Lance Armstrong Foundation Adult Survivorship Clinic
Research
There are close to 10 million cancer survivors in the United States. Increasing medical advances in the treatment of cancer will allow that number to continue to grow. A critical component of meeting the physical and emotional needs of this population is continual research to determine and evaluate those needs. As part of its launch effort, the Perini Family Survivors' Center has funded three pilot grants for survivorship research.
Assessment of Incidence of Cardiac Abnormalities and Correlation with Quality of Life in Hodgkin's Disease Survivors (Ming Hui Chen, MD, MMSc)
Prior studies have shown that a variety of cancer treatments, including radiation to the chest, can cause cardiac damage in survivors. Researchers are conducting a prospective cardiac evaluation of Hodgkin's disease survivors with the use of noninvasive screening to detect cardiovascular abnormalities. In order to assess quality of life, the study is correlating data from echocardiograph images with a qualitative assessment of fatigue. It is anticipated that this project will yield a greater understanding of how to evaluate and diagnose heart disease in Hodgkin's disease survivors, allowing for potential life-saving interventions.
Perceived Roles in the Follow-Up of Cancer Patients (Craig Earle, MD)
Studies have shown that potentially preventable conditions like heart disease and diabetes are actually the greatest threat to life for many cancer survivors. Therefore, the quality of both their cancer- and non-cancer-related follow-up is important. However, researchers have found wide variations in the quality of routine care for cancer survivors. One explanation for these findings is that there may be lack of clarity around the relative roles primary care and specialist physicians will play in a survivor's care. Investigators have begun a study to survey patients and their physicians in order to describe patterns of follow-up and assess whether there has been clear communication about the roles different physicians will play in survivors' care. This study will be the first of its kind to explore these issues.
Psychological Distress and Fatigue After Adult Onset Hodgkin's Disease (Christopher Recklitis, PhD, MPH)
Problems with fatigue and psychological distress are among the most commonly reported problems experienced by Hodgkin's disease survivors and are known to have a substantial negative effect on quality of life. Despite the consistency of these findings, many questions about these important late-effects remain. The study is investigating psychological distress and fatigue in a sample of long-term survivors of adult onset Hodgkin's disease and a set of healthy controls. The study is investigating the frequency of psychological distress and fatigue in these patients and identifying what kinds of patients are likely to have these difficulties. In addition, the study is trying to identify the best ways to screen survivors for these problems.
