New department focus : patients ’ quality of life and clinical research
In the new neuro-oncology department , Dr . Fonkem treats patients with brain cancer , and metastasized brain cancers that began as tumors in other parts of the body . Dr . Fonkem came to Scott & White Healthcare because he was impressed with the resources and mission of the healthcare system . “ I wanted to be at a clinic that adopted research as part of its mission . Here I can see the number of patients I want to see and still be free to do all the research I want to do ,” he says . His focus on highcaliber patient care is on a par with that of another leading cancer provider in the state .
“ Scott & White is following many of the same treatment protocols as the country ' s leading cancer centers ,” Dr . Fonkem says . “ We have the same treatments . We offer the clinical trials and are doing the same high-level research .”
He has focused on building a research and treatment team , including researchers , neuropsychologists , pathologists , neurosurgeons , social workers , and radiation oncologists . “ We have this team so we can all specialize in different areas ,” says Pier Di Patre , MD , a neuropathologist who helps in the diagnosis of patients with brain tumors .
“ Dr . Fonkem has done a really good job of reaching out to other disciplines and integrating care for his patients ,” says Kerry O ’ Mahar , PhD , a neuropsychologist who works with Dr . Fonkem in the Neurology Department along with two other neuropsychologists ( Daniel Cruz , PsyD , and Jared Benge , PhD ), and a health psychologist ( Sabrina Austin , PhD ) to help monitor and maximize patients ’ quality of life , particularly through the assessment of thinking abilities and emotional factors .
Within the past several months , Dr . Fonkem began asking his patients to complete a questionnaire at each of their appointments , to assess their difficulty with different quality-of-life issues , such as memory , concentration , social interaction , and family life . “ We as doctors are trained to treat patients . But we also need to step back and ask patients , ‘ What is your quality of life ? What is making you happy ?’” he says .
The survey results have helped the neuro-oncology team identify patients who need some extra help , ultimately directing them to other resources like neuropsychology , health psychology , and social work .
Additional studies to help patients
Dr . Fonkem and Karen Newell Rogers , PhD , the Raleigh R . White , Jr ., Endowed Professor of Surgical Research , are testing a new chemical compound , etomoxir , to work alongside temozolomide , the traditionally prescribed chemotherapy compound . The research is showing a promising synergistic effect in controlling the growth and survival of glioblastoma , he says .
The neuro-oncology team is also conducting studies from Scott & White ’ s brain tumor registry , where a detailed list of every brain tumor treated at the clinics and hospitals since 1978 may show tumors to be more common in certain geographic locations or populations of patients . sw . org | November 13 The Catalyst 17