Marianne Davies, NP, on Assessing Immunotherapy Toxicities in Lung Cancer Patients

Marianne Davies, NP, Assistant Professor of and Clinical Instructor in Nursing, Yale Cancer Center, discusses why a patient's oncology team should be their first line of contact should they develop any toxicities related to receiving treatment. Davies says this is important for patients so that the oncology team can assess whether they are experiencing an immune-related side effect, or an issue that can be dealt with by their primary care physician.

Davies adds that some toxicities, such asn inflammatory pneumonitis, could appear as though it is simply an upper respitory infection, leading patients and their families to believe that the best course of action would be to see their primary care physician. Some resources for patients that may help them get a better grasp on symptoms of these toxicities include patient forums and online educational materials.