Sally is a 65-year-old patient with T3N1M0 human papillomavirus–negative cancer of the supraglottic larynx who is beginning treatment with radiation and chemotherapy. She has a history of type 1 diabetes mellitus, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic nephropathy, and hospital admissions for diabetic ketoacidosis. She has been using a continuous glucose monitor and insulin pump to help her effectively manage her diabetes. She is concerned that her chemotherapy regimen will involve taking dexamethasone, which will affect her hard-to-control diabetes.
For the past 244 years, the world has envied the Great American Experience. Civics 101 class equipped us with the U.S. checks and balances system’s elementary pillars:
- Government has three equal branches: executive (the president), legislative (the congress), and judiciary (the courts).
- When legislative laws are disputed, the judicial system interprets a law’s constitutionality.
Although regular population-based skin cancer screening isn’t recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, more Americans are getting full-body skin exams at dermatology visits or other provider services. Data from a new study published in JAMA Dermatology suggest that the screening uptick is associated with increased diagnoses of early-stage, in situ melanoma, leading the researchers to raise concerns about overdiagnosis.
John is a 58-year-old patient who was diagnosed with glioblastoma two years ago. He initially responded well to radiation, temozolomide, and a tumor-treating fields device. His cancer recurred 18 months after diagnosis, and John underwent a second craniotomy that was complicated by a stroke. He became unable to verbally communicate, but John and his partner had previously discussed his desire to participate in clinical trials to help extend his life.
On August 11, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval to fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki (Enhertu®) for adult patients with unresectable or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have activating human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) variants, as detected by an FDA-approved test, and who have received a prior systemic therapy. This is the first drug approved for HER2-variant NSCLC.
On August 10, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted regular approval to capmatinib (Tabrecta®) for adult patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer whose tumors have a mutation leading to mesenchymal-epithelial transition exon 14 skipping, as detected by an FDA-approved test.
To raise awareness and better educate patients and providers about biosimilars’ potential in clinical care, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) added three new fact sheets to its healthcare provider resources in July 2022.
Clinical decision support systems are tools integrated into electronic health records that include reminders for preventive care, evidence-based clinical practice guidelines, order sets, and alerts for drug prescribing. In health care, artificial intelligence converts data into knowledge to guide clinical decisions. When combined, the two technologies can guide advanced practice RNs and other providers with predictions and suggestions that go beyond human accuracy and specificity.
In May 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began tracking cases of monkeypox in the United States, a disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. As of August 2022, 48 U.S states have reported at least some level of monkeypox diagnoses, and the World Health Organization declared the virus a global public health emergency.
To decrease cost and increase access to care, in July 2022 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposed a conversion factor of $33.08 for the 2023 Physician Fee Schedule.