Description: HOPA Now is the official podcast of the Hematology/Oncology/Pharmacy Association, an organization dedicated to supporting pharmacy practitioners and promoting the advancement of Hematology/Oncology/Pharmacy to optimize the care of individuals impacted by cancer.

These educational podcasts are part of our BCOP Preparatory and Recertification Course, which is designed to prepare oncology pharmacists preparing to sit for the BCOP Certification Exam, as well as meet the BPS requirement to complete a BCOP Preparatory/Recertification Review Course.

In this episode of HOPA Now, Dr. Linda Barnachea highlights the main points of head, neck, and thyroid cancer risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment options. She begins with head and neck cancer considerations and then moves to thyroid cancer, covering treatment options including dosages and common side effects of the most effective medications, and other considerations for each.

In this episode you will learn:

Head, Neck, and Thyroid Cancer

Induction chemotherapy is a controversial topic for head and neck cancer therapy.
Diagnoses and various risk factor considerations
Pathological features that dictate which treatment is recommended for various diagnoses
Radiation is the main driver in the treatment and chemotherapy adds only a 5–10% benefit to the overall treatment.
Post-treatment follow-up guidelines and further monitoring recommendations
Acute and long-term complications associated with chemotherapy, including mucositis and xerostomia
Differentiated thyroid cancer treatment recommendations, including dosages for multitargeted TKIs and other medications

Mentioned in This Episode:

HOPA

Quotes:

“It’s important to remember that radiation is the main driver in the treatment of this cancer.” — Dr. Linda Barnachea

“Both pembro monotherapy and pembro plus chemo are associated with a longer duration of response and a favorable safety profile.” — Dr. Linda Barnachea