Genetics and oncology nursing.
OBJECTIVE
To review oncology nursing practice in the genetic era, how genetic information is used across the cancer care continuum, practice guidelines, and opportunities for genetic nursing education.


METHODS
Published articles.


CONCLUSIONS
Genetic information in oncology health care is used not only to predict risk but to elucidate disease biology, explain individual variation in vulnerability to environmental carcinogens, diagnose and characterize malignancies, design treatment regimens specific to a cancer's genetic fingerprint, develop new, therapeutic modalities, and clarify modulators of drug metabolism, efficacy, and interactions.


CONCLUSIONS
With current and emerging genetic discoveries, all oncology nurses will use genetic information in their practice.
Calzone
Kathleen A
KA
National Cancer Institute/Center for Cancer Research/Genetics Branch, Bethesda, MD 20883-5105, USA.
Masny
Agnes
A
D002983:Clinical Competence; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000592:standards; D016045:Human Genome Project; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000451:nursing; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors