A report by Brian Wolpin, MD, Director of Dana-Farber’s Hale Family Research Center, and researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Broad Institute at Massachusetts Institute of Technology has identified a high rate of muscle depletion among patients with localized pancreatic cancer. The research results suggest that “assessing peripheral tissue loss before overt disease onset may help to identify pancreatic cancer at earlier stages,” according to the report authors. HCC developed the Center’s website, which highlights its expertise, achievements, and supporters.
Recent client publications
Here are some examples of research studies to which HCC provided health communication services.
Altered exocrine function can drive adipose wasting in early pancreatic cancer
Wolpin B, et. al. June 2018
A stakeholder-driven approach to improve the informed consent process for palliative chemotherapy
Enzinger AC, et. al. March 2017
HCC worked with the research team using stakeholder-driven methods to develop a dual format video/print-based intervention, offering patients upfront, realistic information about prognosis and palliative chemotherapy as part of the chemotherapy informed consent process. The resulting intervention was rated highly by advocates and oncologists, which stands in contrast to their reported dissatisfaction with existing chemotherapy educational materials.The final prototype video and booklet can be found at www.chemovideo.org (logon and password: FOLFOX).
Prediction of Ischemic Heart Disease and Stroke in Survivors of Childhood Cancer
Chow EJ, Chen Y, Hudson MM, Feijen EAM, Kremer LC, Border WL, Green DM, Meacham LR, Mulrooney DA, Ness KK, Oeffinger KC, Ronckers CM, Sklar CA, Stovall M, van der Pal HJ, van Dijk IWEM, van Leeuwen FE, Weathers RE, Robison L. January 2018
More than 13,000 participants in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study were observed through age 50 for the development of ischemic heart disease and stroke, and 4,000 of their siblings, who also participate in the study, established a baseline population risk. The resulting Cardiovascular Risk Calculator is an online tool with which survivors and their healthcare providers can estimate an individual’s risk for heart disease and stroke. Awareness of risk levels can help inform screening strategies and lifestyle changes to protect survivors’ health. HCC is helping the study team maximize participant engagement and response to follow-up surveys for this important longitudinal cohort. Read more about HCC’s work with the study.
Sorensen G, Nagler E, Pawar P, Gupta P, Pednekar M, Wagner G. August 2017
HCC worked with this study’s PI to develop messages and materials for a worker health intervention in Mumbai, India. Posters, take-away cards, flyers, and a quit-tobacco guide invoked the visual stylings of Bollywood posters. We developed easy-to-read content in Hindi, Marathi, and English complemented with graphic images for workers with minimal or no literacy. See some of the materials on our website.
Chong C, Bahcall M, Capelletti M, Kosaka T, Ercan D, Sim T, Sholl LM, Nishino M, Johnson BE, Gray N, Jänne PA. January 2017.
The Jänne Lab's research integrates bench-based studies with translational research and clinical trials of novel therapeutic agents in patients with lung cancer. The Lab's website, developed by HCC, conveys the significance and excitement of the Lab’s work to potential collaborators, donors, and lab members.
Collaborative design of a health care experience survey for persons with disability
Iezzoni LI, Matulewicz H, Marsella SA, Warsett KS, Heaphy D, Donelan K. April 2017
An empowering study name and a fully accessible website helped collect data on quality-of-care issues affecting people with significant chronic physical disabilities or mental health diagnoses who participated in the YES Health (Your Experience: Speak up for better health care) study.
Sorensen G, Pednekar M, Shulman Cordeira L, Pawar P, Nagler EM, Stoddard AM, Kim HY, Gupta PC. March 2017
A “Bollywood” approach to graphics helped engage low- and non-literate workers in tobacco cessation materials for the Mumbai worksite tobacco control study.
Untangling the disaster-depression knot: The role of social ties after Deepwater Horizon
Rung AL, Gaston S, Robinson WT, Trapido EJ, Peters ES. March 2017
Full article: sph.lsuhsc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Rung_2017_SSM_Untangling-disaster-depression-know.pdf
On behalf of Women and Their Children's Health (WaTCH), a longitudinal study of the health effects of women exposed to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, HCC developed a logo, an array of print materials, templates for a retention newsletter, and a webpage on the Louisiana State University website that extended the study’s visual identity into ongoing communication efforts.
Lobach DF, Johns EB, Halpenny B, Saunders T, Brzozowski J, Del Fiol G, Berry DL, Braun IM, Finn K, Wolfe J, Abrahm JL, Cooley ME. October-December 2016
HCC worked with Dr. Cooley on the Symptom Assessment and Management Intervention (SAMI), including assisting with the Phase 1 focus group and creating the graphical summary reports.
Nekhlyudov L, O'malley DM, Hudson SV. January 2017
The website that HCC built for Dr. Nekhlyudov, Cancer Survivorship in Primary Care, is a one-stop repository where primary care providers can quickly access resources for medical information and clinical guidance.