Publications by authors named "Elaine Cha"
Background: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) involving the gastrointestinal (GI) organs is rare, and real-world outcomes after combined modality therapy (CMT) with systemic therapy (ST) and radiotherapy (RT) are not well-characterized, particularly in the contemporary era. We characterized outcomes in a large cohort of GI-DLBCL patients treated with ST alone or CMT.
Methods: Patients with GI-DLBCL treated at a single institution were retrospectively reviewed.
Article Synopsis
- Researchers looked at how bridging radiation therapy (bRT) affects people getting CAR T-cell therapy for a type of cancer called large B-cell lymphoma.
- They found that bRT can be safely given, but it didn't seem to help or hurt the patients' outcomes in terms of blood cell counts or how well they responded to the CAR T-cell treatment.
- The study suggests that while bRT is safe, careful planning is needed to manage any risks after the treatment.
Purpose: : Guidelines for early-stage breast cancer allow for radiation therapy (RT) omission after breast conserving surgery among older women, though high utilization of RT persists. This study explored surgeon referral and the effect of a productivity-based bonus metric for radiation oncologists in an academic institution with centralized quality assurance review.
Methods And Materials: : We evaluated patients ≥70 years of age treated with breast conserving surgery for estrogen receptor (ER)+ pT1N0 breast cancer at a single tertiary cancer network between 2015 and 2018.
Background: Immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have revolutionized the treatment of metastatic melanoma. Ipilimumab and Ipilimumab-Nivolumab combination therapies were approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration in 2011 and 2015, respectively. We aimed to evaluate potential changes in the survival of patients with metastatic melanoma following the approval of these agents.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: We aimed to assess contouring-related practices among US radiation oncologists and explore how access to and use of resources and quality improvement strategies vary based on individual- and organization-level factors.
Methods: We conducted a mixed methods study with a sequential explanatory design. Surveys were emailed to a random 10% sample of practicing US radiation oncologists.
Purpose: Patient experience scores are increasingly important in measuring quality of care and determining reimbursement from payers, including the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program and the Radiation Oncology Model. However, the role of bias in patient experience scores in oncology is unknown, raising the possibility that such payment structures may inadvertently perpetuate bias in reimbursement. Therefore, the authors characterized patient-, physician-, and practice-level predictors of patient experience scores in patients undergoing radiation therapy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: We aimed to develop and study the implementation of a remote system for toxicity assessment and management of acute side effects of breast radiation using electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs).
Methods And Materials: A response-adapted Patient-Reported Outcomes Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events-based assessment for breast radiation toxicity was administered weekly during and for 8 weeks after radiation from June 2019 to July 2020. The care team received alerts when "severe" symptoms were reported by patients, who were then contacted.
Purpose: Literature supporting the efficacy of complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) alongside radiotherapy is fragmented with varying outcomes and levels of evidence. This review summarizes the available evidence on CIM used with radiotherapy in order to inform clinicians.
Methods: A systematic literature review identified studies on the use of CIM during radiotherapy.
Background And Purpose: Artificial intelligence advances have stimulated a new generation of autosegmentation, however clinical evaluations of these algorithms are lacking. This study assesses the clinical utility of deep learning-based autosegmentation for MR-based prostate radiotherapy planning.
Materials And Methods: Data was collected prospectively for patients undergoing prostate-only radiation at our institution from June to December 2019.
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed cancer care with the rapid expansion of telemedicine, but given the limited use of telemedicine in oncology, concerns have been raised about the quality of care being delivered. We assessed the patient experience with telemedicine in routine radiation oncology practice to determine satisfaction, quality of care, and opportunities for optimization.
Patients And Methods: Patients seen within a multistate comprehensive cancer center for prepandemic office visits and intrapandemic telemedicine visits in December 2019 through June 2020 who completed patient experience questionnaires were evaluated.
Radiation Oncologist Perceptions of Telemedicine from Consultation to Treatment Planning: A Mixed-Methods Study.
Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys
October 2020
Purpose: Telemedicine was rapidly implemented for initial consultations and radiation treatment planning in the wake of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In this study, we explore utilization of and physician perspectives on this approach in an attempt to identify patient populations that may benefit most from virtual care.
Methods And Materials: This is a mixed-methods study with a convergent design.