Association of Cancer Care Centers

25/11/2025

Last month, ACCC proudly joined JADPRO for the JADPRO Live 2025 conference, represented by 2025-2026 ACCC President Una Hopkins, DNP, MSN, FNP-BC, NE-BC, RN, FACCC, as a featured speaker in the opening general session and Jonathan Catrona, MS, RPA-C, who presented a poster spotlighting national efforts to optimize advanced practice provider (APP) integration in oncology.

Read our recent ACCCBuzz Blog for insights into elevating the advanced practice workforce, the power of patient stories, and barriers to APPs practicing at the top of their license: https://hubs.li/Q03VSD4b0.

24/11/2025

In this podcast, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Jennifer Bires, ACCC Board of Trustees member and Executive Director of Life with Cancer and Patient Experience at Inova Schar Cancer Institute.

Bires shares highlights from a panel discussion she led at the 42nd National Oncology Conference’s Psychosocial Summit, “POPS: Navigating Quality Integrative Cancer Support Resources.”

The panel covered how to help patients find community and making lifestyle changes like limiting alcohol and recreational ma*****na use.

Listen: https://hubs.li/Q03VHtMv0

19/11/2025

🎙 CANCER BUZZ Has a Fresh New Look—and a Familiar Voice!

After six years of delivering key insights on the most pressing topics in oncology, ACCC’s CANCER BUZZ podcast has gotten a facelift!

In this special episode, we welcome back our very first guest, Tina Curtis, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, executive director of cancer services at Froedtert Hospital. Back in our inaugural episode in 2019, Dr. Curtis shared details about her institution’s 24-hour, oncology-only urgent care clinic—a program that earned a 2018 ACCC Innovator Award.

Now, she returns with colleague Jayme Cotter to discuss updates to that groundbreaking program and new innovations at Froedtert Hospital.

💬 “I would venture to guess I've probably talked to no less than 20 or 25 different organizations that found out about the 24-hour urgent care clinic through ACCC’s journal and podcast…to have meaningful conversations about where and how to start.” — Dr. Curtis

👉 Listen to the full episode here: https://hubs.li/Q03V7D230.

Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin

17/11/2025

🎧 New CANCER BUZZ Episode!

As cancer incidence and survivorship continue to rise, the oncology workforce must evolve to meet the needs of a growing patient population. In this episode, ACCC President Una Hopkins, DNP, MSN, FNP-BC, NE-BC, RN, FACCC, shares why her 2025–2026 presidential theme focuses on Designing Oncology Care to Meet the Needs of a Growing Patient Population—and why peer-to-peer mentorship is critical, especially for nurses.

Later in the episode, Josephine Lisowski, RN, BSN, OCN, a PRN nurse at Advocate Health, discusses why she came out of retirement to take on a unique role focused on reducing burnout and improving nurse retention. She explains how retired nurses can alleviate pressure on the workforce, foster a culture rooted in quality and safety, and help the next generation of oncology nurses thrive.

👂 Tune in to hear how mentorship across generations is shaping the future of oncology care: https://hubs.li/Q03TGl2T0.

Montefiore Health System

17/11/2025

In this podcast, CANCER BUZZ speaks with ACCC Executive Director Meagan O’Neill, MS about the National Oncology Conference (NOC) experience and some of the special sessions around unleashing innovation in cancer care that were part of this year’s event.

Listen: https://hubs.li/Q03TBjYN0

13/11/2025

Biomarker testing is key to providing personalized patient care.
In support of the first annual Cancer Biomarker Awareness Day, hosted by LUNGevity Foundation, ACCC shares valuable resources to raise awareness of biomarker testing and its benefits for patients.

• View a 5-part video spotlight (https://hubs.li/Q03T7MZ00) on a successful, community-based program led by Marc Roth, MD, co-lead of the Center for Precision Oncology at Saint Luke's Cancer Institute in Kansas City, Missouri.

• Read a blog about tools and takeaways from large-scale projects to support cancer programs new to biomarker testing, as well as those looking to step up their testing workflows: https://hubs.li/Q03T7LnY0.

To help cancer care teams in the community setting implement genetic testing into patient care, the Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC) offers this spo...

11/11/2025

In recognition of both Native American Heritage Month and Veterans Day, ACCC honors the enduring legacy of military service among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) Veterans.

Research indicates that AI/AN Veterans are screened for certain cancers at lower rates than their peers. Adding to the challenge, many AI/AN Veterans are eligible for care through multiple systems, which can create logistical and administrative complications. Moreover, rural communities including tribal lands and reservations face barriers related to oncologist access, distance, terrain, and digital connectivity.

In October 2021, multiple government agencies signed a renewed memorandum of understanding (MOU) to advance health equity for AI/AN Veterans. For cancer care providers, understanding this interagency collaboration informs how care can be coordinated across complex systems and reinforces the importance of trust, cultural respect, and community engagement in caring for AI/AN Veterans with the dignity and quality they deserve.

Read more on our blog: https://hubs.li/Q03SGDpb0

06/11/2025

In metastatic breast cancer, resistance to therapy remains one of the most challenging aspects to care. A key driver of resistance in hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative disease is the ESR1 mutation, a genetic change that alters the estrogen receptor and limits the effectiveness of certain standard therapies.

🎙️In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Eleonora Teplinsky, MD, FASCO, head of breast and gynecologic medical oncology at Valley-Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Care, about how the ESR1 mutation shapes treatment decisions and effective communication strategies, such as the “lock-and-key” model.

🎙️ Then the podcast speaks with Maimah Karmo, president and CEO of Tigerlily Foundation, about the importance of communicating with patients in ways that foster clarity and compassion through relatable analogies.

🎧 Listen: https://hubs.li/Q03S41Gy0

Valley Health; Tigerlily Foundation

06/11/2025

Treating patients with relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma (R/R FL) requires a multidisciplinary approach that considers key domains such as financial navigation and patient support, clinical trials awareness and integration, toxicity management, and much more. Dive into Oncology Issues for a comprehensive guide to delivering and coordinating care that recognizes the highly individualized and evolving nature of R/R FL: https://hubs.li/Q03R_jSZ0.

06/11/2025

Tennessee oncology professionals: Reserve your seat (https://hubs.li/Q03RYycr0) for a live dinner workshop on operationalizing bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) in cancer care.

Hear from experts at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center:
o Muhamed Baljevic, MD, FACP
o Douglas B. Johnson, MD, MSCI
o Kathryn E. Kennedy, APRN
o Sarah Profitt, PharmD, BCOP

📍 Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center | Nashville, TN
🕠 Dinner: 5:30 PM | Program: 6:00 - 8:00 PM CST

Gain practical insights on infusion management, workflow optimization, and care coordination to bring BsAbs from the academic setting into your practice. Dinner will be provided, and parking is complimentary.

04/11/2025

Navigating ESR1 mutations in metastatic breast cancer can be difficult for patients, given the complexity of clinical implications and uncertainties around the need for additional genomic testing. This month’s Oncology Issues features a guide with evidence-based strategies to communicate clearly and compassionately, deliver timely information and personalized treatment plans, and address common patient questions and concerns: https://hubs.li/Q03Ry1Wp0.

03/11/2025

COVID-19’s impact on communities of color underscored deep inequities in health care. A new study, featured in Oncology Issues, sheds light on how patients with cancer managed care disruptions and highlights valuable insights for developing more resilient, patient-centered support systems: https://hubs.li/Q03Rk2h70.