Student research project
Supervisor(s): Professor Tom Marwick and Dr Cheng Hwee Soh
The REDEEM-CAD study aims to understand whether chemotherapy or radiotherapy as cancer treatments increases the risk of developing coronary artery disease (CAD). We also want to know if best practice management (e.g. heart medication or change in lifestyle) reduces CAD risk.
Project summary
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a potentially serious illness. At the moment, there is no established strategy to screen cancer survivors for CAD. Traditional risk factors only allow us to identify some people at risk, and therefore we are missing some of those who need early treatment to prevent a heart attack/stroke and potentially unnecessarily treating others. We therefore need better ways of identifying those who would benefit from treatment. We are trying to improve the prediction process to better identify those who may benefit from treatment.
Some new cardiac imaging methods have allowed the early detection of coronary artery disease before the patient develops symptoms or has a heart attack. In this project, we will undertake a CT scan to identify if participants have coronary calcification (a build up of calcium in the heart’s arteries). A CT coronary angiogram involving injection of a contrast dye will be conducted if positive coronary calcification was identified.
The primary hypothesis of the REDEEM-CAD study is that risk evaluation and selective use if CAC scoring in survivors identifies greater proportion in need for CAD prevention than in the general population. The primary outcome is proportion of evaluated patients who should undergo CAD prevention (defined as high clinical risk, or intermediate risk with CAC score >0). Secondary endpoints include:
- The proportion with critical CAD (defined by coronary stenosis >70% by CT coronary angiogram in CAC 1–400).
- Proportion at intermediate clinical risk.
- Statin responsiveness (change in plaque volume at 3y follow-up).
- The feasibility (proportion of at-risk patients proceeding with investigation and lipid profile, reflecting adherence to therapy).
Related methods, skills or technologies
This project will provide the opportunity for the student to explore statistical analytics while learning imaging techniques, disease risk management and interventions.
This project is suitable for a PhD or Honours student.