CACONS CHATTER 2012
SUMMER EDITION
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
7.24.12
Greetings Oncology Nurses,
I wanted to bring you up to speed on a few things that are happening for CACONS.
1.
We will be sending out a survey that we would like for you to complete on the CE events that we
have been having twice a year. We would appreciate your feedback so that we can continue to meet the
needs of CACONS members. It is important that we take a step back and evaluate the programs so your
feedback would be greatly appreciated.
2.
Please don’t forget about the cancer prevention study through the American Cancer Society.
For more information about CPS-3, please visit cancer.org/cps3, email cps3@cancer.org or call toll-free 1888-604-5888.
3.
Nominating committee is preparing the 2013 CACONS Ballot. If you are interested in any of the
following positions: President –elect, Secretary, Director at large, please contact Mary Jerome at
Mary.Jerome@ccc.uab.edu – Nominating chair; Look for the call for nominations in Mid-August and the
ballot in October.
4.
There is also Board appointed committees such as Programs, Nominating, Newsletter, and
Membership. These committees are a great way to learn about the board and the processes of CACONS
and develop your leadership skills. If you are interested in any of these, please submit your name to me
at dkwalker@uab.edu . These positions are a one year commitment.
5.
SAVE THE DATES:
September 18th, 2012 – Dinner and CE -Nutrition in the Cancer Patient /Abbott Nutrition– American
Cancer Society, 6pm
October 16th, 2012 – Dinner and CE - Multiple Myeloma match up – Location TBD, Christopher Friese,
PhD, RN AOCN from University of Michigan School of Nursing
November 6th, 2012 –Dinner and CE -David Mooney, MD Hem/Onc Fellow–Overview of Targeted Therapy
January 15th, 2013 - TBD
February 9th, 2013 --Winter CE Blitz – UAB School of Nursing
March 12th, 2013 – LLS/ Reich Family sponsored event
May 21st, 2013
6.
Some things in the pipeline from National ONS.
Your national dues will now include your local dues in the near future. So no more paying twice!!
If you are a member of national, you are automatically considered part of your local chapter. How
exciting!
For those of you interested in BMT – stay tuned for a new certification coming from ONCC!
Fees for Congress 2013 in Washington DC are going to remain stable! YAY! Be on the lookout for
information on a “Oncology Nurses Hill Day” April 24, 2013 in D.C. –space will be limited
Well, I think that is enough for now. Please come to the meetings for further updates! Hope to see all of
you soon.
All My Best,
Debbie Walker
CACONS President
NEW DRUG UPDATE
Our drug highlight this issue is on crizotinib (Xalkori). Crizotinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor with action
against anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) and c-Met tyrosine kinases. It has been approved for the
treatment of non-small cell lung cancer patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase – positive mutations
(ALK positive). In non-small cell lung cancer, the incidence of ALK positivity is estimated to be 5% (2-7%).
This seems like a small number, but with 221,000 new cases of lung cancer yearly, about 10,000 patients
might benefit from this drug. This mutation has also been found in anaplastic large cell lymphoma,
neuroblastoma, and inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor, though the only indication at this time is in
NSCLC.
The crizotinib package insert lists warnings and precautions to include hepatotoxicity, pneumonitis, and
QT interval prolongation. It is required that the tumor be proven to have ALK positivity prior to use of the
drug, and a warning is in place for use in pregnancy due to potential fetal harm. Deaths were experienced
with hepatotoxicity, and the PI states that hepatic function should be monitored monthly if patients have
grade 2-4 elevations, and dosage adjustments made. Also note that crizotinib is metabolized by the liver,
so drug interactions are possible. The most commonly reported side effects were vision disorders (62%)
and gastrointestinal disorders.
In phase 1 and 2 clinical trials, crizotinib treated patients had an overall response rate of 50% in one trial
and 61% in the other. The durations of response in these trials were 41.9 months and 48.1 months
respectively.
New Member Spotlight: Nan Farr
Our new member highlight this issue is on Nan Farr. Nan is our new Membership Chairperson for
CACONS, and we appreciate her agreement to serve in this role. Nan is a nurse in the Clinical Research Unit
at UAB, where she has worked for 20 years. The nurses on this unit work to implement phase I, II, and III
clinical trials. Most of these patients have failed conventional therapy for their malignancy, or are
diagnosed at an advanced stage. They have agreed to participate in clinical trials in the effort to identify
new drugs or treatments for their cancer. Many of the treatments these nurses administer are biologic
response modifiers singularly or in combination with radiation and/or chemotherapy. Nan says that it is
the psychosocial aspect of oncology nursing that she enjoys the most, working with patients at a difficult
time in their illness.
Nan has 2 cats, Harry Truman is 21 and Nahla is 10 years old. Nan is close to her family, and several years
ago took her nephew and one of his friends to the US and British Virgin Islands where they all enjoyed
snorkeling and exploring the beach. She loves to garden, and read.
Thanks again Nan for serving our chapter.
2011—2012 CACONS Board Members:
Debbie Walker, President (dkwalker@uab.edu)
Ronda Carlisle, Treasurer (ronda.carlisle@ccc.uab.edu)
Jeanne Dockery, Secretary (jdockery@uambc.edu)
Nan Farr, Membership (Nkfarr@uabmc.edu)
Marilyn Pritchard,Programs (Marilyn.Pritchard@BHOALLC.com)
MaryNell Winslow, Director at Large (mwinslow@uabmc.edu)
Mary Jerome, Nominating Committee (mary.jerome@ccc.uab.edu)
Pam Dixon, Virtual Website/e-Newsletter, (pam.dixon@ccc.uab.edu)