Also, speaking of films, NIFA has posted a new, 5-minute promotional video to our home page. We think it does a better-than-ever job of explaining our training and SutureStar® workshops to potential students and hospital decision makers. We’re proud – go to rnfa.org and take a look!
Lung Cancer Treatment News
After 40 years of smoking, she survived lung cancer thanks to new treatments
Yuki Noguchi of National Public Radio reviews factors that have helped increase the survival rate for lung cancer, including new treatments and increased screening in the form of low-dose CT scans for people over 50 who were heavy smokers. It also addresses the fact that only 4.5% of those eligible actually get the scans (compared to more than 75% for mammograms), and the curious reluctance behind their holding back. (April 2024) Read or listen to article. . .
Lung-sparing Surgery is Effective for Some with Early-stage Lung Cancer
“When lung cancer is found early . . . people usually have surgery to remove the tumor,” writes Elia Ben-Ari in a March 2023 article on the National Cancer Institute’s website. “For more than 25 years, the standard of surgical care for such patients – even those with very small tumors – has been to remove the entire large section, or lobe, of the lung that contains the tumor. . . . Now, results of a large international clinical trial show that, for certain people with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), surgery to remove a piece of the affected lobe is as effective as surgery to remove the whole lobe.”
Read the Ben-Ari article summarizing the report . . .
Read the clinical trial report . . .
Advances in Lung Cancer Research
This summary from the National Cancer Institute highlights some of the latest research in lung cancer.
Read the article. . .
Lung Cancer Surgery: Innovations and Future Perspectives
“Nine decades ago in 1933, Evarts A. Graham performed the first successful pneumonectomy in a patient with primary pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma . . . ” begins the abstract for this open-access article (January 2024). “Surgical resection continues to be the cornerstone of multidisciplinary treatment for [certain] patients . . . . Recent years have seen developments in automatic control, biomechanics, robotics, image transmission, artificial intelligence, three-dimensional reconstruction and printing, biological pharmacy, and molecular biology. . . . There is now an increasing focus on how to integrate these technologies into lung cancer surgery.”
Read the article. . .
With Smoking Rates Declining, So Too Are Lung Cancer Deaths. For Nonsmokers, the Numbers Tell a Different Story
“There has been little change in the deadliness of the disease for people who don’t have a history of smoking,” writes Natalie Rahhal on the Microsoft network (November 2024). The article looks at the types of lung cancer that tend to strike those who haven’t smoked, and the question of why rates are staying higher for people who never smoked.
Read the article. . .
NIH Study Illuminates Origins of Lung Cancer in Never Smokers
A genomic analysis of lung cancer in people with no history of smoking has found that a majority of these tumors arise from the accumulation of mutations caused by natural processes in the body. (September 2021)
Read the news release from the National Cancer Institute . . .
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Videos
NIH Study Illuminates Origins of Lung Cancer in Never Smokers
In this video, Scott J. Swanson, MD, Director of Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery at BWH and Chief Surgical Officer at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center, demonstrates a minimally invasive right upper lobe resection. VATS (video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery) lobectomy enables patients with complex co-existing conditions to undergo surgery without complication. Also, patients are more able to receive subsequent chemotherapy as they are less fatigued from this minimally invasive procedure.
See video . . .
Left-Side Cancer Lung Resection
Using 3D graphics and intraoperative video, this video demonstrates how to identify and properly name lymph nodes for left-side lung cancer surgery. From the American College of Surgeons. (2023)
See video . . .
In The Spotlight: Zachary Sevigny
Credentials
FNP-C
Student Status
Graduated June 2024 from NIFA’s RNFA program
City & State
Conway, NH
Current Work
Orthopedic Department, Memorial Hospital, Conway, NH
Where did you get your RN degree?
I got my ADN at Southern Maine Community College and my BSN and FN-P at Chamberlain University.
What drew you to nursing in the first place?
My mom worked for 30+ yrs with mentally handicapped individuals. My brother Josh and I volunteered many hours to help her at her work, so I already had some background in working with people. But I did construction for a large portion of my life, until one winter when I decided to get a degree. I started taking nursing courses and loved it.
How did you come to choose perioperative nursing?
I was presented with the opportunity to join ortho/sports medicine as an APRN.
What is the funniest moment you’ve ever seen at the table?
The patient came out of anesthesia asking for a beer.
What is one technique or RNFA trick you’ve learned from NIFA that you will use for life?
Everything – amazing hands-on activities. Instrument tying trick. Thanks, Dean!
How do you feel having your RNFA will impact your life/career?
This program has given me a lot of confidence that I can successfully meet expectations of an RNFA.
NIFA – Office Hours
Monday-Thursday, 8:00am – 5:00pm MDT/MST
Friday, 8:00am – 4:00pm MDT/MST
Practice Resources
Here are several of the most-in-demand sites for our students, prospective students and grads:
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this newsletter are strictly those of their respective authors and do not necessarily represent the views of NIFA. NIFA does not give any express or implied warranty as to the accuracy of statements made by our contributors and does not accept any liability for error or omission. It is the responsibility of all perioperative personnel to work within and adhere to their facility bylaws and individual scope of practice.
Consider lung cancer. (November is 