IPOS IQ News

These are the grants and funding available for projects and research in the cancer field. For more information see the embedded links.

National Cancer Institute (current and recent requests) http://deais.nci.nih.gov/foastatus/

Worldwide cancer research (twice a year) http://www.worldwidecancerresearch.org/funding/make-an-application

American cancer society (ongoing deadlines) http://www.cancer.org/research/applyforaresearchgrant/granttypes/index

IPOS Past President Dr. Barry Bultz – named Daniel Family Leadership Chair in Psychosocial Oncology. Patrick Daniel has been a strong supporter of excellence in cancer care and, in particular, the area of psychosocial oncology. During his tenure as CEO of Enbridge, Inc. that organization made what was then their largest ever donation to establish the Enbridge Research Chair in Psychosocial Oncology. Mr. Daniel has retired from Enbridge and he and his family have now established the Daniel Family Foundation. Through this Foundation, Patrick and his family have demonstrated their commitment to excellence in psychosocial oncology with a gift to establish the Daniel Family Leadership Chair in Psychosocial Oncology. The Chair will be held by Dr. Barry Bultz, Professor and Head, Division of Psychosocial Oncology in the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary, and Director of the Department of Psychosocial Oncology at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre (TBCC). Dr. Bultz is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute. Dr. Bultz has established a global reputation in the area of psychosocial oncology with his seminal research in “Distress as the Sixth Vital Sign” and his leadership in achieving International Union for Cancer Control (UICC) recognition of this important area. His research carried on both at TBCC and internationally, has demonstrated that 35-45 per cent of cancer patients experience high levels of distress; these findings have led to innovations in clinical care. The funding from this Chair will be instrumental in supporting ongoing research in this field with the clear vision of alleviating the distress faced by cancer patients and their families.

IPOS Treasurer Dr. Anja Mehnert awarded the 2016 German Cancer Award for Clinical Research. The oldest and largest cancer congress in Germany is held every two years in Berlin and this year the 32nd German Cancer Congress awarded the German cancer award to several researchers including Professor Dr. Anja Mehnert, PhD, from the University Medical Center in Leipzig. The awarding of this prize to a psycho-oncology researcher and practitioner is significant as it is the first award in this category to be presented to a mental health researcher. Anja Mehnert is a medical psychologist whose study featured psychotherapeutic interventions for people with advanced cancer to minimize depression and distress. Together with her research team she evaluated concepts such as meaning-making, the meaning of life and demoralization in cancer as well as developing practical interventions to support the patient. Their work is particularly relevant for those cancer patients for whom a long-term for a cure is not possible.

https://www.krebsgesellschaft.de/deutsche-krebsgesellschaft-wtrl/deutsche-krebsgesellschaft/ueber-uns/preise-auszeichnungen/deutscher-krebspreis.html

The NCCN 2016 Nursing Program: Advancing Oncology Nursing Live Webinar Series will provide the oncology nurse with comprehensive and clinically relevant information regarding the management of patients with cancer: diagnosis and management of sepsis, anorexia and cachexia, management of cardiac toxicities in cancer survivors, and global oncology nursing outreach efforts as well as breast cancer, lung cancer, multiple myeloma, and T-cell lymphomas. (https://www.nccn.org/professionals/meetings/default.aspx )

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Benefits of pilot training course in psycho-oncology by EPAAC in Romania – from Degi Csaba Following a pilot training in Psycho-oncology that was held in Romania (see photo), with input from EPAAC and IPOS successful developments are evident and are shaping important improvements in cancer policy and cancer care in Romania. In March 2016 the Romanian Ministry of Health convened committees within the country to advise and participate in a working group on Romania’s National Cancer Control Plan for 2016-2020. (http://www.psychooncology.ro/committee-for-social-work-and-support-in-oncology/ ) Dr. Degi Csaba (seen on far left of photo) will serve as a part of this working group and is IPOS’s representative for Romania.

IPOS trainers and participants in the 2013 Communication Skills Training and Psychosocial Oncology Care course held in Romania

Dr. Dégi László Csaba PhD MSW
Associate professor at Babes Bolyai University in Cluj Napoca, Romania

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One year post-diploma studies of psychotherapy in cancer care in Poland – from Ewa Gruszczyńska A new one year post-diploma studies of psychotherapy in cancer care will start in October 2016 at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw, Poland. This is the first program in Poland entirely devoted to state-of-the art psychological interventions to improve patients’ quality of life and facilitate coping with medical treatment through supportive psychotherapy. As such it is addressed to experienced psychotherapists who would like either to specialize in psycho-oncology or to enrich their professional competencies to effectively adjust psychological help to the needs of oncological patients and their families.

The course consists of 250 hours: 100 hours of lectures and 150 hours of workshops and classes. Teachers are leading figures in the field from Poland as well as visiting scholars from abroad. The program is being affiliated to the Polish Psycho-Oncological Society.
More details can be obtained from Joanna Zapała, MA, Clin. Psyc. (jzapala@swps.edu.pl) and Ewa Gruszczyńska, PhD (egruszczynska@swps.edu.pl).

More than four ¬decades after President Nixon declared war on cancer, Vincent DeVita Jr. maintains we have not to believe “the cynics, the press, or the doubters. We are winning this war”. DeVita's long experience and practice, from a young medical student, to director of the National Cancer Institute, physician-in-chief at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and director of the Yale Cancer Center, stands at the core of his new book: The Death of Cancer (link: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/13/books/review/the-death-of-cancer-by-vincent-t-devita-jr-and-elizabeth-devita-raeburn.html?_r=0).

At the biennial Congress of the African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC) in Morocco, November 2015, Dr Ahmed Elzawawy, President of AORTIC, announced the inauguration of the James and Jimmie Holland Research Award. The award acknowledges the role of Dr James Holland as a Founding Member of AORTIC in the 1980s, and to Dr Jimmie Holland for her continuing contributions to psychosocial and behavioral research and training in Africa. The Award will be given biennially at the Congress to the African investigator who’s abstract/study presented at the Congress is considered the best.

To mark International Women’s Day on 8 March 2016, Roche Pharmaceuticals compiled and launched a booklet acknowledging Women as Change Agents in Oncology

(http://bit.ly/1Q8VbBx)

This report is downloadable in PDF format and highlights the achievements of women historically and currently in the different disciplines in oncology, including the work of IPOS President, Dr Luzia Travado! Congratulations Luzia on this recognition. (http://www.roche.com/waca_report.pdf) Luzia’s piece highlights the vital role of psycho-oncology in providing care, especially embracing the value of a multi-disciplinary team.

In the last months, two relevant guidelines have been published. On the one hand, the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sponsored a special supplement in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine entitled, “Addressing Cancer Survivorship Through Public Health Research, Surveillance, and Programs” (link: http://www.ajpmonline.org/issue/S0749-3797%2815%29X0006-7). The supplement reports new research findings, information on surveillance and programme activities, as well as an overview of other work conducted by CDC and its partners over the past decade to identify and address the needs of cancer survivors.

On the other hand, the US National Comprehensive Cancer Network has released what they call the Palliative Care Version 1.2016 (link to: http://www.jnccn.org/content/14/1/82.abstract). The NCCN Guidelines are intended to provide guidance for the primary oncology team on the integration of palliative care into oncology.

African Organisation of Research and Training in Cancer Conference was held in Marrakech in November 2015 (as mentioned in Section 2 – Let’s talk). This conference featured important input from IPOS members in the form of Academy sessions on Psychosocial and Behavioural Aspects of Cancer Care in Africa, with particular attention to Special Issues for Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults (link: http://aorticconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/2015-AORTIC-Abstract-Publication.pdf). A full report on the Academy’s content and proceedings is attached

British Psychosocial Oncology Society 2016 Annual Conference: The conference was held on 3–4 March 2016 in Cambridge, UK. The focus of the conference was on promoting the advancement of education, clinical practice, and research in psychosocial oncology. Psycho-oncology recently published the proceedings for free to readers. (link: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pon.v25.S1/issuetoc)

American Psychosocial Oncology Society 13th Annual Conference was held in San Diego, California, USA from 3-5 March 2016. The conference theme was “Psychosocial cancer care for all – achieving equity in psychosocial oncology” (Link: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pon.v25.S2/issuetoc)

Association of Oncology Social Work 32nd Annual Conference was held in Tampa, Florida, USA from 4-6 May 2016. The attention of the conference was "Oncology Social Workers: A Safe Harbor in the Storm" (Link: https://www.aosw.org/AOSW/media/Main-Site-Files/2016%20Annual%20Conference/Documents/AOSW-PP-16-FNL-3_22.pdf)

The Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) seems to reject the effectiveness of homeopathy in cancer care. “Based on the assessment of the evidence of effectiveness of homeopathy, NHMRC concludes that there are no health conditions for which there is reliable evidence that homeopathy is effective” (link: http://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2016/02/16/paul-glasziou-still-no-evidence-for-homeopathy/). The debate is far from over.

The Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) seems to reject the effectiveness of homeopathy in cancer care. “Based on the assessment of the evidence of effectiveness of homeopathy, NHMRC concludes that there are no health conditions for which there is reliable evidence that homeopathy is effective” (link: http://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2016/02/16/paul-glasziou-still-no-evidence-for-homeopathy/). The debate is far from over.