Thuy Koll, MD, assistant professor, Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, was awarded the 2017 Great Plains IDeA-CTR Pilot grant. Funding for the grant is $50,000 for one year.
“The goal of the project is to collect longitudinal pilot data on the cognitive and functional outcomes of older cancer patients completing stem cell transplants,” one reviewer said. “The investigators seek to determine whether certain demographic or genetic characteristics put individuals at greater risk for post-treatment cognitive decline.”
The research targets treatment outcomes for older (ages 50+) cancer patients undergoing stem cell transplant for hematological malignancies. Because this is a relatively new treatment for older adults, little is known about post-treatment functioning. It is important to tailor treatments for patients based on predicted outcomes. This work could identify risk factors for cognitive and functional impairment among older adults.
Another reviewer said, “This project could potentially help to develop a better treatment plan for cognitive decline in the older population.”