Oncology Issues

Editor-in-Chief: Krista Nelson, LCSW, OSW-C, FAOSW, FAPOS, FACCC

Oncology Issues, Fast Facts,
Volume 40,
Number 2

Fast Facts (April 2025)

Cancer Prevention and Screening Saves Lives

In 5 cancer types, improvements in cancer prevention and screening have averted more deaths combined over the past 45 years than treatment advances, according to a modeling study led by researchers at the National Institutes of Health. From 1975 to 2020, prevention and screening efforts averted 4.75 million deaths from breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancer.

Source. In five cancer types, prevention and screening have been major contributors to saving lives. National Institutes of Health. Published December 5, 204. Accessed December 20, 2024.

BEAT Lung Cancer Initiative Aims to Beat Lung Cancer By...

  • Increasing awareness about biomarker testing and lung cancer screening nationwide
  • Raising awareness among Black patients with lung cancer and caregivers, as well as the larger Black community, about the availability and importance of biomarker testing and lung cancer screening
  • Empowering Black Americans to talk with their doctor about biomarker testing and lung cancer screening.

Source. Closing the gap: new campaign focuses on increasing biomarker testing in high-risk communities. Lung Cancer Association.

Tips for Becoming More Yoda and Less Superman

Leaders who want stronger, more self-sufficient teams, must let them do the work and not just fix everything by:

  • Pausing before you jump in. Instead of immediately fixing a problem, ask your team what they think should be done.
  • Giving your team room to struggle. It’s okay if your team doesn’t get it right the first time. We learn from our mistakes.
  • Setting boundaries. Not everything needs your immediate attention. Teach your team to handle more on their own.

A 2023 Kaiser Foundation survey of adults with health insurance found that 18% said they experienced denied claims in the past year. This figure increased to 22% for those with a mental health claim.

Source. Pollitz K, Pestaina K, Montero A, et al. KFF survey of consumer experiences with health insurance. Kaiser Family Foundation.

Key Findings From 2024 PODCAST Increasing Black Women’s Engagement in Breast Cancer Treatment Lung Health Barometer Survey Respondents

  • Only 28% knew that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the US.
  • Although lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths, only 10% believed that lung cancer is among the most likely cancers to affect women while 35% believed that it was among those likely to affect men.
  • 38% were aware that lifesaving lung cancer screening is now available for those at high risk.
  • 70% agreed that they felt hopeful that the outcomes for those impacted by lung cancer improved over the past 10 years.
  • 73% have not spoken with their doctor about their risk for lung cancer and only 42% are concerned they might get the disease.
  • Only 15% of respondents were aware that the lung cancer survival rate increased by over 50% in the past 10 years.

Source. 2024 Lung Health Barometer. American Lung Association.

more online @ accc-cancer.org

Guiding Principles for Effective Management for CLL

Explore key principles for effectively managing chronic lymphocytic leukemia, with expert insights on treatment strategies, care coordination, and patient-centered approaches.

Optimizing Lung Cancer Care Through Patient Navigation

Learn how patient navigation enhances lung cancer care, with expert insights on improving patient outcomes, supporting care teams, and leveraging new reimbursement opportunities from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Through real-world case examples, discover actionable strategies that have helped other cancer programs successfully integrate patient navigation into practice.

Increasing Black Women’s Engagement in Breast Cancer Treatment

Too often, Black women’s voices go unheard in patient-reported outcomes. In this CANCER BUZZ podcast, hear how the imPROVE study aims to bridge the gap in patient reported outcomes (PRO) data for Black women with breast cancer by enhancing engagement through tailored electronic PROs (ePROs) and partnering with community leaders to address barriers, ensuring accessibility and relevance in community cancer care settings.

Supportive Oncodermatology: Managing Skin, Hair, and Nail Toxicities in Cancer Care

This CANCER BUZZ TV podcast explores common onco-dermatological toxicities, like radiation dermatitis, hair loss, and nail changes, and discusses strategies to help providers intervene earlier and improve patients’ quality of life.

The Ripple Effect of Leadership: Inspiring Change in Cancer Care and Beyond

Barbara Schmidtman, PhD, vice president of cancer care operations at Corewell Health shares how leaders are in a unique position to continually create their own ripple effects. These can manifest in various ways—whether by helping someone advance to the next step in their career or by taking a few extra minutes while rounding to make a special connection with a patient.