Novel Therapies in Oncology: An Individualized Approach

For decades, oncology treatments revolved around chemotherapeutic regimens that have been relatively nonspecific in their approach to cancer cell death. With advancements in genomics and personalized medicine, however, knowledge of the immune system has dramatically increased and methods for treating cancers have become much more individualized. With this increase in knowledge, vast arrays of novel therapies have entered the oncology realm. Nurses are expected to administer these therapies and ultimately manage the resulting toxicities and side effects. Such effects sometimes lead to severe illness, which may require intensive care unit admission. This article reviews novel therapies in oncology and nursing considerations pertaining to these treatment approaches as they relate to solid tumors.