Journal of oncology pharmacy practice : official publication of the International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners
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J Oncol Pharm Pract · Mar 2021
Case ReportsLarotrectinib followed by selitrectinib in a novel DCTN1-NTRK1 fusion undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma.
Neurotrophic receptor tyrosine kinase fusions cause overexpression or activation of kinase and are believed to confer oncogenic potential in some non-rhabdomyosarcoma soft tissue sarcomas. TRK inhibitors have recently been shown to induce responses in these tumours though current experience with these agents is still limited. ⋯ The initial rapid and drastic response of our patient to larotrectinib was not sustained due to the development of acquired resistance. This case emphasizes the need for upfront and periodic next-generation sequencing testing to guide treatment of patients with refractory non-rhabdomyosarcoma soft tissue sarcomas.
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J Oncol Pharm Pract · Mar 2021
Outpatient clinical pharmacy practice in the face of COVID-19 at a cancer center in New York City.
With the rapid spread of COVID-19 in New York City since early March 2020, innovative measures were needed for clinical pharmacy specialists to provide direct clinical care safely to cancer patients. Allocating the workforce was necessary to meet the surging needs of the inpatient services due to the COVID-19 outbreak, which had the potential to compromise outpatient services. We present here our approach of restructuring clinical pharmacy services and providing direct patient care in outpatient clinics during the pandemic. ⋯ The swift transition to telemedicine allowed the provision of direct clinical pharmacy services to patients with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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J Oncol Pharm Pract · Mar 2021
The role of fentanyl in the treatment of breakthrough cancer pain: Different biotechnologies, different results and different drug costs.
The aim of this paper was to assess the drug costs of the different biotechnologies (intranasal fentanyl spray (INFS), oral transmucosal fentanyl citrate (OTFC) and fentanyl buccal tablet (FBT)) in the treatment of breakthrough cancer pain (BTCP). We have calculated the mean drug costs (expressed in euros (€)) for patients treated for BTCP. INFS resulted the less expensive towards OTFC and FBT, with 697 440 €versus (vs.) 809 552 €vs. 779 662 €every 100 patients treated for BTCP, respectively. In conclusion, combining drug costs of different biotechnologies (INFS, OTFC and FBT) with the measure of efficacy represented by the reduction of BTCP avoided (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, ICER), INFS resulted in better cost-effectiveness.