Navigating R/R FL: A Patient Centered Approach
CANCER BUZZ
Relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma (R/R FL) is challenging to treat, requiring thoughtful clinical decision-making during treatment selection and sequencing. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Benjamin Heyman, MD, hematologist and clinical associate professor at City of Hope, about the importance of individualized care, shared decision-making, clinical trial referrals, and multidisciplinary collaboration. CANCER BUZZ also speaks with Laurie Adami, patient advocate with R/R FL, about her real-world experience with multiple lines of therapy, clinical trials, and patient advocacy. ...
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1st Guest 6 Years Later
CANCER BUZZ
After 6 years of bringing listeners key insights into the most pressing topics in oncology, ACCC’s podcast, CANCER BUZZ, has gotten a facelift! In this episode, CANCER BUZZ brings back our first podcast guest, Tina Curtis, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, executive director of cancer services at Froedtert Hospital. In the June 26, 2019, inaugural CANCER BUZZ episode, Dr. Curtis spoke about her institution’s 24-hour, oncology-only urgent care clinic, which earned the cancer program a 2018 ACCC Innovator Award. Today, she’s returned with her colleague Jayme Cotter to share an update on that program,...
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Championing Lung Cancer Clinical Trials in the VA
CANCER BUZZ
US Veterans are at a heightened risk for lung cancer due to service-related exposures. Integrating clinical research into routine oncology care at the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) can help bring clinical trials closer to where Veterans live and improve access to cutting edge therapies. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Millie Das, MD, chief of oncology at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System, about the collaborations and institutional support that allowed them to launch lung cancer clinical trials and the role industry has played. “My primary motivation...
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Exploring FGFR2b in Gastric and GEJ Cancer
CANCER BUZZ
Fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 isoform IIIb (FGFR2b) is an emerging biomarker present in about 38% of patients with advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Nataliya Uboha, MD, PhD, a medical oncologist at University of Wisconsin Health, about current recommendations for biomarker testing in this population, emerging biomarkers such as FGFR2b, and how multidisciplinary collaboration can ensure patients receive timely biomarker testing. CANCER BUZZ also interviews Wendi Waugh, BS, RT(R)(T), CMD, ODS, FACCC,...
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Unlocking ESR1 Mutations in Breast Cancer
CANCER BUZZ
In metastatic breast cancer, resistance to therapy remains one of the most challenging aspects to care. A key driver of resistance in hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative disease is the ESR1 mutation, a genetic change that alters the estrogen receptor and limits the effectiveness of certain standard therapies. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Eleonara Teplinsky, MD, FASCO, head of breast and gynecologic medical oncology at Valley-Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Care, about how the ESR1 mutation shapes treatment decisions and explains communication strategies, such as the...
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Retired Nurses Supporting the Workforce
CANCER BUZZ
Una Hopkins, DNP, MSN, FNP-BC, NE-BC, RN, FACCC, president of the Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC) designated her theme for the 2025-2026 year as in response to forecasts predicting both patient and survivor populations will grow in coming years. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Dr. Hopkins about the importance of peer-to-peer mentorship in workforce development and empowerment, particularly for nurses, and why retired nurses are well-equipped to provide this mentorship. Later in the episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Josephine Lisowski, RN, BSN, OCN, PRN nurse at Advocate...
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LIVE from NOC: Women Leaders in Oncology
CANCER BUZZ
Synopsis: Live this week from the ACCC 42nd National Oncology Conference (NOC), CANCER BUZZ speaks with Dr. Deirdre Saulet, who discusses highlights from Friday morning’s panel session: Women Leaders in Oncology: Exploring Successful Dyad Models. Guest: Deirdre Saulet, PhD Chief Strategy Officer Jasper Health Resources:
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LIVE from NOC: Hot Topics
CANCER BUZZ
Live this week from the ACCC 42nd National Oncology Conference (NOC), CANCER BUZZ catches up with attendees who highlight takeaways from this year’s hot topic sessions. Guests: Laura Kuzma Administrative Director FirstHealth of the Carolinas Brittany McArn, OPN-CG, CPPN Financial Navigation Manager Outpatient Oncology Services FirstHealth of the Carolinas Resources:
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LIVE from NOC:Serving a Growing Patient Population
CANCER BUZZ
Live this week from the ACCC 42nd National Oncology Conference (NOC), CANCER BUZZ shares highlights from the President’s Fireside Chat, where Una Hopkins leads a dynamic conversation with oncology providers from 3 cancer programs that are designing innovative care models to meet the needs of a growing patient population. Speakers: Dr. Una Hopkins President, ACCC Director, Nursing Research Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center Karla Bowen Director, Nursing Operations Orlando Health Cancer Institute Brian Lasonde Advanced Practice Clinician Manager for Medical...
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LIVE from NOC: Psychosocial Care, Alcohol, Marijuana and more
CANCER BUZZ
Live this week from the ACCC’s 42nd National Oncology Conference (NOC), CANCER BUZZ speaks with ACCC Board of Trustees member Jennifer Bires, who details the highlights from the Wednesday panel discussion she led, “POPS: Navigating Quality Integrative Cancer Support Resources.” Guest: , MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, FACCC Executive Director, Life with Cancer and Patient Experience Inova Health System, Fairfax Hospital Inova Schar Cancer Institute Fairfax, VA Resources:
info_outlineClinical research is critical to the development of life saving treatments. And ACCC has long supported equitable access to clinical trials, including efforts to ensure that these trials reflect the diversity of the populations they serve. ACCC has made the Just ASK™ Training Program and Site Self-Assessment available free-of-charge to help research sites address barriers to participation in cancer clinical trials among racial and ethnic populations. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ facilities a candid conversation with Glyniss Redman, who received treatment at Gibbs Cancer Center and Research Institute for multiple myeloma, and 2 members of her cancer treatment team: clinical research coordinator Audrianna Carrington and oncologist hematologist Dr. Tondre Buck, about overcoming barriers, ensuring shared decision-making, and improving the inclusion of historically underrepresented groups in clinical trials.
“If you look at cancers in general, treatments have gotten better over the years in almost every category, and we wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for clinical trials.” – Tondre Buck, MD
“We’re playing the long game here. Some of the information or this research may not be about me. This is about our future generation…so this is a legacy game for me…This is what I’m doing with my [one] wild and precious life. I want to be here as long as I possibly can, but I also want my offspring: my children, my grandchildren, and my great grandchildren to be here as well and [to] have a better experience as far as health care and cancer.” – Glyniss Redman
“We do have to talk about past unethical experimentation and research in order for us to better prepare how we're going to go forward…[transportation] is one barrier that we are tackling. You know, we don't want to put that stress on the patients who have to choose between gas, their physician visit, their food, or their medicine for the day. So that is a huge barrier, and you really want that population to be represented on the trial, because rural populations tend to have higher cancer rates.” – Audrianna Carrington
Tondre Buck, MD
Oncologist Hematologist
Gibbs Cancer Center and Research Institute
Spartanburg, SC
Audrianna Carrington
Clinical Research Coordinator
Gibbs Cancer Center and Research Institute
Spartanburg, SC
Glyniss Redman
Poet and Patient with Multiple Myeloma
Reference:
Unger JM, Shulman LN, Facktor MA, et al. National estimates of the participation of patients with cancer in clinical research studies based on Commission on Cancer accreditation data. J Clin Oncol. 2024;42(18):2139-2148. doi:10.1200/JCO.23.01030
Resources:
The Just ASK™ Training Program, Site Self-Assessment, and Training Facilitation Guide
Clinical Research Terms Glossary
Increasing Clinical Trial Accrual Through the Implementation of a Clinical Trials Navigator
Gibbs Cancer Center and Research Institute