SUMMARY
The research of Amanika Kumar, M.D., is focused on improving the lives of patients with gynecologic cancer, particularly as it relates to complex surgery and surgical outcomes. She studies aging in cancer, specifically in prehabilitation for older patients in preparation for surgery.
Through this work, she studies mechanisms to optimize patients prior to complex surgery for cancer, using exercise, nutrition and stress reduction to improve people's resilience. Dr. Kumar investigates the interplay of tumor biology with aging and frailty. She studies and teaches about patient and family-centered communication about serious illness.
Focus areas
- Feasibility and acceptability of prehabilitation strategies for advanced ovarian cancer patients.
- Presence of frailty in older adults with gynecologic malignancy and the senescence biology behind the frailty in ovarian cancer.
- Oncologic outcomes in patients undergoing complex surgery for cancer recurrence.
- Patient experience in regard to undergoing complex surgery and weighing oncologic benefits with surgical morbidity and mortality.
Significance to patient care
Dr. Kumar focuses on the experiences and outcomes in patients undergoing complex surgery for gynecologic cancer. The entire goal of her research is to personalize surgical approaches to the needs and values of the individual patient. Understanding the interplay between tumor biology, physical functioning and aging allows for tailored approaches to treating gynecologic cancer. The overall goal is to help patients and their families make difficult and important decisions about treatment choices, take steps to optimize patient outcomes and improve overall survival.
Professional highlights
- Faculty, VitalTalk, 2019-present.
- Editorial board, Gynecologic Oncology Reports, 2017-present.
- Decentralized Clinical Trial Award, Develop New Decentralized Capabilities category, Mayo Clinic, 2023.
- Training fellowship, Transdisciplinary Research in Energetics and Cancer, National Cancer Institute, 2022.