AYA patients. One such approach is exemplified by the Mass General Cancer Center in Boston. The Mass General Cancer Center’s AYA Cancer Program model aims to address the multifaceted needs of AYAs facing cancer, offering a blueprint for supportive care that encompasses the whole person.3 Learn
APP Career
Why I Chose Oncology: Questions Led to Clarity and Healing
Kelly Goodwin, NP It was the middle of the night Saturday, March 4, 2000, and I had been lying, not sleeping, on the mattress my sisters and I had dragged onto the floor of my parents’ room nearly 2 weeks prior. I heard my mother whisper, “He’s gone.” My father
Develop Yourself: Expanding Your Career as an Advanced Practice Provider
Professional development may or may not help advanced practice providers in oncology climb the career ladder, but it will make your career more rewarding, according to speakers at a session devoted to the topic at the 2023 APP Oncology Summit in Scottsdale, Ariz. The session focused on strategies that can
Why I Chose Oncology: Oncology Chose Me
Beth Sandy, MSN, CRNP, FAPO I cannot talk about why I went into oncology without first talking about why I became a nurse. Growing up, my mom was a nurse on an inpatient medical-surgical unit. She would work every other weekend, and part time when she needed to, particularly the
Oncology Connection
Diagnosis & Treatment
Lifileucel: The First Tumor-Derived Autologous T-Cell Immunotherapy Approved for Metastatic Melanoma
June 5, 2024
Bethany Pan,, PharmD, Ryan Beechinor, PharmD, BCPS, BCOP Metastatic melanoma presents as a highly immunogenic form of cancer characterized by extensive mutational load and variations within and between tumors. This unique immunogenic
Radiation for HPV-Associated Oropharyngeal Cancer: Less is More?
June 5, 2024
Beth Sandy, MSN, CRNP, FAPO The most common type of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) is oropharyngeal cancer, which arises from the back one-third of the throat, mainly
The Role of CAR T-Cell Therapy and Bispecific T-Cell Engager Antibodies in Multiple Myeloma
January 3, 2024
Nilesh Kalariya, PhD, AGPCNP-BC, AOCNP, and Amy Barker, MSN, APRN, FNP-C We have witnessed dismal overall outcomes in individuals with relapsed and/or refractory (R/R) multiple myeloma (MM) for many years. However, the
Advances in the Treatment of High-Risk, Early-Stage Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Current Landscape and Future Directions
December 29, 2023
Manali Bhave, MD Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for 15% to 20% of all breast cancer cases1 and is characterized by aggressive disease associated with early recurrence and high mortality. Current advances
Insulinoma: Diagnostic Challenges and Strategies
December 29, 2023
Sijimol Mathew, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC Insulinomas originate from the uncontrolled growth of pancreatic beta cells. Chronic and recurrent hypoglycemia lowers the patient’s threshold to hypoglycemic insults; additionally, early morning hypoglycemia makes insulinoma
New Therapeutic Approvals in Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma
October 11, 2023
Nilesh Kalariya, PhD, AGPCNP-BC, AOCNP The bispecific antibodies have shown an impressive response rate with tolerable safety profile in patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma (R/R MM). The Food and Drug
APP Education
Can I Afford to Attend an Oncology Conference?
October 11, 2023
Survey Finds APPs Are Divided in Attitudes Toward Medical Aid in Dying
December 19, 2022
Oncology PA Fellowship FAQ
April 20, 2022
Oncology Connection
Practice Improvement
A Model for Success: The AYA Cancer Program at Mass General Cancer Center
Part 2 of a two-part article on caring for adolescents and young adults in oncology At an age when most young people are charting their
Provider Perspective: Building an AYA Program at Mass General Cancer Center
Sara E. Stevens, CNP As a young child, I remember thinking I would be a nurse when I grew up, in part due to aunts
Treating Cancer with Artificial Intelligence: The Next Generation of Targeted Therapies
Part 4 of an ongoing series David Letsa, MD Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used in healthcare to improve patient outcomes and streamline routine
Caring for Adolescents and Young Adults (AYA) in Oncology
Cancer is a formidable adversary, and for the estimated 86,000 individuals between the ages of 15 and 39 at initial diagnosis in 2023 in the
AI-Assisted Diagnosis: Revolutionizing Cancer Care with Deep Learning
Part 3 of an ongoing series David Letsa, MD Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning into the diagnostic process has begun to transform the
Respectful Patient Care Starts With Your Clinic Notes
Beth Sandy, MSN, CRNP, FAPO In The Oncology Connection, we have had 2 recent articles addressing good patient communication strategies. “Language Matters” reviewed how we
Predicting Cancer with AI: The Future of Early Detection and Diagnosis
Part 2 of an ongoing series David Letsa, MD Cancer continues to be one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Although there is progress
Balancing Care and Self-Care: How to Thrive as a Health Care Provider, Beat Burnout, and Excel Daily
Jenny Veliz-Urzua, DNP, MSN, FNP-BC As health care burnout is related to increased suicidal ideation1 and data demonstrating that health care workers are at increased
Oncology Connection
Solid Tumor
Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasms (IPMNs) of the Pancreas: An Important Radiographic Finding
Bethany Sterling MSN, CRNP, ANP-BC, AOCNP What are IPMNS of the pancreas? Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNS) are benign mucin-producing neoplasms found in the main duct and/or side branch ducts of the
Lifileucel: The First Tumor-Derived Autologous T-Cell Immunotherapy Approved for Metastatic Melanoma
Bethany Pan,, PharmD, Ryan Beechinor, PharmD, BCPS, BCOP Metastatic melanoma presents as a highly immunogenic form of cancer characterized by extensive mutational load and variations within and between tumors. This unique immunogenic
Radiation for HPV-Associated Oropharyngeal Cancer: Less is More?
Beth Sandy, MSN, CRNP, FAPO The most common type of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) is oropharyngeal cancer, which arises from the back one-third of the throat, mainly
Management of Hot Flashes in Patients with Breast Cancer on Anti-Estrogen-Based Therapy: The Role of Non-Hormonal Therapy
Berkin Kutluk, PharmD Candidate 2024, and Abigail Shockley, PharmD, BCOP In patients with hormone-receptor (HR)–positive early-stage breast cancer, adjuvant endocrine therapy administered for up to 5 to 10 years significantly reduces recurrence
Oncology Connection
Hematology
The Role of CAR T-Cell Therapy and Bispecific T-Cell Engager Antibodies in Multiple Myeloma
Nilesh Kalariya, PhD, AGPCNP-BC, AOCNP, and Amy Barker, MSN, APRN, FNP-C We have witnessed dismal overall outcomes in individuals with relapsed and/or refractory (R/R) multiple myeloma (MM) for many years. However, the
New Therapeutic Approvals in Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma
Nilesh Kalariya, PhD, AGPCNP-BC, AOCNP The bispecific antibodies have shown an impressive response rate with tolerable safety profile in patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma (R/R MM). The Food and Drug
Treating Cancer with Bispecific Antibodies: New FDA Approvals
Stephen Michael Clark, PharmD BCOP There have been some exciting advancements in immunotherapy for cancer in the past year, particularly hematologic malignancies. One such advancement is a group of therapies known as
Tecvayli: First FDA-Approved Bispecific Antibody for Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma
Kim Navarrete, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, OCN, and Nilesh Kalariya, PhD, AGPCNP-BC, AOCNP Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematologic malignancy associated with the clonal proliferation of plasma cells. Despite decades of progress with
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The Oncology Connection
Editorial Board
Beth Sandy, MSN, CRNP — Editor-in-Chief
Haleigh Mistry, MS, PA-C
Laura Alwan, PharmD, BCOP
Kelly Goodwin, NP
Ryan Beechinor, PharmD, BCOP
Jenny Veliz-Urzua, DNP, MSN, FNP-BC
Carol Peyton Bryant, DNP, RN, ACNP, CCRN
Victoria Nachar, PharmD, BCOP