Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 8, 2026
06:07
Monitoring PD-1-Blocking Antibodies Bound to T Cells Derived from a Drop of Peripheral Blood
Published on: February 5, 2020
5.7K
Supporting People Treated with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: A Qualitative Study Exploring Oncology Healthcare
Tessa Watts1, Stephen Jennings2, Sally Anstey3
1Reader, School of Healthcare Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales.
Seminars in Oncology Nursing
|October 31, 2024
Summary
Oncology professionals find immune checkpoint inhibitors beneficial but challenging. Continuous education and proactive patient monitoring are crucial for managing adverse events and optimizing patient care during immunotherapy.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunotherapy
- Cancer Treatment
Background:
- Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) offer new hope for advanced cancers, but can cause severe immune-related adverse events (irAEs).
- Oncology healthcare professionals play a critical role in managing ICI therapy safety and patient outcomes.
- Understanding healthcare professionals' experiences with supporting patients on ICIs is essential for optimizing care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the experiences of senior oncology healthcare professionals supporting patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors.
- To identify challenges and best practices in managing irAEs associated with ICI therapy.
- To understand the perceived needs for education and support among healthcare professionals administering ICIs.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative exploratory study utilizing semi-structured interviews.
- 18 senior oncology healthcare professionals, including 12 nurses, participated.
- Data analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.
Main Results:
- Professionals acknowledge ICI benefits but face challenges with treatment ambiguities and workload.
- Proactive patient monitoring is vital for early detection and reporting of irAEs.
- Continuous enhancement of immunotherapy knowledge and formal education are needed for healthcare professionals.
Conclusions:
- While ICIs improve disease outcomes, unpredictable irAEs present significant management challenges.
- Nurses are pivotal in supporting patients on ICIs through expert knowledge and care coordination.
- Effective ICI management necessitates nurses' specialized immunotherapy knowledge and cross-boundary care coordination skills.
Related Concept Videos
02:49Cancer Therapies
Cancer therapies are various modes of treatment, such as surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy that are administered to cancer patients.
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
02:56Treatment Resistant Cancers
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. A cancer cell is genetically unstable and hence can mutate faster. They can also modify their microenvironment and escape immune surveillance. The difficulties in treating cancer are further compounded by the emergence of rapid resistance to anticancer drugs. The most common ways to attain resistance in cancer cells include alteration in drug transport and metabolism, modification of drug target, elevated DNA damage response, or...
02:49Cancer Therapies
Cancer therapies are various modes of treatment, such as surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy that are administered to cancer patients.
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
01:27Nursing Ethical Principles II
Ethical principles are essential in guiding nurses to fulfill their responsibilities, focusing on the quality of nursing care and decision-making. These principles, including autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, and fidelity, shape the ethical framework within healthcare settings.
Consider the following scenario, which illustrates how these principles are applied in the care of Mr. John, a fifty-year-old teacher diagnosed with metastatic liver cancer.
Initially, Mr. John's cancer...
Consider the following scenario, which illustrates how these principles are applied in the care of Mr. John, a fifty-year-old teacher diagnosed with metastatic liver cancer.
Initially, Mr. John's cancer...
01:27Tumor Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is a treatment that boosts or manipulates the immune system to fight diseases, including cancer. For instance, by stimulating an immune response through vaccinations against viruses that cause cancers, like hepatitis B virus and human papillomavirus, these diseases can be prevented. Nonetheless, some cancer cells can avoid the immune system due to their rapid mutation and division. The immune response to many cancers involves three phases: elimination, equilibrium, and escape.
01:30Cancer Vaccines
Cancer treatment vaccines are a rapidly evolving field that offers a promising approach to immunotherapy. Unlike traditional vaccines that prevent diseases, cancer treatment vaccines are designed to treat existing cancers by stimulating the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.
Cancer vaccines come in two categories: preventive (prophylactic) and treatment (active). Preventive vaccines, such as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, protect against viruses that cause certain...
Cancer vaccines come in two categories: preventive (prophylactic) and treatment (active). Preventive vaccines, such as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, protect against viruses that cause certain...