INTERVAL-MCRPC is a global study involving researchers in countries across 3 continents and is a large scale multi-centre trial designed to test the effects of high intensity exercise on prostate cancer progression and treatment side effects. She is also running a parallel study to INTERVAL (EXACT-MCRPC) which offers the benefits of participating in a multicomponent physical activity programme to those men with mCRPC who are ineligible for the INTERVAL programme i.e. high intensity exercise.  A third trial, PRECISE, is focused on the feasibility of exercising during chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer. This trial is the first of its kind to be delivered in the United Kingdom.

In this research, funded by Marie Curie we will explore the experiences and needs of these carers across Northern Ireland and London to gain insight into their everyday caring role. Findings will be shared with renal healthcare staff and carers at national workshops in order to guide the development of a helpful intervention to support carers in their role.  

The study implements an educational resource called the Family Carer Decision Support (FCDS) intervention in nursing homes, using the Comfort Care Booklet to guide conversations around end-of-life. The study aims to reduce family carer decision-making uncertainty and to improve satisfaction with fundamental choices related to their relative’s comfort and care.

1. Royal College of Nursing (RCN)

Getting it right every time: Nutrition and Hydration Care at end of life.

2. European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN). ESPEN guidelines on nutrition in cancer patients.

3. British Columbia (B.C.) Centre for Palliative Care Inter-professional palliative symptom management guidelines.

4. American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) guideline for cachexia in advanced cancer. (DOI: 10.1200/JCO.20.00611 Journal of Clinical Oncology).

Professor Reid’s work in cachexia also extends to renal cachexia, where she has led multi-disciplinary local and international studies, example publications:

McKeaveney, C., Slee, A., Davenport, A., Adamson, G., Farrington, K., Fouque, D., Kalantar-Zadeh, K., Mallett, J., Maxwell, P., Mullan, R., Noble, H., O'Donoghue, D., Porter, S., Seres, D. S., Shields, J., Witham, M., & Reid, J. (2020). Using a generic definition of cachexia in patients with kidney disease receiving haemodialysis: a longitudinal (pilot) study. Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation. https://doi.org/10.1093/ndt/gfaa174 

McKeaveney, C., Noble, H., de Barbieri, I., Strini, V., Maxwell, A. P., & Reid, J. (2019). Awareness, Understanding and Treatment Practices when Managing Cachexia in End-Stage Kidney Disease. Journal of Renal Care. https://doi.org/10.1111/jorc.12301 

The evidence led to the implementation of a new model of cancer patient follow up, termed ‘A recovery package’, which included a holistic assessment, a treatment summary record, an individualised pathway and rapid entry back into the system.

This model improved experience for over 10,000 patients by improving self management and reduced anxiety, travel time to appointments, need for dual speciality appointments and reduction in surgical review waiting times. This research also led to the co-design of an online support system www.cancercaringcoping.com that was integrated into services across NI providing support to 10,000 families per year and which has been adapted to support families affected by cancer in Australia and Vietnam.

Incorporating guideline-driven software and Artificial Intelligence the e-health product will be personalized, meeting the needs of the patient 24hours per day, 7 days/week. Through engagement with the e-health product, patients will be educated, upskilled and empowered to self-manage their heart failure condition. Ultimately this research has the potential to reduce the frequency of consultations with general practitioners, cardiologist or heart failure nurses, as well as unnecessary and avoidable hospitalisations.