Publications by authors named "Angela B Jesudason"
Objective: Clinical diagnostic sequencing of circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) is well advanced for adult patients, but application to paediatric cancer patients lags behind.
Methods: To address this, we have developed a clinically relevant (67 gene) NGS capture panel and accompanying workflow that enables sensitive and reliable detection of low-frequency genetic variants in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from children with solid tumours. We combined gene panel sequencing with low pass whole-genome sequencing of the same library to inform on genome-wide copy number changes in the blood.
Article Synopsis
- Many teenagers and young adults with cancer don't participate in clinical trials due to limited opportunities, which health professionals believe can be improved.
- A study involving 35 healthcare professionals revealed a consensus on strategies to enhance access, focusing on patient consolidation, reducing bureaucratic hurdles, boosting research personnel, and making trial designs more practical.
- Although changing the current care, research, and resource systems is challenging, stakeholders must collaborate to enhance access for TYA and patients with rare diseases, with further discussions needed to establish priorities.
Background: Cancer is rare amongst adolescents and young adults (AYA). Previous research has reported (healthy) AYA's knowledge of risk factors and symptoms as limited, with this potentially leading to delays in help-seeking and diagnosis.
Objectives: We explored AYA's views on their cancer knowledge prior to diagnosis and if/how they perceived this as having affected their experiences of diagnosis and care.
Background: Equipoise and role conflict have been previously identified as important factors in professionals' engagement with trials, inducing behaviours which can impact on recruitment. We explored these phenomena as potential explanations for the low levels of involvement of teenagers and young adults (TYA) with cancer in clinical trials in oncology.
Methods: We report findings from interviews with 30 purposively sampled direct-care professionals involved in delivering cancer care and/or facilitating clinical trials in Scotland.
Background: Limited attention has been paid to adolescents and young adults' (AYA's) experiences in the aftermath of a cancer diagnosis, despite this being a time when potentially life-changing decisions are made. We explored AYA's and caregivers' experiences of, and views about, making treatment and trial participation decisions following a cancer diagnosis, in order to understand, and help facilitate, informed treatment decision-making in this age group.
Methods: Interviews were undertaken with 18 AYA diagnosed, or re-diagnosed, with cancer when aged 16-24 years, and 15 parents/caregivers.