Dr. Andrew Berman is the co-P.I. on a recently funded grant from the American Cancer Society entitled "Determinants of Disparities in Diagnosis and Treatment of Lung Cancer."
The long-term goal of this study is to improve the outcomes of minority lung cancer patients. Towards this goal, Dr. Berman and colleagues explore the underlying reasons for the observed disparities in stage at diagnosis, treatment, and end-of-life care of minority patients. The specific aims of the study are to:
- Assess the relative contribution of patient, provider, and system-level factors on racial and ethnic differences in the stage at presentation of lung cancer.
- Evaluate reasons for disparities in lung cancer treatment, including the potential role of patient, provider, and system-related factors.
- Assess the role of end-of-life beliefs, terminal care attitudes, medical mistrust, and communication barriers as determinants of racial and ethnic disparities in end-of-life care of patients with advanced lung cancer.
Dr. Berman is conducting a collaborative study with the Department of Pathology investigating the outcomes of patients with pulmonary granulomatous inflammation who do not have clinically detectable Mtb. This is a retrospective study of patients with pulmonary granulomatous inflammation as identified from surgical pathology and autopsy specimens at Moses and Weiler hospitals.
Specifically, Dr. Berman is investigating if there are any adverse clinical outcomes in patients with pulmonary granulomatous inflammation who have neither stain-positive nor culture-positive evidence of infectious organisms, are not treated for Mtb infection, and are shown to harbor no Mtb using high-sensitivity techniques.