In this episode, we speak with Dr. Eneida Nemecek, a pediatric oncologist specializing in bone marrow transplants and cellular therapies. Dr. Nemecek provides an in-depth look at the science behind these treatments, the process patients go through, and the challenges faced by both patients and caregivers. She emphasizes the importance of caregiver well-being, particularly sleep, and discusses a PCORI study on stress management for caregivers. The episode concludes with a rapid-fire Q&A session covering key terms and concepts in the field.
This episode was supported by the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) and features these PCORI studies (Study #1 & Study #2) by Mark Laudenslager, PhD.
Key Highlights:
1. Bone marrow transplant involves replacing a patient's immune system with a healthier one, either from a donor or the patient's own modified cells.
2. Caregiver quality of life, especially sleep, is crucial for patient outcomes in bone marrow transplant cases.
3. CAR-T therapy is a form of cellular therapy where white blood cells are engineered to attack specific targets, offering new treatment options for certain cancers.
About our guest:
Dr. Eneida Nemecek is a Professor of Pediatrics and Medical Oncology and Associate Director of Clinical Research at the Knight Cancer Institute-Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) in Portland, Oregon. Native from Puerto Rico, she completed her Pediatric residency at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH and Pediatric Hematology/Oncology fellowship at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington. She has a Master in Epidemiology and Clinical Research from the University of Washington and a Master in Healthcare Business Administration from OHSU. Dr. Nemecek is an established clinical researcher with over 20 years of experience in trials ranging from investigator-initiated early phase to large, multicenter studies funded by a variety of mechanisms. Her research focuses on bone marrow and cellular therapies, experimental oncology therapeutics and health services research addressing disparities in access for underrepresented groups. She has served in leadership roles in steering committees for several national cooperative research groups. She has also held elected leadership positions as director, trustee or committee chair in multiple professional organizations.
The Your Cancer GPS™ platform is coming! Step-by-step subway maps that guide you through the entire cancer experience. Learn more here!
Key Moments:
At 14:40 “Sleep is healthy. If you are the one caregiver of a patient and you get sick because you're stressed and not getting enough rest, then you get affected and your patient gets affected too. It's a very important part of our health. Eat, sleep, get some time for yourself. Those are all things that just need to happen. The way that we're designing medicine today, sometimes we forget that the caregiver is kind of a patient. If we lose that person, we are in serious trouble. I can tell you multiple examples about when that has happened and how difficult it is for the medical team and for the family.”
At 28:03 “I think it's really important to remind ourselves that the brain, our psychosocial life, is part of our health. I think sleep, exercise, diet studies, anything that can improve the life of people should be studied in a very organized setting, just like you study drugs, if we're going to do this well.”
Disclaimer: All content and information provided in connection with Manta Cares is solely intended for informational and educational purposes only. This content and information is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
