By Kathleen A. Gamblin, RN, BSN, OCN Posted: December 2017 The nursing perspective and the views of other ancillary specialties are frequently missing in the thoracic oncology literature. This deficiency needs to be addressed; the current model of healthcare delivery in the US and around the world includes an ever-expanding role for nurses, nurse practitioners,…

By Carol Brimacombe, State Registered Occupational Therapist (SROT) Posted: October 2017 The emerging role of allied health professionals in the multidisciplinary thoracic cancer team (MDT) is only just being acknowledged by the wider oncology community. How best to define and integrate their role into disease management remains a challenge. In the United Kingdom (UK), patients…

Posted: June 2017 By Kimberly Rohan, ANP-BC Treatment for patients with NSCLC today has become increasingly personalized over the past few years. It is paramount to be able to test a patient’s tumor for mutations and other molecular aberrations to provide the most effective care. In 2004, the observation was made that somatic mutations in…

Posted: April 2017 By Anne Fraser, Oncology Nurse Practitioner Immunotherapy has changed the landscape of lung cancer treatment, offering hope to advanced lung cancer patients. Immunotherapy works by activating the patient’s immune system, helping it to better fight and destroy the cancer cells. Cancer cells evade death from T cells by expressing PD-L1 (programmed death…

Posted: February 2017 By Lori Alexander, MTPW, ELS, MWC WCLC 2016 offered focused education for nurses and allied health professionals through its nursing track, as well as through special nursing workshops held before the official start of the conference. The sessions addressed a range of topics, including the use of technology and social media, preparing…

By Beth Eaby-Sandy, MSN, CRNP, OCN, Massey Nematollahi, RN, MScN, OCN, CON, Diana Borthwick, MSc, PGD, and Beth Ivimey, RN United States of America There are now 2 distinct immunotherapy drugs approved, nivolumab and pembrolizumab, for the treatment of NSCLC after failure of platinum-based chemotherapy. Both nivolumab and pembrolizumab produce similar response rates and toxicity…

By Beth Eaby-Sandy, MSN, CRNP, OCN As a nurse practitioner in an academic center in the US, I work in a thoracic medical oncology practice; however, in the US, it is uncommon for nurses or other advanced practice providers to specialize in one cancer disease site. According to the NCI website, 85% of oncology patients…