March 2023 Vol 16, No 2

The March issue of The Oncology Pharmacist (TOP) contains important news for today’s oncology pharmacist, including potentially practice-changing data presented at national and international conferences, which highlight the advances being made in the treatment of a wide range of cancers, as well as a roundup of recently published research from medical professionals who are striving to make cancer care more accessible and affordable for patients and more cost-effective for the healthcare system. Read More ›

In his keynote address at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, Norman E. “Ned” Sharpless, MD, Former Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and Professor, Cancer Policy and Innovation, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, told attendees that although cancer-related mortality is declining, challenges remain to “end cancer as we know it.” Read More ›

Young women with early-stage, hormone receptor (HR)-positive breast cancer attempting to become pregnant can safely pause endocrine therapy and resume it later, according to initial results from the international POSITIVE trial. Read More ›

An analysis from the ARASENS trial showed that the addition of darolutamide (Nubeqa) to androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) and docetaxel significantly improved overall survival (OS) in subgroups of patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) with high-volume and high-risk disease and should be considered the new standard of care for this patient population. Read More ›

This section provides a brief overview of new cancer drugs and new indications approved by the FDA between December 9, 2022, and February 3, 2023. Read More ›

When it comes to medication adherence for patients, a detailed mathematical analysis from a Rochester Institute of Technology, NY, scientist found that history is likely to repeat itself. Read More ›

Risk model-based lung cancer screening strategies, which select individuals based on personal risk, are more cost-effective than current recommendations based solely on age and smoking history, according to a study led by the Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network (CISNET) Lung Working Group, which includes researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston. Read More ›

Patients with cancer often experience significant financial toxicity due to the high direct and indirect costs associated with their care. These costs include the treatments themselves, as well as a decline in productivity and expenses related to commuting to and from appointments. During the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine use grew exponentially, as it allowed many aspects of oncology care to continue while limiting patients’ and healthcare workers’ exposure to the coronavirus. Read More ›

As of January 25, 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data showed that COVID cases, deaths, and hospitalizations have stabilized after a small surge around the holidays. Read More ›

Results from a new study found that radiation oncologists tend to discuss sexual side effects in women undergoing treatment for cervical cancer far less frequently than they discuss sexual side effects in men undergoing treatment for prostate cancer. Read More ›