Issues in Oncology

Use of the 31-Gene Expression Profile Test to Aid in the Decision of Adjuvant Treatment of Cutaneous Melanoma

By Jillian Hunt, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, AOCNP

Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in the United States, with over 7,000 deaths annually. Although most patients diagnosed with early-stage (stage I or II) disease have an excellent prognosis, two out of three patients who die from...

Staying Abreast of New Biomarkers in Hematology/Oncology

Presented by Andrew Guinigundo,(1) MSN, RN, CNP, ANP-BC, FAPO, and Grace Baek,(2) PharmD, BCOP

There has been an increasing number of approvals for targeted therapies in oncology in the past decade, changing the treatment paradigm for many solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. At JADPRO Live 2023, presenters provided an in-de...

The Ethics of Genetic Testing for Inherited Cancer-Predisposing Genes

Steven Sorscher,(1) MD, and Alisha T. DeTroye,(2) MMS, PA-C, DFAAPA

Once an individual has been identified as a carrier of an inherited cancer-predisposing gene or pathogenic germline variant (PGV), there are measures that have been proven to prevent and diagnose the associated cancers at an earlier, mor...

Clinical Utility of the 31-Gene Expression Profile Test on the Management of Cutaneous Melanoma by Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants

By Renata Block, MMS, PA-C, Deborah Patterson, MMS, PA-C, Jennifer J. Siegel, PhD, Brian Martin, PhD, Ann P. Quick, PhD, Jillian Hunt, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, AOCNP

Objective: The 31-gene expression profile (31-GEP) can predict the risk of recurrence and metastasis in cutaneous melanoma (CM). We assessed the viewpoints and use of 31-GEP testing by physician assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners (...

When Germline Genetic Testing Results Are Unclear: Highlighting Variants of Uncertain Significance

Patricia Kelly,(1) DNP, APRN, CNS, AGN-BC, AOCN®, Suzanne Mahon,(2) DNS, RN, AOCN®, AGN-BC, FAAN, and Patricia Friend,(3) PhD, APRN-CNS, AOCNS®, AGN-BC

With the advent of high-throughput next-generation sequencing (NGS) and multigene panel testing, genetic testing and interpretations have become increasingly complex. Specifically, reports demonstrating “variant of uncertain significance...

Pancreatic Cancer and the Family Connection: The Role of Advanced Practitioners in Screening and Educating Genetically At-Risk Individuals

Tracy Lowe,(1) PhD, MS, RN, Jane DeLuca,(1) PhD, MS, RN, CPNP-PC, Ludovico Abenavoli,(2) MD, PhD, MSc, and Luigi Boccuto,(1) MD

Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. It has a 95% mortality rate within 5 years of the initial diagnosis. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is the most commonly diagnosed histotype. The avera...

Timely Genetic Testing and Therapy Management in Patients With gBRCA-Mutated Metastatic Breast Cancer Receiving Talazoparib

Ashley Martinez,(1) DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, AOCNP®, CBCN, CPHQ, NEA-BC, Tiffany Jones,(2) MSN, ACNP-BC, Joanne C. Ryan,(3) PhD, RN, Chad M. Barnett,(3) PharmD, BCOP, Elpitha L. Soussou,(3) PharmD, MBA, and Sarah Donahue,(4) MPH, NP, AOCNP®

Talazoparib is a poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor that has demonstrated strong efficacy with manageable side effects for patients with germline breast cancer susceptibility genes 1 or 2 (gBRCA1/2)-mutated, human epidermal gro...

Current Testing Guidelines: A Retrospective Analysis of a Community-Based Hereditary Cancer Program

Margaret Ward,(1) DNP, APRN, AGN-BC, Betty Elder,(2) PhD, RN, and Maryon Habtemariam,(2) DNP, APRN

It is estimated that 5% to 10% of all cancers are related to a hereditary cancer syndrome. However, specific cancers, such as pancreatic and ovarian cancers, are related to hereditary cancer syndromes 15% to 20% of the time. Genetic test...

Multigene Panel Testing for Hereditary Cancer Risk