Although the incidence of multiple myeloma (MM) is increasing, the median overall survival and the number of agents in the pipeline for treating MM also are increasing. Response rates higher than 80% are not uncommon in the frontline setting when the novel agents thalidomide, lenalidomide, and bortezomib are used in combination. Response rates and survival also have improved in disease that has relapsed after treatment with conventional therapies. The focus of research has now shifted to improving survival and disease response in patients refractory to current treatment paradigms. New agents are targeting new pathways, as well as existing mechanisms known to be effective, but with different safety profiles. Carfilzomib is a potent, selective, irreversible inhibitor of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. The drug is a next-generation proteasome inhibitor found to be safe and effective for patients with relapsed and refractory MM, where treatment options are limited. As with any newly approved agent, one should recognize that drugs within the same class will be administered differently and often cause dissimilar treatment-related toxicities. Oncology nurses are crucial to the successful administration of chemotherapeutic agents such as carfilzomib, and an understanding of management techniques is paramount to quality patient care.

Although research has been conducted to address specific medical and psychosocial needs of breast cancer survivors, little has been done to address needs along the entire trajectory of care. One such need is chemobrain, a phenomenon recognized as an identifiable psychosocial cognitive change in breast cancer survivors. The purpose of this article is to present the findings of a qualitative study conducted with two focus groups of underserved African American breast cancer survivors. Four themes emerged from the transcribed interviews: the concept of chemobrain, variability among individuals, the stigma of chemobrain, and methods of coping. In addition, findings revealed that health professionals were not used by the participants as a resource to address the issues of chemobrain, which holds significant implications for practice. That fact highlights the implications for oncology nursing with respect to providing education and support for patients experiencing chemobrain. Nursing professionals are in a position to be a frontline resource for breast cancer survivors, providing information, education, and coping methods to help improve their quality of life.

Safely administering infusional therapies is my primary role as an oncology nurse working in the outpatient setting. Included in this function are many supportive measures to ensure that each patient has the optimal chance not only to benefit from this encounter, but to experience the least harm. Last September, a 69-year-old retired men's clothing designer named A.C., who had metastatic colon cancer diagnosed in 2006, was scheduled in my clinic to receive IV hydration. This was necessitated by intractable diarrhea presumed to be a result of previous chemotherapy drugs, which had since been discontinued. He reported emptying his colostomy of two to three liters of liquid stool per day and had recently been discharged from a four-week inpatient stay for the same reason. He was still receiving single-agent IV immunotherapy every two weeks, which, as indicated on computed tomography scan, had kept his disease stable; however, A.C. suffered daily with the effects of prolonged, unrelenting diarrhea. Of note, A.C. was a Medicare recipient and also maintained long-term disability that provided a home health attendant (HHA) for both he and his wife, who had multiple sclerosis.

Objective:

To assess whether histamine type 2 receptor antagonists (H2RAs) improve overall survival when used as pre-, peri-, or postoperative therapy in patients with colorectal cancer who had surgical resection with curative intent.

An urgent need exists to identify innovative and evidence-based educational methods to help oncology nurses provide safe and high-quality patient care. One promising solution is the dedicated education unit (DEU) educational model, which partners nursing faculty and skilled nursing clinicians to facilitate the clinical experience of undergraduate baccalaureate nursing students. This article describes the collaborative DEU initiative developed between a university school of nursing and a tertiary cancer center to provide senior nursing students with an innovative method to develop their competencies in oncology nursing practice and care.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a systemic malignancy of plasma cells often characterized by sternal, rib, or back pain. This article describes how a patient who had chest pain for more than one month was mistakenly diagnosed with reflux esophagitis. Healthcare providers should be mindful of MM when determining the source of unidentified chest pain in patients.

One of the most significant world epidemics in history, HIV/AIDS, has been a research priority since its discovery in 1981. This review article provides an update on HIV/AIDS, with a specific focus on the diagnosis and care of patients with HIV- and AIDS-associated cancers.

Oncology nurses should be aware of smoking-related public health legislation and tobacco use prevention resources as well as increase their knowledge of psycho-education materials, medications, and products available to aid smoking cessation. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death; one out of five deaths in the United States is attributed to smoking. Each day, almost 4,000 Americans younger than age 18 try their first cigarette, and 1,000 of those youths will become regular smokers. In 2009, House Resolution 1256: The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act gave the U.S. Food and Drug Administration the authority to regulate tobacco products with emphasis placed on prevention of the use by youth through graphic health warnings. Most states and many countries have enacted bans on smoking in all enclosed public places; however, some still allow smoking in adult-specific venues, such as bars, and some have not enacted any general statewide ban on smoking in any nongovernment-owned spaces. Oncology nurses can be instrumental in advocating for tobacco control legislation as well as providing and supporting services focused on smoking cessation and the prevention of tobacco use.

The objective of the current article was to assess the psychosocial impact of treatment-related infertility or the possibility of infertility on young women with cancer in contrast to the general population. Literature on the subject of female infertility among the general population and treatment-related female infertility among young women with cancer was identified and examined in the context of what is known about the psychosocial impact of infertility among the general population. Women whose fertility was affected by cancer treatment were likely to experience negative emotional reactions, which can strain their relationships. Additional concerns included receiving inadequate information about infertility, enduring distress, and feeling uncertainty regarding fertility status.

Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States and globally. African Americans experience significant differences in lung cancer incidence and mortality. Smoking is the single greatest risk for lung cancer, making smoking cessation programs a potentially fruitful approach for reducing the risk of lung cancer. Despite clinical practice guidelines that prompt nurses to advise patients to quit smoking, only a small percentage of nurses do so. Minority patients are less likely than Whites to receive smoking cessation advice. This article discusses recent findings on the pathophysiology and risks for lung cancer. The literature on smoking cessation research is examined to determine the features of successful cessation interventions. Recommendations are offered for enhancing tobacco cessation efforts in nursing practice, education, and research.