Research from the Ky Lab Collaborators
For nearly two decades, Dr. Ky has been fully devoted to collaborative science and the mentorship of undergraduate students, medical students, cardiology fellows, postdoctoral fellows and Assistant and Associate Professors in cardiology, oncology and epidemiology at Penn and other academic medical centers across the country. Her clinical translational program in cardio-oncology is highly unique as there are few NIH and AHA-funded cardio-oncology programs nationally. Dr. Ky works very closely with collaborators and mentees on a variety of projects, which has resulted in senior author manuscripts with first author mentees in leading CV journals, including Circulation, Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Circulation Research, and JACC CV Imaging. Here are some ongoing collaborative studies in cardio-oncology that the Ky Lab also supports:
Increasing Physical Activity to Improve Cardiovascular Health in Racially Diverse Cancer Survivor Communities
The overall objective of this AHA-funded study (NCT05176756) led by Drs. Alexander Fanaroff, Kevin Volpp, and Saro Armenian is to determine the effectiveness of a behaviorally designated gamification intervention with social support to increase physical activity in patients with or at risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and evaluate the effects of the intervention on physical function, fatigue and quality of life.
Principal Investigators: Dr. Alexander C. Fanaroff, MD, Dr. Kevin Volpp, MD, PhD and Dr. Saro H. Armenian, DO, MPH
Long Term Arrhythmia Risk and Cardiovascular Events in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant
We propose a registry study (NCT04118530) in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) patients with incident atrial fibrillation/atrial flutter (AF/AFL) during the initial 30 days of transplant who will be implanted with the Medtronic Reveal Linq Implantable Cardiac Monitor (ICM) within 90 days of HSCT. We will evaluate the rate of recurrent AF/AFL as well as incident episodes of major cardiovascular events and the safety of ICM implantation in this population.
Principal Investigator: Dr. Michael G. Fradley, MD
Abatacept in Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Myocarditis
This randomized trial (NCT05335928) led by Drs. Tomas Neilan, MD, MPH and Paul Ridker, MD, MPH is being conducted to test whether abatacept, as compared to placebo, is associated with a reduction in major adverse cardiac events (MACE) among participants who develop myocarditis after treatment with an Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI). The primary aim of this trial is to test in a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study whether abatacept, administered concurrently with corticosteroids, is associated with a reduction in MACE among participants with recently diagnosed ICI myocarditis.
University of Pennsylvania Site Principal Investigator: Dr. Michael G. Fradley, MD
The CArdiovascular Risk Evaluation in Men with Prostate Cancer Study (CARE-PC): Initial Pilot Feasibility Study to Assess Patient Awareness and Risk Mitigation
This NCCN-funded study (NCT06064149) lead by Dr. Vivek Narayan, MD, MSCE is a quality improvement and research initiative to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a pragmatic, patient-oriented, web-based tool to educate patients regarding the cardiovascular risks associated with androgen deprivation therapy and to inform them of their individualized, estimated cardiovascular risk and guideline-based risk mitigation recommendations. We will assess the feasibility, acceptability, and data quality of this instrument, as well as preliminarily assess its impact on patient awareness and cardiovascular care access. Through this study, we will better understand both the burden of cardiovascular risk across the prostate cancer treatment spectrum and the gaps in access to adequate treatment of cardiovascular risk factors.
Principal Investigator: Dr. Vivek Narayan, MD, MSCE
This work led by Dr. Lova Sun, MD, MSCE focuses on understanding the epidemiology of CV disease across multiple different cancer types in US Veterans using the Veteran’s Administration Health System Data Warehouse.
This study will evaluate the development of new machine learning methods that can inform how often to monitor clinical markers of disease and how to alter patients’ treatment based on these markers. The research will also create novel methods to interrogate causal mechanisms in the context of adaptive treatment and monitoring strategies as potential targets for further optimization. In addition, evidence will be generated to inform the ideal chemotherapy roadmaps and echocardiographic monitoring schedules for patients treated for pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
Principal Investigators: Dr. Jason Roy, PhD, MS and Dr. Kelly Getz, PhD, MPH
The specific goals of this National Heart Lung and Blood Institute funded proposal include the following: (1) determine the natural history cardiotoxicity and the incremental effects of treatment from initial diagnosis, through relapse and early post-relapse follow-up, (2) to quantify the influence of prevalent salvage therapies on longitudinal changes in LV size, systolic and diastolic function and the incidence of cardiomyopathy, and (3) to evaluate salvage chemotherapy and transplant as mediators of the documented association between early cardiotoxicity onset during frontline therapy and decreased overall survival.
Principal Investigators: Dr. Kelly D. Getz, PhD, MPH and Dr. Richard Aplenc, MD, PhD, MSCE