The Professional Home for Oncology Nurses

Unlike other modifiable health factors, the reduced mortality risk that comes from meeting the recommended amounts of physical activity doesn’t decrease as a person ages, according to study findings that researchers reported in JAMA Network Open. In fact, older individuals might even have a slightly greater benefit than their younger counterparts, the researchers said.

For monoclonal antibody administration, priming IV sets with a bolus of the drug rather than normal saline or another fluid reduces administration time from 7–16 minutes, depending on the agent, nurse scientists reported in study results published in the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing. The reduction was statistically significant for obinutuzumab, pembrolizumab, and nivolumab.

My journey into oncology nursing leadership may be a little different from that of current leadership hires, but here’s how it's unfolded over the course of four decades.

On December 11, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) distributed an early alert that it became aware that Fresenius Kabi USA has issued a letter to affected healthcare providers indicating a subset of Ivenix large-volume pumps are to be removed from use for repair. The issue affects model LVP-0004 (UDI 00811505030320).

On November 29, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that Elekta is recalling the disposable biopsy needle kit used with its Leksell Stereotactic System^® because of the risk for microscopic debris on the inside of the biopsy needle. 

On December 13, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved cosibelimab-ipdl (Unloxcyt), a programmed death ligand-1–blocking antibody, for adults with metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma or locally advanced CSCC who are not candidates for curative surgery or curative radiation.