There are more than 2 million new cancer patients in the U.S. each year, and over 600,000 deaths, according to the National Institutes of Health’s National Cancer Institute. With nearly every American family touched by cancer in some way, it is no surprise that patients living with cancer and their loved ones often scramble to the internet in search of fast answers—often requiring oncologists to sort fact from fiction in the exam room or at the bedside.
The JAMA Network™ has long published its “Patient Page” feature to help physicians offer accurate, digestible, visual guides that patients can take home and share with family. Patient Pages provide a basic definition of the condition or issue, along with symptoms, consequences, diagnosis, treatment and prevention.
As part of a series of upcoming news articles curating these outstanding resources, the AMA is highlighting free, recently published “Patient Page” resources of highest relevance to various physician specialties. This article highlights some resources relevant to cancer care and the specialty of oncology.
AMA members can explore an entire range of cutting-edge, peer-reviewed research and clinical information. The JAMA Network is a world-class resource for the whole medical community. If you are a member or interested in becoming one, learn how to access these educational materials and innovative tools.
“Blood Clots, or Thrombosis, in Patients With Cancer”
- This JAMA Oncology Patient Page explains the risk, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of thrombosis in patients with cancer. Blood clotting is a normal process in which blood cells (platelets) combine with special proteins (clotting factors) to heal injuries. When clotting occurs within blood vessels, it is called thrombosis. Thrombosis most commonly occurs in the deep veins of the legs or arms, called a deep venous thrombosis (DVT). Parts of a DVT can also break off and travel to the lung, called a pulmonary embolism (PE). People with cancer have higher risk of developing blood clots. Around 15% of patients with cancer will develop a venous thrombosis.
“Cancer Care in the Era of Artificial Intelligence”
- This JAMA Oncology Patient Page explains artificial intelligence (AI) and what patients should know about how it can be used in oncology. Just like your doctors use their knowledge and experience to help treat your cancer, AI—which the AMA characterizes as augmented intelligence—uses its own experience that is based on libraries of data from the internet. This allows it to gain knowledge over time and learn to make decisions based on human experience. AI has the potential to benefit clinical oncology practice greatly, but the use of AI also faces several hurdles. Learn more about the future of AI in cancer care.
“Clinical Trials for Patients With Cancer”
- This JAMA Oncology Patient Page explains clinical trials and what patients should consider regarding enrollment. A clinical trial in oncology is a research study investigating the safety and effectiveness of an intervention to potentially improve outcomes for patients with cancer. They test new therapies, treatment approaches, and diagnostic or screening methods. Trials for new therapies follow a process from phase 1 to phase 4. Learn more about clinical trial eligibility, benefits and barriers to enrolling, questions that patients can ask about enrollment.
“FDG PET Scans in Cancer Care”
- This JAMA Oncology Patient Page explains FDG PET scans and how they are used in cancer care. A fludeoxyglucose-18 (FDG) positron-emission tomography (PET) scan is an imaging test that is commonly used to look for cancer in the body. These PET scans use a substance, called a radiotracer, to highlight areas of activity within the body that are suggestive of cancer. The most common type of PET radiotracer used in cancer care is FDG, which is a radioactive substance similar to glucose (a type of sugar).
- Cancer cells use more glucose than normal cells to grow and spread. Therefore, the FDG radiotracer will pool in areas of the body that have cancer. In this way, FDG PET scans differ from other imaging tests like computed tomography (CT) scans or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which produce detailed pictures of the body’s structures.
“Geriatric Assessments in Older Adults With Cancer”
- This JAMA Oncology Patient Page describes the geriatric assessment used by physicians and other health professionals to evaluate the health of older adults with cancer. The health and well-being of older adults after a cancer diagnosis differs greatly from one person to another and should be carefully reviewed prior to treatment. Research has shown that management guided by the geriatric assessment can benefit patients and decrease adverse effects from chemotherapy.
“Malignant Pericardial Effusion, or Fluid Around the Heart Due to Cancer”
- This JAMA Oncology Patient Page describes the accumulation of excess fluid around the heart caused by cancer, known as malignant pericardial effusion. The fluid accumulates in the sac around the heart (pericardium), which normally has just minimal fluid present. Infection, autoimmune diseases (like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis), kidney failure, heart attack, previous radiation therapy, trauma, and cancer are the most common causes.
“My Loved One Has Cancer—What Does This Mean for Me?”
- This JAMA Internal Medicine Patient Page describes the role and challenges of caring for a loved one with cancer. A cancer diagnosis for a loved one may unexpectedly thrust you into a caregiving role. A caregiver is an unpaid individual who helps a patient with important aspects of care. Find out what cancer caregivers do, the reward and challenges of the role, and how to get support.
In addition to the excellent Patient Page feature, here are other ways physicians can leverage resources from the JAMA Network to help them in their clinical practice:
- Take CME courses and earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.
- Fulfill maintenance of licensure (MOL) and CME requirements on JN Learning™, the new home for all JAMA Network CME.
- Read concise summaries of clinical guidelines and recommendations in a streamlined format designed for today’s busy physicians.
The subscription cost of JAMA® is included with your AMA membership, plus unlimited online and mobile access to all JAMA Network journals, including JAMA Oncology and these other journals: JAMA Cardiology, JAMA Dermatology, JAMA Internal Medicine, JAMA Neurology, JAMA Network Open, JAMA Ophthalmology, JAMA Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, JAMA Pediatrics, JAMA Psychiatry and JAMA Surgery.
The online journals include many helpful features for students, residents and fellows, including full-text PDFs, clinical challenges, archived editions, audio and video author interviews where authors give their perspectives on a study’s objectives, findings and implications.
