AccScience Publishing / EJMO / Online First / DOI: 10.36922/EJMO026050049
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COMMENTARY

Redefining oncology nursing: Strategic roles in integrated care pathways

Giovanni Cangelosi1,2,3*
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1 School of Pharmacy, Experimental Medicine and “Stefani Scuri” Public Health Department, university of Camerino, Via Madonna delle Carceri 9, Camerino (MC), Italy
2 Director of Scientific Commitment of Italian Coordination of Volunteer Nurses for Health Emergencies Association (CIVES), Via Agostino De Pretis 70, Rome, Italy
3 Responsible Public Health Research Group of Italian Society of Nephrology Nurse (SIAN), Via Capotesta 1/30, Olbia (OT), Italy
Received: 26 January 2026 | Revised: 2 May 2026 | Accepted: 27 May 2026 | Published online: 15 June 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nursing Care in Cancer)
© 2026 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution -Noncommercial 4.0 International License (CC-by the license) ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ )
Abstract

Contemporary oncology is increasingly characterized by prolonged survival, treatment complexity, and the consequent transformation of cancer into a chronic or long-term condition. These developments have produced significant clinical benefits, but they have also increased organizational and care multidimensionality, with pathways that are often fragmented and variable across different settings. In this context, nursing assumes a transversal role, coordination, and coherence within multidisciplinary oncology pathways. Advanced nursing roles—including Case Manager Nurses, Nurse Navigators, and Oncology Specialist Nurses—facilitate coordination, support clinical decision-making, promote patient empowerment and therapeutic education, while simultaneously reducing the organizational and cognitive burden on patients, families, and their communities. The integration of digital tools, hybrid care models, and community-based interventions further strengthens nurses’ capacity to ensure quality, adherence, and safety of care. The heterogeneity of care models reflects the elaboration of real-world oncology, but it may compromise effectiveness if not guided by evidence-based practices. Nurses, thanks to their longitudinal and systemic perspective, act as regulators of complexity, translating evidence into context-adapted pathways while maintaining high standards of quality. Recognition and institutionalization of advanced nursing competencies are therefore essential to ensure coherent, equitable, and sustainable oncology care globally.

Graphical abstract
Keywords
Oncology nursing
Advanced practice nursing
Integrated care
Continuity of patient Care
Cancer
Funding
None.
Conflict of interest
Giovanni Cangelosi is a Guest Editor of this special issue. The author declared that he has no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have influenced the work reported in this paper.
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Eurasian Journal of Medicine and Oncology, Electronic ISSN: 2587-196X Print ISSN: 2587-2400, Published by AccScience Publishing