Strike 3 Foundation

The Strike 3 Foundation heightens awareness, mobilizes support, and raises funding for childhood cancer research.

Jonathan Marron, MD

Jonathan Marron, MD, 2016 Grant RecipientJonathan Marron, MD
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Mentor: Jennifer Mack, MD

Patient and Parent Understanding and Experiences with Genomic Tumor Profiling (GTP) in Pediatric Oncology

Genomic testing of tumor samples is a new and exciting area of cancer research. It carries the promise of "personalized cancer medicine," the idea that cancer treatment could one day target not just cancer cells, but be specifically targeted toward the genomic fingerprint of a particular patient's cancer cells. With the White House's recent announcement of the Precision Medicine Initiative – the plan to develop new ways of providing medical care based on personalized genomic information – this area of research will only become more important. Despite this, we know little about how well pediatric oncology patients and their parents understand this type of testing and what they expect of it. Without knowing this, it is difficult to adequately discuss with patients and parents the risks and benefits of participating. This makes it very challenging for them to reap the benefits of this exciting but complicated technology. We have begun work on a research project testing the effectiveness of "personalized" treatments based on genomic testing of tumor samples. This project will involve genomic testing of 825 pediatric oncology patients' tumor samples at 11 leading pediatric cancer centers including the Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Center. As part of this project, we will survey those enrolled on this research protocol when they enter the research study, after they receive their genomic testing results, and after relapse/recurrence (if applicable). Surveys will ask respondents about such topics as: 1) their understanding of the purpose of the genomic testing; 2) what their positive/negative experiences are with the testing; 3) whether their hopes/concerns about the testing came to pass; and 4) what type(s) of genomic testing information they wish to have reported back to them. Survey results will teach doctors about the perspectives of pediatric oncology patients and parents about genomic testing of tumors and how it affects patients and families. This will enable doctors to better educate patients and families about this testing and will allow for the creation of tools to improve the testing and patients'/parents' understanding of it. This ultimately will help ensure that this exciting new technology helps pediatric oncology patients to the greatest degree possible.

Recipient Bio:
Jonathan Marron, MD, is a pediatric oncologist, medical ethicist, and health services researcher at the Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Marron completed his medical training at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine followed by his Pediatrics internship and residency at Stanford University's Lucile Packard Children's Hospital. He then completed a fellowship in Clinical Medical Ethics at the University of Chicago's MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics prior to his Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children's Hospital. Dr. Marron currently is a Fellow in the Harvard-wide Pediatric Health Services Research Fellowship and an Instructor in Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. He also is completing coursework at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, which will culminate in a Master's Degree in Public Health. Dr. Marron's research interests are in the intersection of ethics and medical decision-making, particularly focusing on questions of uncertainty and informed consent in pediatric oncology. He performs this work alongside his primary research mentor, Dr. Jennifer Mack. Dr. Marron has recently been awarded with a 2015 Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO Merit Award, and he is one of four recipients of the 2016 American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Early Career Travel Award. Dr. Marron received a 2016 Conquer Cancer Foundation/Strike 3 Foundation Young Investigator Award for his project entitled, "Patient and Parent Understanding and Experiences with Genomic Tumor Profiling (GTP) in Pediatric Oncology."


January 23, 2017 Update

BIOSKETCH

Dr. Jonathan Marron is a pediatric oncologist, medical ethicist, and health services researcher at the Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Marron completed his medical training at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine followed by his Pediatrics internship and residency at Stanford University's Lucile Packard Children's Hospital. He then completed a fellowship in Clinical Medical Ethics at the University of Chicago's MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics prior to his Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children's Hospital. Dr. Marron currently is a Fellow in the Harvard-wide Pediatric Health Services Research Fellowship and an Instructor in Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. He also is completing coursework at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, which will culminate in a Master's Degree in Public Health. Dr. Marron's research interests are in the intersection of ethics and medical decision-making, particularly focusing on questions of uncertainty and informed consent in pediatric oncology. He performs this work alongside his primary research mentor, Dr. Jennifer Mack. Dr. Marron has recently been awarded with a 2015 Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO Merit Award, and he is one of four recipients of the 2016 American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Early Career Travel Award. Dr. Marron received a 2016 Conquer Cancer Foundation/Strike 3 Foundation Young Investigator Award for his project entitled, "Patient and Parent Understanding and Experiences with Genomic Tumor Profiling (GTP) in Pediatric Oncology."

RESEARCH UPDATE

Dr. Marron's research update will be sent to Strike 3 Foundation in mid-February 2017

Mission Statement

The Strike 3 Foundation heightens awareness, mobilizes support, and raises funding for childhood cancer research.

Contact Us

Strike 3 Foundation
PO Box 191
Monroe, CT 06468

(203) 724-1067

Share the Strike 3 Foundation

Follow the Strike 3 Foundation

Follow Craig Breslow