The panel concludes its discussion with insights on challenges and unmet needs in the CML treatment landscape, highlighting ways to better support patients and caregivers.

Advancing CML Management Towards an Ideal Patient Journey

This program was made possible with support from Novartis Pharmaceuticals.

Video content above is prompted by the following:

What are the biggest unmet needs you see for CML patients today, and how do you think emerging therapies and research could address those gaps in the future?

What excites you most about the potential advancements in CML management that may be on the horizon in the next 5-10 years?

How do you envision the CML patient experience being transformed compared to today?

Jorge E. Cortes, MD

Join us for an Educated Patient® Webinar to explore the essential aspects of radiotherapy as a treatment for cancer, in addition to its various types and practical advice on managing side effects.

Navigating Radiotherapy: Confidence Through Knowledge

Hannah Dahn

Experts on cervical cancer offer provide comprehensive insights on the challenges patients experience and discuss ways to improve care.

Cervical Cancer: Insight into the Patient Experience

Emily Davan, RN

My first encounter with Jacqueline Lewis, RN, BSN, OCN, was at Baptist Cancer Center in Memphis, Tennessee. I was there for my second chemo treatment for breast cancer, and she was my nurse. She told me to call her Jackie. Jackie made me feel so comfortable and as if she truly cared about me and my wellbeing.

Chemotherapy is a very scary experience, and Jackie gave me comfort. She talked to me like I was family and explained what to expect as I continued through treatment. She made me feel more comfortable about the changes in my appearance that I was about to encounter. I knew what to expect. Proper education is so essential, and that’s what she provided for me.

I think she goes above and beyond for her patients. I look so forward to talking to her and hope that she takes care of me when I come to the clinic for infusions. In the middle of going through treatment, I lost my mother to cancer in April. Jackie hugged me like a sister and gave me such comforting words of encouragement. I truly needed it because at this time, I felt like the bottom was falling out.

I truly believe the God places you in certain places so that you can meet the people that he wants for you at the times that you need them. Jackie has truly been one of those people! She’s a special person and a very special nurse. She is definitely an asset to Baptist.

I met Jaqueline Lewis, RN, BSN, OCN, in 2017 when I began my first job as an oncology nurse. The first thing I noticed about her was her dedication to the patients and a wealth of knowledge pertaining to oncology. Even though she wasn't my preceptor, she would always include me in learning opportunities.

She was very selfless and treated all the patients as if they were her family. The patients felt very comfortable and safe in Jackie's care, so much so that they would request her to care for them during each treatment. It wasn't possible for her to take every patient. She would always assure them that any of the nurses are capable of caring for them and also great at what we do. Even though she wasn't their primary nurse, she would check in on them to show her love and concern.

She helps patients both during and after treatment. She organizes and raises money for breast cancer awareness. Jackie is also active in the local Oncology Nursing Society chapter and serves on the board.

In addition to consistently expanding her oncology knowledge, she goes above and beyond for the patients. She helps the patients in any way that she can. Whether it be monetary or just simply showing up to important events in their lives, Jackie has always shown up for her patients. Most recently, she helped to provide Christmas gifts for the children of a patient that died.

Jacqueline Lewis, RN, BSN, OCN, is a dedicated oncology nurse at Baptist Cancer Center, known for her compassionate care and deep commitment to her patients. She provides emotional support and education, making patients feel like family during their chemotherapy treatments. Beyond her clinical duties, Jackie actively participates in breast cancer awareness initiatives and the local Oncology Nursing Society chapter. Her selflessness extends to personal gestures, such as organizing support for patients' families. Her actions and dedication make her an invaluable asset to the healthcare community.

A colleague and a patient with cancer each submitted nominating essays about an oncology nurse who made an impact in their lives.

Selfless Acts of Service in Cancer Care

Marie Davis, RN-BSN

November is one of my favorite months of the year. It signifies transformation, reflection and gratitude. This month also symbolizes an opportunity to embrace change and what truly matters in life according to the spiritual ark. When I was diagnosed with colon cancer at the age of 34, it provided me a chance to look at life from a different perspective. It helped me understand what truly mattered most. My emotions around this time of the year and my connection to cancer made me grow in all areas of my life. In this blog, I want to take a moment and share with you what I am most grateful for after cancer and why.

To begin, what I am most grateful for after cancer is my second chance at life. I never took the time to actually cherish how lucky I am to wake up every morning. To just open my eyes and appreciate all the wonderful things around me is an incredible feeling that I encounter. One of my favorite moments when I wake up in the morning is to see the sunrise. I love to look up at the sky and see how beautiful the horizon is. It is definitely breathtaking to set eyes on. 

Moreover, it is crazy to realize how precious your life is until a traumatic event occurs. Not in a million years would I have ever thought that I was going to be treated for colon cancer, especially at such a young age. Yet, I truly believe that everything you go through has a purpose. It is ultimately up to you to figure out what the life lessons are and be mindful of them with the sole purpose of embracing change.

In my personal experiences, a few of these changes consisted of the following: self-love, setting boundaries and advocating for myself. All of these dynamics influenced me to become the best, authentic version of myself. It gave me a sense of purpose as well as identifying what truly mattered most in my life. By embracing self-love, I began to put myself first and didn’t feel guilty when I said no to the people around me. It gave me a sense of inner peace and power that I struggled with before my diagnosis of colon cancer. I felt empowered knowing that it was OK to say no.

In the case of setting boundaries, I learned to be more outspoken and put my foot down when I had to. By doing so, I did not allow people to take advantage of my kindness and generosity. However, advocating for myself was a challenge because I always had a difficult time expressing my feelings when something genuinely bothered me. After being diagnosed, I learned that advocating for myself was a significant way for people to hear my voice and for me to share my thoughts and emotions.

What I am most grateful for is my second chance in life because, without life, I would not be here to share my story with you. I am beyond blessed and grateful to be a cancer survivor. I would love to take this opportunity and say thank you, dear reader, for your continued support by reading my blogs. Indeed, I hope and pray that my story inspires and encourages you to always love yourself and never give up on your dreams. KEEP SHINING BRIGHT!! Forever BLESSED.

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A cancer diagnosis at a young age prompted a profound transformation, leading to a deeper appreciation for life and the development of self-love, boundary-setting, and self-advocacy. The experience underscored the importance of embracing change and recognizing life's preciousness. The author expresses gratitude for a second chance at life, emphasizing the significance of personal growth and empowerment. This journey has fostered a sense of purpose and authenticity, encouraging others to prioritize self-care and resilience. The narrative serves as an inspirational testament to the power of gratitude and personal evolution.

With Thanksgiving coming soon, I find that November is the perfect time to reflect and gather feelings of gratitude as a cancer survivor.  

Feelings of Gratitude in November as a Colon Cancer Survivor 

Carla Deschamps

I’m going to pose a question now to everyone. How can the medical team improve the care of patients with brain metastases? Perhaps we can start with having Ivy and Katie speak to that.

Patients need information. That’s probably the most important thing. When you’re diagnosed, everything is thrown at you. I think patients need to understand what brain metastasis means, how that can impact their lives, if they’re asymptomatic versus symptomatic, what the options are for treatment, both short term and possibly long term. That needs to be laid out to people in an easily understandable way up front. I also think patients need to understand what the ongoing management is going to be for brain metastases, how often they’ll be scanned, if you have certain symptoms, when you should bring that up and maybe recommend moving a scan up earlier. But basically, what it comes down to is increased information.

I agree. We’ll have Ralph, after Katie has a chance to speak, but that’s exactly what the ABTA [American Brain Tumor Association] survey results showed us, too. But Katie, do you want to add to that?

I agree with everything Ivy said, although I have already said I’m the patient who doesn’t want to hear all the worst-case scenarios. I don’t know how I would have responded if a doctor said, “Listen, I need you to be looking for these things,” because then I would be like, “Oh my god, I think that symptom happened to me last week, I think I have a brain tumor, I think you need to scan me right now.” But I think I’ve gotten a little bit better now that I’m seasoned at dealing with this.

Another thing that was shocking to me was, I’m not claustrophobic, I didn’t think I was, until I got a brain scan. That’s a very different scan. If you think, “Oh, I’ve done scans, I know what I’m doing,” and suddenly you’re going headfirst down a very narrow tube with a cage on your head, it’s terrifying. To this day, if I ever hear of someone having to go in for a brain scan, I’m always very careful with how I present information to other patients. But I always do say, “That one is a little harder for me, and I take a Valium for it.” I call that a cancer perquisite. But Nick has to drive me to those scans now because they still, to this day, I get a lot of anxiety around that particular scan.

 I think your experience is not a rarity, I think other patients have had similar experiences. Ralph, do you want to add to that?

Sure. I think you all know this very well, but patients and caregivers trust you and respect you. When you take the time to sit down and give them clinical trial treatment options, they listen, they absorb it. But it’s important that you also involve your team, your nurses, and your social workers, so that when they leave the office, they trust you, but sometimes they don’t fully understand everything that you have said. Having your support staff following up, working with them on clinical trials is important. Second, the survey shows how much they lean on, and want to know more about, organizations like the ABTA. You can trust us to work with them where they are and then afterward. People like Nick, who is a phenomenal caregiver, we can talk to him about whether he’s interested in being a mentor to others after he feels like Katie is at a place where he can give time to other caregivers.

 I completely agree, Ralph. Dr. Gondi, did you want to add to, how can we as a field improve the care of a patient with brain metastases?

As I listen to Ivy, Katie and Nick speak, it reminded me, at least in my clinical experience, that when systemic cancer goes to the brain, there are a lot of emotions, understandably, there’s a lot of fear, there’s a lot of confusion, consternation. And it’s not just on the patient’s perspective, but even some medical oncologists. What I’ve appreciated is that sometimes medical oncologists, as a brain tumor specialist, and I’m sure Dr. Brastianos, you probably do the same, I just say, “You know what, I’ll take care of the brain. Everything above the neck, I’m going to watch and keep an eye on, and everything below the neck, your systemic oncologist can keep an eye on it, and we’ll do it together.” That collaboration becomes useful. Just during this Zoom call, I’ve gotten a couple of texts from medical oncologists about patients we have, and I think that gives patients and their providers some sense of calm and comfort, that everything is taken care of up here, that we’re OK. If I have a headache, call that doctor who specializes in brain stuff and let him know, so that they can address it. I do think that there is tremendous opportunity to help and augment the care of patients and their providers, especially when we’re talking about the brain.

Of the two concepts I tried to cover, one is that the neurological team, whether they are a surgeon, radiation oncologist, or whatever, they have the knowledge and expertise pertaining to the brain and to the central nervous system. That team is bringing that expertise to help the medical oncologist treat the patient in a complete way. The second concept is that it’s a complicated world, and one specialist within the neuro field cannot handle all the problems of brain metastasis. It does require a whole team of a surgeon, oncologist, radiation, radiologist, and so on and so forth. Bringing all these together in the brain metastasis concept is a great advantage for patients.

 I completely agree. On that note, we can be providing more support to caregivers. Nick, you already alluded to that earlier, but tell us more about how we can help caregivers.

This morning was a good example, my first question to Kate was, “How are you doing?” I think that’s a nice question also to ask a caregiver, how are they doing. I think I would like to see more proactive support offered, and if you do need support, here are avenues you can use to find support and information. Then what do you need as well as a caregiver, what can we do to support you, because we’re here to help the patient. The more that we can be supported to be in a better place to help the patient, the better that could be for us. Even Ivy talked about how she was the patient, she looked after the kids. I’m sure while her husband was working, that was a huge impact on him, as much as there was when I had to go to Pittsburgh, change my schedule, and be there to support Katie in the hospital every day. It would be great for a little more attention to the caregiver, to make sure things are well there, because we’re here to help the patient, and we’re part of the overall story and on the journey together.

That’s so important, Nick, thanks for saying that. Again, thank you to Katie, Nick and Ivy for sharing these deeply personal journeys. We’re so inspired by your stories. Thank you, and we hope that you’ll continue to do well and respond to therapies. I think we’ve reached time. Thank you to everyone who participated in today’s 

® program. I want to thank Ivy and Katie for sharing your story, and my colleagues, Vinai Gondi, Ray Sawaya, Manmeet Ahluwalia, and of course, Ralph DeVitto, for this incredible discussion. To our viewing audience, we hope you found this presentation to be useful and we’ve provided you with practical information that you can discuss with your health care provider. Thank you so much, everyone.

Improving Outcomes for Patients With Brain Metastases

Ralph DeVitto, American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA)

Nick Doble, Caregiver

Katie Doble, Patient

Ivy Elkins, Patient

Following American dietary guideline recommendations may be linked with a lower risk of grade reclassification for patients with grade group (GG) 1 or greater prostate cancer undergoing active surveillance.

, 886 patients with prostate cancer who were in active surveillance were given a survey to identify their typical dietary patterns. At a median follow-up of 6.5 years, 187 patients had a grade reclassification of GG2 or greater, the study showed. Specifically, there were 132 patients with a grade reclassification of GG2 and 55 patients with an extreme grade reclassification of GG3 or greater.

Of note, patients with a higher baseline healthy eating index (HEI) and energy-adjusted HEI were associated with a significantly lower risk of extreme grade reclassification. However, researchers established that dietary inflammatory index (DII) and energy-adjusted DII were not associated with grade reclassification.

“In a prospective cohort study of men with GG1 prostate cancer undergoing 

, we identified an inverse association between adherence to recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans,” wrote the researchers.

Treatment Side Effects, Quality of Life Factors in Prostate Cancer

Based on responses to the survey, the study researchers analyzed how patients’ dietary patterns adhered to the American dietary guideline recommendations. Types of food in line with the recommendations included nutrient-dense foods among basic food groups, such as grains, fruits and vegetables, milk and meat. The recommendations also emphasized limited intake of total and saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol, the study noted.

diet quality, quantifying how well an individual’s dietary pattern adheres to the recommendations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 

,” study lead author Dr. Zhuo Tony Su, said in a news release. “We looked at each patient’s HEI score — as calculated from their dietary information recorded at enrollment in our active surveillance program — and assessed whether men with a higher quality diet were less likely to experience grade reclassification in the years afterward.”

Su is a fifth-year resident at the Brady Urological Institute and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Researchers from the study also noted that their findings could be helpful for counseling patients who will undergo active surveillance following a desire to modify their behaviors.

“Many men diagnosed with low-grade prostate cancer are interested in changes they can make to reduce the risk of their tumor becoming more aggressive, and the role of diet and nutrition is one of the most commonly asked questions,” study co-senior author Bruce Trock said in a news release. “These men are motivated to make changes that may improve their prognosis, which is why we began collecting data on their diets, lifestyles and exposures 20 years ago. Hopefully, these latest findings will enable us to develop some concrete steps they can take to reduce the risk of cancer progression.”

Trock is a professor of urology, epidemiology and oncology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and director of the Brady Urological Institute’s epidemiology division.

“Diet Quality, Dietary Inflammatory Potential, and Risk of Prostate Cancer Grade Reclassification” by Dr. Zhuo Tony Su, et al., 

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Adhering to American dietary guidelines may reduce the risk of grade reclassification in prostate cancer patients under active surveillance. A study involving 886 patients found that those with higher Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scores had a lower risk of extreme grade reclassification. The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) showed no association with grade changes. The findings suggest that dietary modifications could be beneficial for patients seeking to prevent cancer progression. This research underscores the importance of diet quality in managing prostate cancer prognosis.

In patients with low-grade prostate cancer, adhering to the recommended dietary guidelines may slow the risk of prostate cancer progression.

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