Raymond Javan Chan | |
---|---|
Nationality | Australian |
Occupation(s) | Oncology nurse, clinical trialist, academic researcher, senior administrator |
Awards | Young Tall Poppy Science Award, Australian Institute of Policy and Science Premier’s Award for Excellence in Leadership, Queensland Government |
Academic background | |
Education | Bachelor of Nursing Master of Applied Science by Research Doctor of Philosophy |
Alma mater | Queensland University of Technology |
Academic work | |
Institutions | Flinders University |
Raymond Javan Chan is an Australian oncology nurse,clinical trialist,researcher,and senior administrator. He is Matthew Flinders Professor of Cancer Nursing,and Director of the Caring Futures Institute and Dean of Research within the College of Nursing and Health Sciences,Flinders University. He also holds academic titles as NHMRC Investigator Fellow and Matthew Flinders Fellow. [1] He also currently holds an NHMRC Investigator Fellowship.
Chan has published over 220 peer reviewed articles. His research program focuses on the health services’and health professionals’responses to the needs of people affected by cancer in the post-treatment survivorship phase. His research interests include management of distressing cancer- or treatment-related toxicities,enhancing integrated care models involving primary care providers,and improving outcomes for people receiving palliative/end-of-life care. [2]
Chan is a Fellow of Australian College of Nursing. [3] In 2021,he was inducted to the Sigma Theta Tau International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame. [4] In July 2023,Chan was announced as the Flinders University's next Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research) commencing on 1 Jan 2024. [5]
Chan studied in School of Nursing at Queensland University of Technology and received his Bachelor of Nursing degree in 2004,a Master of Applied Science by Research in 2008,and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in 2014. [6]
Chan started his career as a Personal Care Assistant at Greenslopes Hospital in 2002,and later joined Mater Adult Hospital as a Registered Nurse in 2004. He then held an appointment as a Clinical Nurse (Palliative Care) at Princess Alexandra Hospital between 2005 and 2008. Following this appointment,he joined Metro North Hospital and Health Service and held the roles of Cancer Nurse Researcher,Deputy Director of Cancer Research,and Professor of Nursing between 2008 and 2017. Chan was appointed as Professor of Cancer Nursing in 2018 at Princess Alexandra Hospital,Metro South Hospital and Health Service and Queensland University of Technology. [6] In August,2021,Chan commenced as Inaugural Director for the Caring Futures Institute at Flinders University,South Australia. [1]
Chan is a Past President of the Cancer Nurses Society of Australia (CNSA), [7] and serves as a Director on the Board of the International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care (ISNCC). [8] In 2021,Chan was appointed by the Australian Federal Minister of Health to the Research Committee National Health and Medical Research Council. [9]
Chan has worked to advance the management of distressing cancer- or treatment-related toxicities,and enhance integrated care models for cancer survivors. [10]
Chan is an active clinical trialist who has developed,tested and implemented innovative shared-care models for breast cancer,prostate cancer,lymphoma,and survivors. Chan is an active clinical trialist who has developed,tested and implemented innovative shared-care models for breast cancer,prostate cancer,lymphoma and neuroendocrine cancer survivors. As a nurse,he advocates for a nurse-enabled,multidisciplinary approach involving cancer specialists (medical specialists and specialist cancer nurses) and primary care providers (general practitioners and practice nurses). [11] [12] [13]
In 2023,Chan led a team of researchers to complete an evidence report on cancer patient navigation. This work was published in the CA:A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. [14]
Chan’s clinical trials and meta-analyses in radiation dermatitis have been adopted into clinical guidelines from Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC);Oncology Nursing Society; [15] UpToDate;and the EVIQ guidelines. [16] [17]
In 2019,Chan’s StrataXRT Trial provided a breakthrough as the world’s first positive trial for a non-steroidal intervention effective for reducing the risk of developing wet desquamation by 49% in patients receiving radiotherapy for head &neck cancer. [18]
Chan is an active researcher in the field of financial toxicity (i.e. distress,burden,hardship). His work highlights the significance and prevalence of financial toxicity in cancer survivors. [19] In 2017,he obtained an Oncology Nursing Foundation Fellowship to conduct a series of work on the relationships between financial toxicity or employment interference and symptom burden in cancer survivors. [20] Chan’s work reported significant relationships between financial toxicity and physical/psychological symptom burden in cancer survivors,providing directions for further interventional work to improve patient outcomes. [21]
Chan’s doctoral work examined self-management of fatigue in cancer survivors living with metastatic disease. [22] Over recent years,the focus of his work has shifted to facilitate translation of available research evidence into practice. In 2020,he was awarded by the PA Research Foundation to develop a model of care,in collaboration with Cancer Council Queensland,for addressing cancer-related fatigue in all cancer survivors. [23]
Palliative care is an interdisciplinary medical caregiving approach aimed at optimizing quality of life and mitigating suffering among people with serious,complex,and often terminal illnesses. Within the published literature,many definitions of palliative care exist. The World Health Organization (WHO) describes palliative care as "an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life-threatening illness,through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems,physical,psychosocial,and spiritual". In the past,palliative care was a disease specific approach,but today the WHO takes a broader patient-centered approach that suggests that the principles of palliative care should be applied as early as possible to any chronic and ultimately fatal illness. This shift was important because if a disease-oriented approach is followed,the needs and preferences of the patient are not fully met and aspects of care,such as pain,quality of life,and social support,as well as spiritual and emotional needs,fail to be addressed. Rather,a patient-centered model prioritizes relief of suffering and tailors care to increase the quality of life for terminally ill patients.
Glioblastoma,previously known as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM),is the most aggressive and most common type of cancer that originates in the brain,and has very poor prognosis for survival. Initial signs and symptoms of glioblastoma are nonspecific. They may include headaches,personality changes,nausea,and symptoms similar to those of a stroke. Symptoms often worsen rapidly and may progress to unconsciousness.
An oncology nurse is a specialized nurse who cares for cancer patients. These nurses require advanced certifications and clinical experiences in oncology further than the typical baccalaureate nursing program provides. Oncology nursing care can be defined as meeting the various needs of oncology patients during the time of their disease including appropriate screenings and other preventive practices,symptom management,care to retain as much normal functioning as possible,and supportive measures upon end of life.
A cancer survivor is a person with cancer of any type who is still living. Whether a person becomes a survivor at the time of diagnosis or after completing treatment,whether people who are actively dying are considered survivors,and whether healthy friends and family members of the cancer patient are also considered survivors,varies from group to group. Some people who have been diagnosed with cancer reject the term survivor or disagree with some definitions of it.
Psycho-oncology is an interdisciplinary field at the intersection of physical,psychological,social,and behavioral aspects of the cancer experience for both patients and caregivers. Also known as psychiatric oncology or psychosocial oncology,researchers and practitioners in the field are concerned with aspects of individuals' experience with cancer beyond medical treatment,and across the cancer trajectory,including at diagnosis,during treatment,transitioning to and throughout survivorship,and approaching the end-of-life. Founded by Jimmie Holland in 1977 via the incorporation of a psychiatric service within the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York,the field has expanded drastically since and is now universally recognized as an integral component of quality cancer care. Cancer centers in major academic medical centers across the country now uniformly incorporate a psycho-oncology service into their clinical care,and provide infrastructure to support research efforts to advance knowledge in the field.
Mucositis is the painful inflammation and ulceration of the mucous membranes lining the digestive tract,usually as an adverse effect of chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment for cancer. Mucositis can occur anywhere along the gastrointestinal (GI) tract,but oral mucositis refers to the particular inflammation and ulceration that occurs in the mouth. Oral mucositis is a common and often debilitating complication of cancer treatment.
Radiation enteropathy is a syndrome that may develop following abdominal or pelvic radiation therapy for cancer. Many affected people are cancer survivors who had treatment for cervical cancer or prostate cancer;it has also been termed pelvic radiation disease with radiation proctitis being one of the principal features.
William S. Breitbart,FAPM,is an American psychiatrist in Psychosomatic Medicine,Psycho-oncology,and Palliative Care. He is the Jimmie C Holland Chair in Psychiatric Oncology,and the Chief of the Psychiatry Service,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences,Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center,He is a Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Weill Medical College of Cornell University. He was president of the Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine,and the Editor-in-Chief of Palliative and Supportive Care.
Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with the study,treatment,diagnosis and prevention of cancer. A medical professional who practices oncology is an oncologist. The name's etymological origin is the Greek word ὄγκος(ónkos),meaning "tumor","volume" or "mass". Oncology is concerned with:
Cancer treatments are a wide range of treatments available for the many different types of cancer,with each cancer type needing its own specific treatment. Treatments can include surgery,chemotherapy,radiation therapy,hormonal therapy,targeted therapy including small-molecule drugs or monoclonal antibodies,and PARP inhibitors. Other therapies include hyperthermia,immunotherapy,photodynamic therapy,and stem-cell therapy. Most commonly cancer treatment involves a series of separate therapies such as chemotherapy before surgery.
An informal or primary caregiver is an individual in a cancer patient's life that provides unpaid assistance and cancer-related care. Due to the typically late onset of cancer,caregivers are often the spouses and/or children of patients,but may also be parents,other family members,or close friends. Informal caregivers are a major form of support for the cancer patient because they provide most care outside of the hospital environment. This support includes:
Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a nerve-damaging side effect of antineoplastic agents in the common cancer treatment,chemotherapy. CIPN afflicts between 30% and 40% of patients undergoing chemotherapy. Antineoplastic agents in chemotherapy are designed to eliminate rapidly dividing cancer cells,but they can also damage healthy structures,including the peripheral nervous system. CIPN involves various symptoms such as tingling,pain,and numbness in the hands and feet. These symptoms can impair activities of daily living,such as typing or dressing,reduce balance,and increase risk of falls and hospitalizations. They can also give cause to reduce or discontinue chemotherapy. Researchers have conducted clinical trials and studies to uncover the various symptoms,causes,pathogenesis,diagnoses,risk factors,and treatments of CIPN.
Cancer and nausea are associated in about fifty percent of people affected by cancer. This may be as a result of the cancer itself,or as an effect of the treatment such as chemotherapy,radiation therapy,or other medication such as opiates used for pain relief. About 70 to 80% of people undergoing chemotherapy experience nausea or vomiting. Nausea and vomiting may also occur in people not receiving treatment,often as a result of the disease involving the gastrointestinal tract,electrolyte imbalance,or as a result of anxiety. Nausea and vomiting may be experienced as the most unpleasant side effects of cytotoxic drugs and may result in patients delaying or refusing further radiotherapy or chemotherapy.
Cancer rehabilitation has been defined in the scientific literature as a distinct field of medicine that focuses on reducing or eliminating side-effects of cancer treatment and improving survivors' strength,ability to function and quality of life
Margaret Ruth McCorkle FAAN,FAPOS was an American nurse,oncology researcher,and educator. She was the Florence Schorske Wald Professor of Nursing at the Yale School of Nursing.
Terri S. Armstrong is an American scientist and nurse practitioner. She is a senior investigator in the Center for Cancer Research Neuro-Oncology Branch of the National Cancer Institute. Armstrong held the Dunn Distinguished Professorship in Oncology Nursing at UTHealth Jane and Robert Cizik School of Nursing.
Deborah Watkins Bruner is an American researcher,clinical trialist,and academic. She is the senior vice president for research at Emory University. Her research focus is on patient reported outcomes,symptom management across cancer sites,sexuality after cancer treatment,and effectiveness of radiotherapy modalities. Bruner's research has been continually funding since 1998,with total funding of her research exceeding $180 million. She is ranked among the top five percent of all National Institutes of Health-funded investigators worldwide since 2012,according to the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research.
Linda Sarna is an American nursing researcher and academic. She is dean,professor and Lulu Wolf Hassenplug Chair of the UCLA School of Nursing. Sarna was appointed the school's seventh dean Nov. 15,2016,. after serving as acting dean (2014-2015) and interim dean (2015-2016).
Patsy Yates is an Australian registered nurse,university professor,and institutional leader who works at the Queensland University of Technology (Brisbane),where she is a Distinguished Professor and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health,Research Director of the Centre for Palliative Care Research and Education,and Co-Director of the Centre for Healthcare Transformation. She is a specialist in the field of palliative,cancer and aged care.
Psychosocial distress refers to the unpleasant emotions or psychological symptoms an individual has when they are overwhelmed,which negatively impacts their quality of life. Psychosocial distress is most commonly used in medical care to refer to the emotional distress experienced by populations of patients and caregivers of patients with complex chronic conditions such as cancer,diabetes,and cardiovascular conditions,which confer heavy symptom burdens that are often overwhelming,due to the disease's association with death. Due to the significant history of psychosocial distress in cancer treatment,and a lack of reliable secondary resources documenting distress in other contexts,psychosocial distress will be mainly discussed in the context of oncology.