Researchers from Wellspring, a Canadian nonprofit organization that supports and educates people with cancer, together with a team of patient-support consultants, have developed a 1-day program that appears to have reduced emotional exhaustion and burnout in oncology nurses.

Epidemiologist Jack Cuzick, PhD, and colleagues, writing in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute in April, concluded that “tamoxifen-induced reductions in breast density can be used to identify women who will benefit the most from prophylactic treatment with this drug.”

A team of researchers from the University of Connecticut at Storrs and the National Cancer Institute, analyzing US national health data on more than 4,000 racially diverse adults aged 75 years and older, has concluded that despite “ambiguity of recommendations for this group,” cancer screening rates are high in this population.

In a Canadian study of more than 14,000 breast cancer survivors over 65 years of age, current use of tamoxifen appears to be associated with a small increased risk of diabetes. The findings do not mean tamoxifen is a direct cause of diabetes in this patient population, the study authors emphasized, but they said its use may increase diabetes risk in older women who already have known risk factors for diabetes, such as obesity or a family history of the disease.

A survey of more than 500 long-term survivors of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) has revealed that more than one-third experience persistent or worsening symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with nearly 4 of 10 cancer survivors stating they still experience symptoms of PTSD more than a decade after their cancer diagnosis.

The often-weakened immune systems of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy put them at greater risk of acquiring life-threatening infections in community and hospital settings, including during appointments for outpatient treatment.

CME
Patient education and counseling are essential in women at increased risk for ovarian and endometrial cancer. Women must be educated regarding the signs, symptoms, and risks associated with these cancers.
•The Complexity of Hereditary Cancer Syndromes

Dying from cancer is predominantly an elder experience. The person with major responsibility to provide care for the ill family member is often the patient’s spouse, who frequently is an older adult.

Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10, is a naturally occurring, lipid-soluble antioxidant and an essential electron carrier involved in the mitochondrial respiratory chain. In mitochondria, CoQ10 functions as a coenzyme that assists in the oxidative phosphorylation of nutrients, leading to production of cellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP), or energy.

Vemurafenib is a protein kinase inhibitor that blocks the mutated gene protein BRAFV600E so that the cascade of messages that drive cell division and prevent apoptosis is stopped, resulting in tumor shrinkage.

In September 2011, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved marketing of the HE4 Test (Fujirebio Diagnostics, Malvern, Pennsylvania) along with the CA-125 test in the Risk of Ovarian Malignancy Algorithm, called ROMA, to determine the likelihood of finding malignancy at surgery in premenopausal or postmenopausal women presenting with an ovarian adnexal mass.

The National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM) organization, which began its campaign in 1984, is a partnership of more than a dozen national professional medical associations, public service organizations, and government agencies that work together year-round to promote awareness of breast cancer, share up-to-date information about the disease, and provide greater access to screening services.

News of note from the current literature.

Nearly 3,000 people died in the 9/11 tragedy 10 years ago. Yet I cannot help but put this fact into the context of one of the most challenging concerns in the field of public health today: cancer.

Results of the AZURE trial revealed small improvements in disease-free and overall survival when zoledronic acid was used in addition to adjuvant therapy in a subgroup of early-stage breast cancer patients who had been postmenopausal for more than 5 years.

A new study of collaborative oncology practice models showed that the greater use of nonphysician practitioners (NPPs) led to an increase in productivity for the practice and was satisfying for both physicians and the NPPs. This provides one potential solution for the predicted shortage of oncologists in the next decade.

A statewide survey of oncology nurses administering ambulatory chemotherapy found a high rate of self-reported chemotherapy exposure, with nearly one-fifth of nurses surveyed experiencing skin and eye exposure in the last year.

Older patients may fail to consume their medications as prescribed because of faulty memory, a lack of understanding about the treatments they are being given and their importance, or concerns about cost.