What helps people with blood cancers start and keep taking oral cancer medicines
Identifying Multi-Level Predictors and Outcomes of Oral Anticancer Medication Adherence Initiation and Persistence among Patients with Hematologic Malignancies
This project looks at why people with blood cancers (like CLL, CML, and multiple myeloma) do or don't start and stick with prescribed oral cancer medicines.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11136393 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be part of a project that combines your medical and pharmacy records with surveys and possible interviews to track when and how people start and continue oral cancer medications. The team will identify common adherence patterns, such as consistent use, dropping off over time, or very low use. They will examine personal factors (symptoms, feelings about meds), health-system issues (insurance approvals, specialty pharmacy delays, costs), and social factors (including race and ethnicity) that influence starting and staying on treatment. The researchers will also link these patterns to quality of life and clinical outcomes to see who is most affected by missed or delayed doses.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with hematologic (blood) cancers such as multiple myeloma, chronic myeloid leukemia, or chronic lymphocytic leukemia who have been prescribed oral anticancer medications.
Not a fit: People not prescribed oral cancer medicines (for example those on only IV therapies), children, or patients with unrelated cancer types are unlikely to be included or directly helped by this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help doctors and clinics identify patients at risk of not taking oral cancer medicines and target support to improve medication use and outcomes.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has identified adherence patterns and system barriers in cancer and other chronic diseases, but applying these methods specifically to initiation and long-term persistence in blood cancers is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Belcher, Sarah M. — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Belcher, Sarah M.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.