A record-breaking 323 drugs are currently in shortage in the United States, according to April 2024 ASHP data. In tandem timing, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced its plan to prevent and mitigate drug shortages and proposed new solutions for policymakers to consider in an April 2024 white paper.

On April 18, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved alectinib (Alecensa^®) for adjuvant treatment following tumor resection in patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)–positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), as detected by an FDA-approved test.

About 7% of the U.S. population identifies as LGBTQ+, but understanding cancer in this population is difficult because surveillance data are limited to national surveys on risk factors and screening, the American Cancer Society (ACS) observed in a special section of its Cancer Facts and Figures 2024 report on cancer in the LGBTQ+ community.

Cancer incidence is increasing throughout the United States, with an unprecedented 2 million new cancer cases predicted in 2024, the American Cancer Society (ACS) reported in Cancer Facts and Figures 2024.

Innovation—a proactive effort to create or build on ideas—is something that oncology nurses and advanced practice providers (APPs) do every day. This month’s 49th Annual ONS Congress^® reminds us to “ignite the extraordinary” and recognize how we can use our strengths to blaze new trails for oncology and health care. Step by step, we all have opportunities to innovate in oncology nursing through evidence-based practice, quality improvement, the development of new products and technology, and research.

Patient navigation has the potential to improve patient satisfaction, reduce health disparities, and ultimately optimize cancer outcomes. However, navigation services are often funded externally through grants or considered unreimbursed administrative costs because of lack of reimbursement. In January 2024, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) established its first coding and payment for principal illness navigation (PIN) services. CMS said that funding the services would improve health equity in patients with serious, high-risk conditions such as cancer.

Optimizing vaccination status is a key element of care for patients with cancer, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) said in the March 2024 publication of its new Vaccination of Adults With Cancer guideline. However, it requires assessing each patient’s unique health profile and active interaction and coordination among healthcare providers, including primary care practitioners, pharmacists, and nursing team members.

Psychological distress in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT) affects overall survival and quality of life, yet nurses have no standard of practice to follow for their psychological assessment, ONS members Brooke E. Trigiani, RN, MSN, OCN^®, and Carolee Polek, PhD, RN, AOCNS^®, BMTCN^®, reported in the February 2024 issue of the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing.

Incidence rates of young-onset colorectal cancer (YO-CRC) in otherwise healthy individuals aged younger than 40 have increased 2% per year during the past four decades, and the trend is projected to continue for at least another 10 years. YO-CRC can have a significant psychological impact on adolescents and young adults (AYAs), and the population needs specialized nursing care.

Dance/movement therapy (DMT) is an integrative symptom management modality that uses the elements of dance and movement along with other body-focused activities, including guided imagery, mindfulness, breath awareness, and therapeutic play to support self-expression and promote well-being. Defined by the American Dance Therapy Association as “the psychotherapeutic use of movement to promote emotional, social, cognitive and physical integration of the individual,” DMT has been used in pediatric cancer settings. However, data on its delivery and outcomes are limited.