From clinical updates across cancer types to advances in supportive care, 2025 delivered important insights for oncology nurses and advanced practice providers. Oncology Nursing News’ top articles of the year highlighted patient-centered communication, practical treatment guidance, emerging combination therapies, and resources for clinical decision-making.
5. Patient-Centered Communication Drives Supportive Care Needs in Incurable Cancer
A pilot study presented at the 50th Annual ONS Congress found the Primary Palliative Care Communication Intervention (PRECURSOR) may improve psychosocial experiences for outpatients with incurable gynecologic cancer and their caregivers. Overall acceptability—defined as at least 80% of participants responding “agree” or “completely agree” to each item—was 70% among patients and 78% among caregivers. For the free-listing exercise and its handouts, patients rated both at 70%, while caregivers rated them at 89% and 78%, respectively.
4. Rx Road Map: Subcutaneous Daratumumab in Multiple Myeloma
Sylwia Zielinska, RN, of Vanderbilt University Medical Center provided a nurse’s perspective on using subcutaneous daratumumab (Darzalex Faspro) for multiple myeloma. The guide covers administration technique, key approval data, mechanism of action, recommended dosing, safety signals to monitor, and patient education points prior to treatment. A full video series offers additional practical advice from oncology nurses and APPs.
3. Opinion: Targeted Therapy Plus Immunotherapy Is Promising for ATC
Amanda Brink, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, AOCNP, discussed combination regimens for anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) in patients without BRAF V600E mutations, a group with particularly poor prognosis and no FDA-approved options. Treatment assignments varied by mutation status and included vemurafenib plus cobimetinib with atezolizumab, cobimetinib plus atezolizumab, bevacizumab plus atezolizumab, or a paclitaxel-based chemotherapy regimen plus atezolizumab. Patients with BRAF mutations showed higher overall survival and objective response rates than those with RAS or NF1/NF2 mutations.
2. Onc Nurse On Call: Immunotherapy With Kristin Daly
In the inaugural episode of the podcast Onc Nurse On Call, hosts Stephanie Desrosiers, DNP, and Patricia Jakel, MN, interviewed Kristin Daly, MSN, ANP-BC, AOCNP, about the evolution of immunotherapy and the role of oncology nurses and APPs. Daly discussed common immunotherapy types, outpatient management of adverse effects including premedication and steroid use, patient education analogies, and a practical “head tilt test” she uses to encourage patients to report new symptoms.
1. Making Breast Cancer Treatment Decisions After Endocrine Therapy
Survivorship expert Michelle Kirschner, MSN, RN, ACNP, APRN-BC, outlined considerations for nurses and APPs helping breast cancer survivors decide whether to continue endocrine therapy after five years. She described how the Breast Cancer Index (BCI) can inform whether a patient is likely to benefit from extended therapy and emphasized weighing the clinical benefit against the burden of adverse effects, along with prioritizing the patient’s experiences and concerns in shared decision-making.
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