Request for Funding
Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2002
Mentor: Kevin Oeffinger, MD
Department: Family Practice and Community Medicine
Room number: CB101.412
Mail Code: 9067
Phone number: 8-1399 (dept); 8-1377 (direct)
E-mail: kevin.Oeffinger@utsouthwestern.edu
Two Projects:
Project I title: Incidence and clinical relevance of abnormal aminotransferases
obtained in routine screening in follow-up of long-term survivors of childhood
cancer who were treated with an alkylating agent.
Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): pending
Animal subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): N/A
Project Type Patient-based research
Brief Description of Project:
There are approximately 7500 children diagnosed each year in the US with cancer.
With advances in therapies during the past 30 years, survival for many diagnostic
groups has increased dramatically; the overall five-year survival in 1998 was
over 70% for children and adolescents diagnosed before the age of 20. Currently,
1 in every 900 young adults in the US is a survivor of childhood cancer. Numerous
studies have shown that exposure to chemotherapy and/or radiation in childhood
leads to significant adverse sequelae or late effects, often occurring decades
after treatment, and affecting virtually all organ systems.
Alkylating agents are associated with hepatotoxicity, leading to the traditional
practice of long-term follow-up programs in the U.S. to include the recommendation
of obtaining a yearly aminotranserase levels. To date, there are no studies
that have assessed timing, frequency, and duration of testing. Marginal abnormalities
of aminotranserases are common, frequently resulting in additional testing and
anxiety/fears awaiting results.
The aim of the proposed study is to determine the incidence, clinical significance,
and modifying factors of abnormal aminotranserases in childhood cancer survivors
treated with an alkylating agent. The patient population will be drawn from
the cancer registry and the After the Cancer Experience (ACE) database of childhood
cancer survivors who were treated at Children's Medical Center of Dallas from
January 1, 1990 through December 31, 1997. Proportional hazards models will
be generated to estimate odds ratios for adverse outcomes.
The student will assist in data collection, data entry, and analysis under the
auspices of the mentor and the ACE program staff. Along with five other students,
the student will participate in the Department of Family Practice & Community
Medicine Summer Research Institute, a modular program designed to teach basic
clinical research concepts and methods. The student will also attend two-half
day clinics/week of the ACE program.
Project II title: Incidence and clinical relevance of abnormal complete blood counts obtained through routine screening of long-term survivors of childhood cancer who were treated with an alkylating agent and/or an epipodophyllotoxin.
Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): pending
Animal subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): N/A
Project Type Patient-based research
Brief Description of Project:
There are approximately 7500 children diagnosed each year in the US with cancer.
With advances in therapies during the past 30 years, survival for many diagnostic
groups has increased dramatically; the overall five-year survival in 1998 was
over 70% for children and adolescents diagnosed before the age of 20. Currently,
1 in every 900 young adults in the US is a survivor of childhood cancer. Numerous
studies have shown that exposure to chemotherapy and/or radiation in childhood
leads to significant adverse sequelae or late effects, often occurring decades
after treatment, and affecting virtually all organ systems.
Because of the risk of treatment-related acute myelocytic leukemia in the first
ten years after completion of therapy with an alkylating agent or an epipodophyllotoxin,
traditional practice of long-term follow-up programs in the U.S. has evolved
to include the recommendation of obtaining a yearly complete blood count with
differential. To date, there are no studies that have assessed timing, frequency,
and duration of testing. Marginal abnormalities of the blood counts are common,
frequently resulting in additional testing and anxiety/fears awaiting results.
The aim of the proposed study is to determine the incidence, clinical significance,
and modifying factors of abnormal CBCs in childhood cancer survivors treated
with an alkylating agent and/or an epipodophyllotoxin. The patient population
will be drawn from the cancer registry and the After the Cancer Experience (ACE)
database of childhood cancer survivors who were treated at Children's Medical
Center of Dallas from January 1, 1990 through December 31, 1997. Proportional
hazards models will be generated to estimate odds ratios for adverse outcomes.
The student will assist in data collection, data entry, and analysis under the
auspices of the mentor and the ACE program staff. Along with five other students,
the student will participate in the Department of Family Practice & Community
Medicine Summer Research Institute, a modular program designed to teach basic
clinical research concepts and methods. The student will also attend two-half
day clinics/week of the ACE program.
Previous Research Activities or Publications with Medical Students:
I have mentored three medical students in research projects, two of which were presented at national meetings and published in peer-reviewed journals:
Oeffinger KC, Snell LM, Foster BM, Panico KG, Archer RK. Diagnosis of acute bronchitis in adults: results of a national survey of family physicians. Journal of Family Practice 45:402-9, 1997
Oeffinger KC, Snell LM, Foster BM, Panico KG, Archer RK. Treatment of acute bronchitis in adults: results of a national survey of family physicians. Journal of Family Practice 46:469-75, 1998
Have also mentored MPH and PhD students.
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