Overview
With contemporary chemotherapy, the overall survival rate for childhood cancer is increasing with current 5-year survival rates >85%; however, survivors of childhood cancer are at increased risk for morbidity and early mortality due to late effects of their treatment. Our group’s goal is to improve the overall health and quality of life of pediatric cancer survivors through early detection and treatment of late effects. Our main areas of focus are how to improve lifestyle behaviors in survivors, the use of technology to improve care delivery, and transitions of care.
- Improving Support for Survivors Engaged in Transition (IS SET)
- Developing a Wellness Intervention for Adolescent Childhood Cancer Survivors
- Evaluation of Vestibular Dysfunction in Survivors of Childhood and Adolescent Cancer Treated with Platinum-Based Chemotherapies
- The Future of SCPs (Survivorship Care Plans)
Sanyukta Janardan, MD, MS (Assistant Professor of Pediatrics)
Education: Emory University Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellow, 2019-2022
Current Projects: A pre-pilot study of the feasibility and acceptability of a targeted health education intervention in childhood cancer survivors at high risk for therapy-related adverse cardiovascular events
sjanard@emory.edu
Liberty Strange, MD, MPH (Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Survivor Fellow)
Education: Emory University Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellow, 2022-2024
Current Projects: Investigating Rurality and its Association with Childhood Cancer Survivor Car; Impact of Rurality on Healthcare Utilization, Health Behaviors, and Health Status of Childhood Cancer Survivors
lfstran@emory.edu
Zahra Jiwani, MD (Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellow)
Education: Emory University Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellow, 2023-2025
Current Projects: Impact of Structural Racism and Psychosocial Services Utilization on Pediatric Cancer Survivor Care
zahra.merchant.jiwani@emory.edu
Aaron Wallace, MD, 2019-2020, Emory University Medical Student
Current position: Pediatric Resident, Maine Medical Center
Kirsten Rose-Felker, MD, 2016-2018, Pediatric Cardiology Fellow
Current position: Faculty, University of Pittsburgh
Zachary Owens, MPH, 2016-2017, Rollins School of Public Health MPH Student
Current position: Medical Resident, Emory University School of Medicine
Ashley Eason, MD, 2017-2019, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellow
Current position: Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist, Memorial Health University, Savannah, Georgia
Emily Silverman, 2018-2019, Emory University Undergraduate
Current position: Clinical Research Associate, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
- Section Leader, Children’s Oncology Group Long-term Follow-up Guidelines Oral/Dental/Gastrointestinal/Hepatic and Urinary Tract Task Forces
- Institutional Principal Investigator, Childhood Cancer Survivor Study
Ji X, Cummings JR, Mertens AC, Wen H, Effinger KE. Substance use, substance use disorders, and treatment in adolescent and young adult cancer survivors-Results from a national survey. Cancer. 2021 Sep 1;127(17):3223-3231. doi: 10.1002/cncr.33634. Epub 2021 May 11. PMID: 33974717.
Bardi E, Mulder RL, van Dalen EC, Bhatt NS, Ruble KA, Burgis J, Castellino SM, Constine LS, den Hoed CM, Green DM, Koot BGP, Levitt G, Szonyi L, Wallace WH, Skinner R, Hudson MM, Kremer LCM, Effinger KE, Bresters D. Late hepatic toxicity surveillance for survivors of childhood, adolescent and young adult cancer: Recommendations from the international late effects of childhood cancer guideline harmonization group. Cancer Treat Rev. 2021 Nov;100:102296. doi: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2021.102296. Epub 2021 Sep 20. PMID: 3457137.
Ji X, Hu X, Brock KE, Mertens AC, Cummings JR, Effinger KE. Early Posttherapy Opioid Prescription, Potential Misuse, and Substance Use Disorder Among Pediatric Cancer Survivors. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2022 Jun 13;114(6):895-906. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djac049. PMID: 35262708; PMCID: PMC9194632.
Marchak JG, Kegler MC, Meacham LR, Mertens AC, Effinger KE. Cancer-Related Barriers to Health Behaviors Among Adolescent and Young Adult Survivors of Pediatric Cancer and Their Families. J Adolesc Young Adult Oncol. 2023 Feb;12(1):118-122. doi: 10.1089/jayao.2021.0169. Epub 2022 Mar 21. PMID: 35325580.
Marchak JG, Sadak KT, Effinger KE, Haardörfer R, Escoffery C, Kinahan KE, Freyer DR, Chow EJ, Mertens A. Transition practices for survivors of childhood cancer: a report from the Children's Oncology Group. J Cancer Surviv. 2023 Apr;17(2):342-350. doi: 10.1007/s11764-023-01351-y. Epub 2023 Mar 4. PMID: 36870037; PMCID: PMC9984742.
Effinger KE, Haardörfer R, Gilleland Marchak J, Escoffery C, Landier W, Kommajosula A, Hendershot E, Sadak KT, Eshelman-Kent D, Kinahan K, Freyer DR, Chow EJ, Mertens AC. Current Pediatric Cancer Survivorship Practices: A Report from the Children’s Oncology Group. Journal of Cancer Survivorship. 2023 Aug; 17(4): 1139-1148.
Border WL, Effinger KE, Leger KJ. How Best to Predict Who Will Develop Left Ventricular Dysfunction in Childhood Cancer Survivors: The Search for the Echocardiography “Holy Grail.” Journal of American College of Cardiology: Cardiooncology. 2023 Aug; 5(4):486-488.
Federally Funded:
NIH: R01 - 2022-2026
Personalized Risk Prediction to Reduce Cardiovascular Disease in Childhood Cancer Survivors
Role: Co-I
PI: Howell
NIH: R61 - 2022-2027
Culturally Adapted Mobile Treatment of Chronic Pain in Adolescent Survivors of Pediatric Bone Sarcoma
Role: Site PI
PI: Brinkman
Private Foundation Funded:
Woodruff Health Sciences Center Synergy Grant - 2021-2024
Developing a Wellness Intervention for Adolescent Childhood Cancer Survivors
MPI: Effinger, Marchak, Kegler
Imlay Foundation: Imlay Innovation Award - 2022-2024
The Future of SCPs (Survivorship Care Plans)
MPI: Effinger, Wang
PROTEUS Consortium & Pfizer Global Medical Grant - 2023-2025
Supporting Electronic Evaluation of Symptoms for Anxiety and Depression After Childhood Cancer Treatment
Role: Co-I
PI: Marchak
Aflac Cancer & Blood Disorders Center Pilot Award - 2022-2024
Opioids and Alternatives for Pain Management in Adolescent and Young Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer: A Mixed Methods Approach
Role: Co-I
PI: Ji