Emily Ray, MD, MPH, has received a three-year Conquer Cancer Career Development Award from the American Society of Clinical Oncology for a study that will evaluate and validate the use of a prognostic calculator for 30-day mortality in patients with metastatic breast cancer. The project aims to improve outcomes for patients by providing evidence-based estimates of prognosis, and identify patients who are at high risk of death within 30 days.
“Although we have made tremendous progress in breast cancer care, far too few patients receive high-quality care near the end of life,” said Ray, assistant professor of medicine in the division of oncology. “We need to find ways to better predict when patients with metastatic breast cancer are nearing their final months of life so that we can surround them with the support they need and avoid treatments that are not likely to be helpful.”
Ray’s research focuses on understanding healthcare utilization among patients with advanced cancer, using large databases to discover patterns of healthcare utilization and risk factors for low-value healthcare use near the end of life. Her goal is to leverage the findings into health system interventions that ensure access to high-value care for cancer patients during all phases of their care.
Project investigators also include Katherine Reeder-Hayes, MD, MBA, MSc, and Angela Stover, PhD.