Barbara A. Murphy, MD Associate Professor in the Division of Hematology/ Oncology, Dr. Murphy serves as the Director of the Head and Neck Research Program and the Director of the Pain and Symptom Management Program (PSMP) at the Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center. The dual role allows her to pursue her personal area of research interest: the early and late sequella of treatment for head and neck cancer patients. Dr. Murphy chairs the PSMP Research Team, a multi-disciplinary group of investigators representing numerous schools, divisions and departments within Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Through the collaborative effort of team members, the following issues in head and neck cancer patients are currently being investigated: 1) swallowing, nutritional and metabolic changes in head and neck cancer patients undergoing chemoradiation, 2) neurocognitive changes associated with treatment, 3) mood disorders, 4) issues in general and treatment specific physical function, and 5) lymphedema: measurement and manifestations, 6) insomnia during and after therapy. Dr. Murphy is a member of ECOG, where she works with the Head and Neck Committee to develop Supportive Care correlative studies. In addition, Dr. Murphy is the medical director for the Supportive Care Clinic. As such, she provides symptom management and pain control for patients with cancer. Dr Murphy’s has an active program of research directed at optimizing control of pain control in cancer patients. Dr. Murphy is Co-PI on an R-01 evaluating the efficacy of an opioid titration order sheet for improving pain in outpatients with cancer. She is the PI of an R-21 which extends this area of research to the hospice setting.

Our speaker is Sandra Hayden, Administrative Director for Radiation Therapy Services at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.

She completed her B.S. degrees in both, in radiation therapy and psychology at Wayne State University in Detroit, MI. She worked in Michigan for the Detroit Medical Center’s Karmanos Cancer Institute as the System-Wide Supervisor of Therapy Services for 8 years. She then worked as Supervisor at Oakwood Hospital in Dearborn Michigan for 6 years before taking a position in 2006 at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

Sandra has been active in the American Society of Radiologic Technologists, serving on the Board of Directors as the Vice Speaker of the House of Delegates. Sandra also has been the National Radiation Therapy Chapter Delegate and served as the Chapters Steering Committee Chair, she has also served on the committee for Radiation Therapy Curriculum and as a member of Commission. Sandra is currently appointed to the American Registry of Radiologic Technologist’s Radiation Therapy Examination Committee. She served on the Board of Texas Society of Radiologic Technologists as first Vice-President. She was also very active in the Michigan Society of Radiologic Technologists, serving on the board in many capacities inclusive of being President.

She has lectured at local, state, national levels. Please welcome – Sandra Hayden.

Dr. Prescott joined the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in 2005 where she is a clinical pharmacy specialist in leukemia. She graduated with a Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Rhode Island in 2003 and went on to complete a pharmacy practice residency at the Medical College of Virginia in 2004 and a hematology/oncology residency at the University of North Carolina in 2005. She became board certified in oncology pharmacy in 2006.

Dr. Prescott holds an academic appointment at the University of Houston, College of Pharmacy as an Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor and plays an active role in the education of pharmacy students and residents. She has been a member of the Japan TeamOncology Program under Tokyo Oncology Consortium and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Sister Institution Agreement for the past three years. She is also a member of the Standardized Chemotherapy Template Project with the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. In addition, she has authored review articles and given presentations both nationally and internationally. Dr. Prescott is dedicated to promoting multidisciplinary care for cancer patients both in the United States and abroad.