Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Reducing Time To Antibiotics In Patients With Neutropenic Fever On A Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, Regina Mcguire, Christopher Anand Gardner, Jordan Villars, William O'Hara, Jessica Radicke, Felicia Rivera, Jill Cristiano, Joanne E. Filicko-O'Hara, Usama Gergis, Adam F. Binder

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

Background/Methods: Timely administration of antibiotics in patients with neutropenic fever (NF) is essential for reducing morbidity and mortality among oncology patients. The optimal time to antibiotics (TTA) for patients with NF is unclear, but IDSA/ASCO guidelines recommend a median TTA within one hour of documented fever. This study focused on identifying barriers at a single academic institution to timely antibiotic administration for patients admitted to the inpatient Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) unit, and implemented new processes to reduce median TTA to less than 60 minutes.

Methods: Chart reviews were performed to identify causes for delays in antibiotics (abx). Based on …

Cancer Patient Beliefs And Attitudes Regarding Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy, Nedal Darwish, Delaney C. Stuhr, Haily M. Datz, Halima Bakillah, Tenzin Tseky, Mohamed Manaa, Serge Dauphin

Advances in Clinical Medical Research and Healthcare Delivery

The development and widespread use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have advanced the field of oncology in a short period of time. Despite this, patient perception regarding this new medication class has not been adequately assessed, which may affect treatment decisions and adherence. The Belief about Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ) is a validated survey composed of 18 questions which analyzes patient’s beliefs about the necessity of prescribed medication and concern about the potential adverse events caused by the medication. General medication overuse and harm are also determined. This is the first study to utilize the BMQ for patients on ICI therapy.

Creating And Implementing A Principal Investigator Tool Kit For Enhancing Accrual To Late Phase Clinical Trials: Development And Usability Study., Kristin A Higgins, Alexandra Thomas, Nancy Soto, Rebecca Paulus, Thomas J George, Thomas B Julian, Sharon Hartson Stine, Merry Jennifer Markham, Maria Werner-Wasik

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Accrual to oncology clinical trials remains a challenge, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. For late phase clinical trials funded by the National Cancer Institute, the development of these research protocols is a resource-intensive process; however, mechanisms to optimize patient accrual after trial activation are underdeveloped across the National Clinical Trial Network (NCTN). Low patient accrual can lead to the premature closure of clinical trials and can ultimately delay the availability of new, potentially life-saving therapies in oncology.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to formally create an easily implemented tool kit of resources for investigators of oncology clinical …

Doubling Down On Sepsis: A Quality Improvement Project To Improve Sepsis Bundle Compliance On An Inpatient Oncology Unit, Kayla Slay

Dissertations

Problem: Sepsis is a leading cause of death worldwide, and the second most common cause of death in cancer patients. Early management of sepsis through use of sepsis bundles have been shown to improve patient outcomes, yet bundle adherence is unfortunately inconsistent.

Methods: A two-nurse team, called the Sepsis Sidekicks, was a process improvement initiative to increase compliance with the center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) sepsis bundle and improve patient outcomes related to sepsis. The observational quality improvement project utilized a Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) model over a six-week period where quantitative data was collected using a retrospective chart review. …

Telehealth Cancer-Related Fatigue Clinic Model For Cancer Survivors: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial Protocol (The T-Crf Trial), Rahul Ladwa, Elizabeth P. Pinkham, Laisa Teleni, Brigid Hanley, Gemma Lock, Jodie Nixon, Oluwaseyifunmi Andi Agbejule, Fiona Crawford-Williams, Lee Jones, Mark B. Pinkham, Jane Turner, Patsy Yates, Steven M. Mcphail, Joanne F. Aitken, Carmen P. Escalante, Nicolas H. Hart, Raymond J. Chan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

INTRODUCTION: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is one of the most common and debilitating adverse effects of cancer and its treatment reported by cancer survivors. Physical activity, psychological interventions and management of concurrent symptoms have been shown to be effective in alleviating CRF. This pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT) will determine the feasibility of a telehealth CRF clinic intervention (T-CRF) to implement evidence-based strategies and assess the impact of the intervention on CRF and other clinical factors in comparison to usual care. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A parallel-arm (intervention vs usual care) pilot RCT will be conducted at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in …

An Analysis Of The Psychological And Physical Effects Of A Physical Activity Program During In-Patient Pediatric Cancer Treatment, Zoë Winters

Undergraduate Theses

There is limited published research regarding the use of physical activity in cancer treatment programs, and even fewer in pediatric treatment plans; however, there is a common consensus that following the conclusion of cancer treatment an individual’s physical fitness has been majorly impacted. The inactivity that commonly coexists with cancer treatment often results in extended periods of time in rehabilitation programs and decreased independence. Along with the physical detriments caused by inactivity, increased dependence on others often brings about feelings of helplessness that can further cause emotional detriments. It has however been demonstrated in previous research that adding physical activity …

Crizotinib In Patients With Tumors Harboring Alk Or Ros1 Rearrangements In The Nci-Match Trial., A S Mansfield, Z Wei, R Mehra, A T Shaw, C H Lieu, P M Forde, A E Drilon, Edith P. Mitchell, J J Wright, N Takebe, E Sharon, D Hovelson, S Tomlins, J Zeng, K Poorman, N Malik, R J Gray, S Li, L M Mcshane, L V Rubinstein, D Patton, P M Williams, S R Hamilton, B A Conley, C L Arteaga, L N Harris, P J O'Dwyer, A P Chen, K T Flaherty

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

The NCI-MATCH was designed to characterize the efficacy of targeted therapies in histology-agnostic driver mutation-positive malignancies. Sub-protocols F and G were developed to evaluate the role of crizotinib in rare tumors that harbored either ALK or ROS1 rearrangements. Patients with malignancies that progressed following at least one prior systemic therapy were accrued to the NCI-MATCH for molecular profiling, and those with actionable ALK or ROS1 rearrangements were offered participation in sub-protocols F or G, respectively. There were five patients who enrolled on Arm F (ALK) and four patients on Arm G (ROS1). Few grade 3 or 4 toxicities were noted, …

Adverse Events Reporting Of Clinical Trials In Exercise Oncology Research (Advance): Protocol For A Scoping Review, Hao Luo, Oliver Schumacher, Daniel A. Galvão, Robert U. Newton, Dennis R. Taaffe

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Adequate, transparent, and consistent reporting of adverse events (AEs) in exercise oncology trials is critical to assess the safety of exercise interventions for people following a cancer diagnosis. However, there is little understanding of how AEs are reported in exercise oncology trials. Thus, we propose to conduct a scoping review to summarise and evaluate current practice of reporting of AEs in published exercise oncology trials with further exploration of factors associated with inadequate reporting of AEs. The study findings will serve to inform the need for future research on standardisation of the definition, collection, and reporting of AEs for …

Lymphoma With Tuberculous Granulomas, Jyoti Mohan Lal, Anila Rashid

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Chronic granulomatous inflammation is a common finding in lymphoproliferative disorders (LPDs), but it is important to exclude coexisting mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) especially in patients from areas of high endemicity. This case emphasizes the relevance of performing MTB culture on bone marrow exhibiting LPD and concomitant granulomas

Predictors Of Health Literacy Scores In The Adolescent Oncologic Population, Amber N. Jenkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recent research showed a relationship between low health literacy in adult oncology patients, poor communication with providers, misconceptions about disease and treatment options, and the inability to adhere to treatment plans. Comparative literature addressing adolescent health literacy contained insufficient evidence of these relationships. The purpose of this exploratory cross-sectional quantitative study, based on the health literacy skills framework, was to assess the health literacy of adolescents treated in the oncology department at an academic children’s hospital in Missouri to determine whether there was a significant relationship between individual health literacy scores of this population based on age, sex, number of …

Promotion Of Early Recognition Of Depression To Improve Health Related Quality Of Life In Pediatric Oncology Patients, Jennifer Blankenship

DNP Projects

Background: Depression and anxiety are serious complications of cancer and deemed a challenging diagnosis due to the symptoms of depression mimicking common side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. Signs/symptoms frequently are underrecognized thus appropriate treatment is delayed, compromising the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for pediatric oncology patients.

Purpose: Analyze existing physician and Advanced Practice Provider (APP) clinical practice regarding depression, via a pre- and post-survey and educational PowerPoint on the use of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC) to promote early recognition of depression.

Methods: A prospective, single-arm, study was completed in the Kentucky Children’s …

A Literature Resource For Those Supporting Patients With Autism Spectrum Disorder And Cancer, Kaylee James

Psychology Doctoral Specialization Projects

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that impacts both social interaction and patterns of behavior. ASD is rooted in genetic, biological, and environmental causes. Cancer begins when cells grow out of control and there is also a genetic and biological cause of cancer. There is an overlap between the genetic and biological causes of ASD and cancer. As a result, evidence supports an increased risk of developing some types of cancer as well as protective factors for some times of cancer for individuals with ASD. Therefore, individuals with ASD may be at a heightened risk to develop cancer, …

Detecting Multiple Myeloma In The Primary Care Setting, Anna Schweidler

Capstone Showcase

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematological malignancy arising from differentiated B-lymphocyte white blood cells called plasma cells. Hematological malignancies are the fourth most diagnosed cancers, composing approximately 9% of all cancer diagnoses. Specifically, multiple myeloma attributes to approximately 2% of cancer diagnoses in the United States². MM incidence has increased significantly over the past years, increasing 40% in the United States and 126% globally from 1990-2016 ². Affecting 7.0 out of every 100,000 people², multiple myeloma is considered a rare form of blood cancer. Many strides have been made in the treatment of multiple myeloma …