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Webinar: Holistic Measures of Physical Functioning in Cancer

Webinar: Holistic Measures of Physical Functioning in Cancer
 
 

Suvekshya Aryal, a research scientist at VivoSense, skillfully moderated a pivotal discussion on the challenges and methodologies for measuring physical function in cancer patients, emphasizing the transformative role of digital health technologies.

Impact of Cancer on Quality of Life:

Cancer significantly impacts patients’ quality of life, frequently hindering daily activities. To address this, the webinar methodically explores various methods that help to understand a patient’s emotional and functional state during their illness and treatment.

Role of Patient-Reported Outcomes (PROs):

Moreover, patient-reported outcomes (PROs) provide critical insights into the symptoms and overall functioning related to cancer. These outcomes are essential as they assess the benefits and risks of treatments in drug development. Furthermore, objective measures of real-world physical behavior can complement PROs, offering additional insights that are invaluable.

Integration of Digital Measures:

Additionally, these objective measures can be continuously and remotely captured using wearable sensors. More importantly, these digital measures play a crucial role in developing treatments aimed at improving key physical functions for cancer patients. However, incorporating them into drug development requires substantial evidence and collaborative input from researchers, regulators, and patients.

Panel Discussion and Learning Opportunities:

The webinar featured a diverse panel that discussed the comprehensive measurement of physical function in cancer and the significant value of digital health technologies. Experts emphasized the importance of capturing physical function through both direct patient input and data analysis. Additionally, they explored how digital health technologies could substantially enhance cancer treatments and patient outcomes.

 

 

Speakers

Suvekshya is a Research Scientist at VivoSense, specializing in understanding patients’ experiences with cancer and its treatment. She is developing digital measures of physical functioning for integration into clinical trials. Suvekshya holds a master’s degree in public health and epidemiology and has extensive experience in clinical research.

~(MODERATOR) Suvekshya Aryal, Research Scientist, VivoSense Inc.

Dr. Leach is an associate professor and director of the Physical Activity for Treatment and Prevention Lab at Colorado State University. She holds a B.S. in Exercise Science, an M.S. in Exercise Physiology, and a Ph.D. in Kinesiology. She completed postdoctoral fellowship training in physical activity for cancer survivorship at the University of Calgary and is certified as a Clinical Exercise Physiologist and Cancer Exercise Trainer.

~Heather Leach, Associate Professor and Director of the Physical Activity for Treatment and Prevention Lab, Colorado State University

Tom is a Principal Scientist and the lead for digital health in Genentech’s Research and Early Development informatics group (gRED ECDi). He focuses on developing technology platforms that support molecule teams across Genentech’s early development portfolio. With over 23 years of clinical development experience, including 9 years in digital technology for clinical trials, Tom plays a key role in various cross-industry digital health initiatives, including the Clinical Trial Transformation Initiative Digital Health Trials, the Digital Medicine Society, and Transcelerate. Since joining Genentech in 2010, he has held various roles in clinical development.

~Thomas Switzer, Digital Health Scientist, Research and Early Development, Genentech

Theresa Coles, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in Duke University School of Medicine’s Department of Population Health Sciences. As a health outcomes methodologist, she specializes in measuring and evaluating patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and other clinical outcomes assessments (COAs) to aid decision-making in healthcare delivery and clinical research settings. Dr. Coles’ research is centered on three key areas: (1) Enhancing the assessment of physical function and related concepts, (2) Improving the interpretability of PRO scores, and (3) Designing and implementing screeners to improve patient-centered care by measuring what matters. Dr. Coles employs qualitative and quantitative psychometric methodologies to answer measurement questions.

~Theresa Coles, Ph.D, Assistant Professor in Duke University School of Medicine’s Department of Population Health Sciences

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