Improving Chemotherapy Experiences for Children with AML
Background
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the second most common pediatric hematologic malignancy. While it accounts for only about 20% of leukemia in children, it is responsible for more than half of leukemia deaths. Each treatment course results in a period of prolonged neutropenia during which patients are highly susceptible to severe infection. Although pediatric cancer supportive care guidelines recommend that patients remain hospitalized until resolution of neutropenia, some hospitals discharge the majority of patients to outpatient management during neutropenia after chemotherapy, while other hospitals strictly utilize inpatient management.
Project Goal
I will provide research support to a study aimed at comparing important clinical outcomes, including the occurrence of infection and treatment delays, for outpatient relative to inpatient management by abstracting relevant data from the medical charts of patients at pediatric hospitals around the country. The results of the study will provide a more complete risk-benefit profile to inform physicians, patients and caregivers in their selection of the most appropriate strategy of neutropenia management.
Mentored by Dr. Richard Aplenc
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
