On September 21, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted regular approval to selpercatinib (Retevmo®) for adults with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with a rearranged during transfection (RET) gene fusion and accelerated approval for adults with locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors with a RET gene fusion that progressed on or following prior systemic treatment or who have no satisfactory alternative treatment options.
Recognizing past actions, seeking forgiveness, and outlining its approach for the future, the American Nurses Association unanimously adopted a racial reckoning statement in June 2022. According to the association, the statement was the first step in acknowledging previous actions that have marginalized nurses of color and perpetuated systemic racism.
On September 20, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of sodium thiosulfate (Pedmark®) to reduce the risk of ototoxicity associated with cisplatin in pediatric patients aged 1 month and older with localized, nonmetastatic solid tumors.
Health care is a hazardous professional industry. As a calling more than a career, providers understand the risks associated with patient interactions. Florence Nightingale’s environmental theory of nursing calls for nurses to tailor a patient’s surroundings to their treatment plan, and that includes creating a safe space for patients and providers alike.
Nurses bring unique but critical input to diagnostic processes in the emergency department, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reported in August 2022. “Nurses have unique, valuable knowledge based not only on principles of science but also on holism and intuition,” the agency said.
Monitoring early-stage testicular cancer survivors for disease recurrence after surgery using either magnetic resonance imaging or fewer computed tomography scans is just as effective as more frequent intervals, researchers reported in study findings published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
By prohibiting discrimination on the basis of “race, color, national origin, sex, age, and disability,” the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ July 2022 proposed rule strengthens Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, improving civil rights protections for patients in certain federally funded health programs.
Leita, a 42-year-old patient with locally advanced pancreatic cancer, was treated with 5-fluorouracil, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin followed by capecitabine and radiation therapy. After she completed initial treatment, a computed tomography scan conducted in preparation for a possible surgical resection revealed metastatic liver lesions. Leita’s surgery was cancelled, and she began second-line therapy with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel.
You and your colleagues innovate every day—providing individual patient cases, developing best practices, and collaborating on other shared experiences. ONS Voice articles and its new video series, My Practice, can help you disseminate your expertise and guidance to other oncology nurses. Tell us your topic ideas, and ONS Publications staff will help you either write an article or create a video resource illustrating your experience.
On September 15, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reported Baxter Healthcare Corporation’s recall of Clearlink basic solution set with Duovent because of reports of leaks. FDA identified it as a class I recall, the most serious type of recall, where use of the set may cause serious injuries or death.