March 2018, Vol 8, No 3

Begin End-of-Life Conversations When Diagnosing Metastatic Disease

By Meg Barbor, MPH

Palliative Care

Discussions about prognosis, transitions to palliative care, and the end of life are—to say the least—challenging for patients and providers. But effective, honest, and supportive communications are keys to good clinical care and informed decision-making, according to Dame Lesley Fallowfield, FMedSci, DPhil, Professor of Psycho Oncology, Sussex Health Outcomes Research & Education in Cancer, University of Sussex, Brighton, England. Read More ›

Lutathera First Radioactive Drug Approved for Adults with Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors

Gilotrif Receives New Indication as First-Line Treatment for Metastatic NSCLC with Nonresistant EGFR Mutations

Lynparza First Treatment Approved for Patients with Germline BRCA-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer

Direct Oral Anticoagulants: New Standard of Care for VTE in Patients with Cancer?

By Phoebe Starr

Side-Effects Management

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) may soon replace low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) as the standard of care for the management of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with cancer, judging by the results of 2 randomized trials presented at ASH 2017. The caveat is that DOACs are associated with more bleeding events, especially in patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancer who should continue receiving LMWH. Read More ›

Using Goals-of-Care Videos Can Revolutionize End-of-Life Decisions

Palliative Care

A recent survey by Consumer Reports shows that nearly 90% of Americans prefer to die at home, focused on comfort, and yet 66% of Americans aged >65 years die in a healthcare setting, intubated and in considerable pain. According to Angelo E. Volandes, MD, MPH, Internal Medicine Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, this misalignment between the medical care people want and the care they ultimately receive is the most urgent problem in American healthcare today. Read More ›

Utilization of Palliative Care “Dismal” for Patients with Hematologic Malignancies

Hematologic Malignancies, Palliative Care

The largest-ever study of palliative care trends has shown the use of palliative care services to be “sporadic at best” for patients with hematologic malignancies. According to the review of nearly 300,000 patients, there was also significant heterogeneity in practice patterns, including National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated practices, across all characteristics studied. Read More ›

Regorafenib Dose-Escalation Strategy Potentially a New Standard in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

By Wayne Kuznar

GI Cancers Symposium

A starting dose of regorafenib (Stivarga) 80 mg daily with dose escalation to 160 mg daily was better tolerated than starting at 160 mg daily, with a trend toward improved survival in the management of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Read More ›

Managing Fatigue in Patients with Advanced Cancer

Side-Effects Management

The prevalence of fatigue is very high across the cancer continuum, with approximately 60% of patients with advanced cancer experiencing this condition. Even for patients with curable cancer, fatigue can persist well after treatment has ended. Read More ›

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