Strengthening Communities Where We Live, Work, and Play | Page 26

DEALING WITH
THE DARK SIDE
OF CHEMO
The Battle Against
Breast Cancer

The Good News: Survival rates are improving for breast cancer, the second leading cause

Career Successes

of cancer death among American women. Five years after the diagnosis, 93% of women with
Stage II and 72% of women with Stage III will be alive.

The Bad News: Neoplastic agents, which include chemotherapy and targeted therapies,
result in short and long-term cardiovascular complications. Heart failure and the development
of cardiomyopathy during cancer treatment is one of the most dire complications.
• Cardiovascular complications have been shown
to alter a patient’s quality and quantity of life.
• Cardiotoxicity presents as arrhythmias,
acute coronary syndromes, pericarditis, and
myocarditis, as well as systolic and diastolic left
ventricular dysfunction over time.

• Complications often limit additional treatment
depending on their severity.
• An estimated two million Americans are at
risk for delayed anthracycline toxicity after
cancer treatment.

Two Exceptional Performer Awards,
Borgess Medical Center (2010
and 2012)
Outstanding Graduate Student for
MSU College of Nursing (2010)

Organizational Activity
American Heart Association
American Academy of
Nurse Practitioners
American Association of Critical
Care Nurses

Traditional PhD Student Explores
Non-Traditional Interventions for
Chemo Patients
Over her career, PhD Student Deborah LeeEkblad, MSN, FNP, ACNP-BC, has cared for
hundreds of patients losing the battle with heart
failure and cardiomyopathy.
Her research in the newly developing field
of cardio-oncology will investigate exercise
interventions that may minimize cardiac fibrosis
and heart failure for breast cancer patients
during and after chemotherapy. If exercise does
prove to be beneficial in minimizing the risk and
severity of heart failure during chemotherapy,
the next step will be to work with newly
diagnosed breast cancer patients to help them
understand the importance of exercise and
assist with behavioral modification.

Why MSU?
It’s All about the Research Faculty

A Rich and Varied Professional
Nursing History

MSU College of Nursing MSN, FNP grad
Lee-Ekblad returned to the College for her PhD,
because she was impressed with the faculty
she met during her master’s program here. In
particular, she cites PhD Program Director Dr.
Barbara Given, who is highly regarded for her
unique ability to guide students to develop
their research knowledge and capability. She
also wants to work alongside fa