Lisa A. Thompson, PharmD, BCOP

Intractable hiccups can be especially problematic in the advanced cancer and palliative care settings. Dr Thompson, an oncology pharmacist, reviews options for effective medical management of this condition.

What is the difference between the CDK inhibitors?

Do monoclonal antibodies other than daratumumab cause false positives in the blood antibody screen and crossmatch obtained prior to a transfusion?

If type and crossmatch is obtained before initiating treatment with daratumumab, what good would that do if a transfusion is required a month later?

Why is a type and crossmatch needed before starting patients on treatment with daratumumab (Darzalex)?

Which vaccines should be avoided in patients receiving chemotherapy?

I hear the term “financial toxicity” used more and more when people are discussing the cost of cancer treatments. What exactly is financial toxicity?

I was surprised to see an order for arsenic recently. What is this being used for?

What precautions should be taken to prevent tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) in patients receiving venetoclax (Venclexta)?

There is a lot of talk about biosimilar drugs. What makes a drug a biosimilar?