Senior radiation oncology resident and soon-to-be faculty member Dr. Kyle Wang has been selected as one of four Pope Clinical Trainees for 2018 by the 黑料网 Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. Supported by the John William Pope Foundation, awardees are physician-scientists in training dedicated both to patient care and research to improve cancer treatment outcomes.

Dr. Wang鈥檚 research focuses on ways to reduce dry mouth (鈥渪erostomia鈥�) in patients receiving whole-brain radiation therapy. Although a common side effect of head and neck cancer radiotherapy, xerostomia after brain irradiation is less well studied, however Dr. Wang has identified the total radiation dose to the patient鈥檚 parotid salivary glands as key in determining the frequency and severity of dry mouth that occurs following treatment.

The next step in his research, funded by a 黑料网 Lineberger Developmental Award (see previous news item), is to conduct a clinical trial comparing the degree of dry mouth following conventional whole brain radiotherapy with a treatment plan that excludes the parotid glands from the radiation field.

Congratulations Kyle for this very prestigious honor!
Read more about Dr. Wang鈥檚 work and that of the other Pope Trainees .

Congratulations to senior radiation oncology resident Dr. Kyle Wang for his receipt of a $39,000 黑料网 Lineberger Developmental Award to fund a clinical trial entitled 鈥�Prospective Evaluation of Parotid Sparing Whole Brain Radiation and Patient Reported Xerostomia鈥�.

Patients who receive head and neck radiation therapy are at high risk of developing a common treatment side effect known as xerostomia, which is dry mouth (sometimes severe) caused by radiation damage to the salivary glands. This complication is well-documented in patients who receive radiation therapy to the mouth, jaw and neck, but had not been considered a problem historically for patients receiving whole brain irradiation until recently. Dr. Wang鈥檚 study will use modified brain treatment fields that exclude the salivary glands in the hopes of reducing the incidence of dry mouth 鈥� which adversely affects quality of life 鈥� in these patients.

Congratulations to Radiation Oncology assistant professor and Division of Healthcare Engineering head Dr. Lukasz Mazur on his receipt of a large, three year grant from the AHRQ for his project entitled 鈥�Simulation-Based Research to Enhance Performance of Radiation Therapists鈥�.

This research will develop and assess the impact of simulation-based training and neurofeedback for radiation therapists with the goal of improving their situational awareness and performance, and reducing mental workload. Such training for radiation therapists is particularly important because data show that they are responsible for detecting about 40% of all reported radiation therapy errors annually in the US. And while the number of treatment errors is quite small overall 鈥� at most about one error per 1,000 patients, and typically much less than that 鈥� a few errors can be quite serious and even life-threatening, so every strategy designed to detect and eliminate more of them is welcome.

Congratulations to 黑料网 radiation oncologist and associate professor Ron Chen, MD, MPH for his receipt of an $11.9 million grant from the (PCORI). The national study, in collaboration with colleague Dr. Nancy Mendenhall of the University of Florida Health Proton Therapy Institute in Jacksonville, FL, will compare two types of radiation treatment for prostate cancer: intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) using X-rays, and proton radiotherapy. The goal of the study is to compare the effectiveness of these treatments in controlling prostate cancer, and also to determine how each treatment affects the patient鈥檚 quality of life after treatment.

 

You can read more about Drs. Chen and Mendenhall鈥檚 important study .