Sunita Patel, Ph.D.

(800) 826-4938
Sunita Patel
Associate Professor, Department of Supportive Care Medicine
313E748E-6769-4B81-8A31-A50681850EB0 Ratings are pending and will be posted once we receive a sufficient number of surveys.
Clinical Expertise
Neuropsychology
Clinical Psychology
Behavioral Medicine
Research Area
Risk and protective factors of neurocognitive and behavioral outcomes in cancer patients
Inflammatory biomarkers of neurobehavioral functioning
Interventions to improve cancer-related neurocognitive late effects
Validation of psychosocial and neurocognitive screening tools
Parent and family functioning in childhood cancer
Appointments
Associate Professor, Department of Population Sciences and Department of Supportive Care Medicine
Research Teams
Population Sciences
Sunita Patel, Ph.D., is a neuropsychologist whose research focuses on the risk and protective factors of cancer-related neurocognitive morbidities. Her research has been funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health, American Cancer Society and California Breast Cancer Research Program. She has conducted interdisciplinary projects to identify inflammatory biomarkers of cognitive dysfunction in adult-onset cancer patients, examined functional outcomes into long-term survivorship, and evaluated interventions to improve health-related quality of life in children with cancer. She has collaborated on funded multicenter studies focused on web-based caregiver interventions, neurocognitive late effects and neuroimaging correlates of treatment-associated cognition.
 
Education & Experience
Board Certifications

  • California Board of Psychology

Degrees

  • 1996, Ph.D. in clinical psychology, Alliant University, Los Angeles, CA

  • 1989, M.A. in clinical psychology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC

  • 1985, B.S. in psychology, Barton College, Wilson, NC

Fellowship

  • 1995-1996, Neuropsychology fellowship (adult focus), Reed Neurological Research Center, Department of Neurology, UCLA School of Medicine

  • 1997-1998, Neuropsychology fellowship (pediatric focus), Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Department of Pediatrics, USC School of Medicine

Internship

  • 1994-1995, Health Psychology Intern (APA Accredited), Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry

  • 1993-1994, Neuropsychology Intern, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Professional Experience

  • 2015-present, Associate Professor, Division of Psychology, Department of Supportive Care Medicine, and Department of Population Sciences, City of Hope, Duarte, CA

  • 2008-2015, Assistant Clinical Professor, Division of Psychology, Department of Supportive Care Medicine, and Department of Population Sciences, City of Hope, Duarte, CA

  • 2003-present, Staff Psychologist, Department of Supportive Care Medicine, City of Hope, Duarte, CA

Research

Research Grants Since 2019

  • R01CA26193 (Patel) 07/05/2022 to 06/30/2027  
    National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute
    Leveraging Digital Solutions to Reduce Learning and Functional Disparities in Children with Cancer
    Role: Principal Investigator
  • RSG-17-023-01 (Patel) 7/1/2017 to 6/30/2022
    American Cancer Society
    Reducing Learning and HRQOL Disparities in Latino Children With Cancer
    To conduct a randomized clinical trial across three pediatric centers comparing a parent-training intervention to standard of care services to improve learning and HRQOL outcomes in Latino children with CNS-directed therapies.
    Role: Principal Investigator
  • R01 CA129769 Mandelblatt (PI) 12/01/2015 to 11/30/2021
    NIH NCI
    Older Breast Cancer Patients: Rick for Cognitive Decline
    The overall goal of this study is to evaluate the risk of cognitive decline in older patients with breast cancer.
    Role: Co-Investigator/Site Principal Investigator
  • 2UG1CA189955-06 COG Work Order for NCORP Adamson (PI) 08/01/2019 to 12/31/2020
    National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute
    ACNS1123: Phase 2 Trial of Response-Based Radiation Therapy for Patients with Localized Central Nervous System Germ Cell Tumors
    The overall goal is to evaluate reduced cranial radiation on survival and neurocognitive outcomes.
    Role: Study Chair for Neurocognitive Component
  • R01 CA172119 (PI: Hurria & Ahles) 09/01/13 to 08/30/19
    Cognition in Older Breast Cancer Survivors: Treatment Exposure, APOE, & Smoking
    Examine the association of APOE status, smoking history, and therapeutic exposures on the cognitive performance at study entry and longitudinal change among older breast cancer survivors compared to age- and education-matched controls
    Role: Co-Investigator
Awards & Memberships
Awards

  • 2021, City of Hope Excellence Award

  • 2018, Health Equity Pilot Research Award

  • 2017, ACS: Giants of Science Hope Award

  • 2013, California Breast Cancer Research Program, Innovative, Developmental, Exploratory Award

  • 2012, American Cancer Society Research Scholar

  • 2007, Blue Ribbon Award, Neuropsychology Division, American Psychological Association

  • 2004, Hope Street Kids Foundation Research Award

  • 2003, University of Southern California, Pilot See Award

  • 2002, American Cancer Society, California Division Special Projects Award

  • 2001, Junior Investigator Research Presentation Award, Pediatric Psycho-oncology Research Summit, Austin

Memberships

  • 2015-present, American Association of Cancer Research

  • 2015-present, American Congress of Rehabilitative Medicine

  • 2011-present, American Society of Clinical Oncology

  • 2011-present, Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society

  • 2007-2010, American Psycho-Oncology Society

  • 2000-present, Society of Pediatric Psychology

  • 1999-present, National Academy of Neuropsychology

  • 1997-present, International Society of Neuropsychology

  • 1996-present, American Psychological Association

Publications
  • Mandelblatt JS, Zhou X, Small BJ, Ahn J, Zhai W, Ahles TA, Graham D, Jacobsen P, Jim H, McDonald B, Patel, SK, Root JC, Saykin AJ, Cohen HJ, Carroll JE, et al. Deficits accumulation frailty trajectories of older breast cancer survivors and matched non-cancer controls: The Thinking and Living with Cancer (TLC) study. Journal of National Cancer Institute, in press.
  • Scheper S, Schulte FM, Patel SK, Vannatta K. Cognitive impairment and family functioning of pediatric cancer survivors: a systematic review. Journal of Clinical Oncology, April 22, 22:JCO2002516. doi: 10.1200/JCO.20.02516. Online ahead of print.
  • Van Dyk K, Zhou X, Small BJ, Ahn J, Zhai W, Ahles, T, Graham D, Jacobsen PB, Jim H, McDonald BC, Nudelman Holohan K, Patel SK, Rebeck GW, Root JC, Saykin AJ, Cohen HJ, Mandelblatt JS, Carroll JE. Protective Effects of APOE ε2 Genotype on Cognition in Older Breast Cancer Survivors: The Thinking and Living With Cancer Study. JNCI Cancer Spectr. 2021 Jan 27; 5. eCollection 2021 April.
  • Reb AM, Borneman T, Economou D, Cangin MA, Cope DG, Ma H, Ruel N, Sharpe L, Patel SK, Cristea M, Koczywas M, Ferrell B. A nurse-led intervention for fear of cancer progression in advanced cancer: A pilot feasibility study. European Journal of Oncology Nursing. 2020 Dec;49:101855. doi: 10.1016/j.ejon.2020.101855. Epub 2020 Oct 7. PMID: 33120211.
  • Patel SK, Johansen C, Gold AO, Delgado N, Xu S, Dennis J. Social-ecological predictors of school functioning in Hispanic children treated for cancer with central nervous system-directed therapies. Pediatric Blood and Cancer. 2020 Oct;67(10):e28320. doi: 10.1002/pbc.28320. Epub 2020 Jul 31. PMID: 32735373.
  • Patel SK, Kim SH, Johansen C, Mullins W, Nolty A, Fernandez N, Delgado N, Folbrecht J, Dekel N, Meier A. Threshold score for the self-report Pediatric Distress Thermometer Rating Scale in childhood cancer patients. Psychooncology. 2020 Oct 25. doi: 10.1002/pon.5583. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33103298.
  • Patel SK, Miranda L, Delgado N, Barreto N, Nolty A, Kelly NC, Wilson K, Toomey D, Pawlowska A. Adaptation of an Intervention to Reduce Disparities in School HRQOL for Latino Childhood Cancer Survivors. Journal of Pediatric Psychology. 2020 Sep 1;45(8):921-932. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsaa048. PMID: 32735009; PMCID: PMC7438961
  • Rebb A, Borneman T, Economou D, Patel S. Cangin M, Sharp L. Fear of Cancer Progression Intervention: Findings from Case Studies and a Nurse-Led intervention. Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, 2020 Aug 1;24(4):400-408. doi: 10.1188/20.CJON.400-408. PMID: 32678373
  • Wong FL, Stiller T, Obenchain R, David C, Patel SK, Xie B, Loscalzo M, Clark K. Validation of a biopsychosocial distress screening tool, "You, Your Family and Are a Team". Psychooncology. 2019 Dec;28(12):2396-2405. doi: 10.1002/pon.5266. Epub 2019 Nov 12. PubMed PMID: 31659816.
  • Buchbinder D, Patel SK, Casillas JN, Nugent DJ, Neudorf S, Sender LS, Torno L,Huszti H, Zeltzer LK, Parsons SK. Parent proxy assessment of sibling quality of life following pediatric hematopoietic cell transplantation. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2019 Oct 29
  • Chen BT, Ye N, Wong CW, Patel SK, Jin T, Sun CL, Rockne RC, Kim H, Root JC,Saykin AJ, Ahles TA, Holodny AI, Prakash N, Mortimer J, Sedrak MS, Waisman J,Yuan Y, Li D, Vazquez J, Katheria V, Dale W. Effects of chemotherapy on aging white matter microstructure: A longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging study. JGeriatr Oncol. 2020 Mar;11(2):290-296
  • Mandelblatt JS, Zhai W, Ahn J, Small BJ, Ahles TA, Carroll JE, Denduluri N, Dilawari A, Extermann M, Graham D, Hurria A, Isaacs C, Jacobsen PB, Jim HSL, Luta G, McDonald BC, Patel SK, Root JC, Saykin AJ, Tometich DB, Zhou X, Cohen HJ. Symptom burden among older breast cancer survivors: The Thinking and Living With Cancer (TLC) study. Cancer. 2020 Mar 15;126(6):1183-1192.
  • Sharafeldin N, Richman J, Bosworth A, Chen Y, Singh P, Patel SK, Wang X, Francisco L, Forman SJ, Wong FL, Bhatia S. Clinical and Genetic Risk Prediction of Cognitive Impairment After Blood or Marrow Transplantation for Hematologic Malignancy. J Clin Oncol. 2020 Feb 21
  • Murdaugh DL, Bosworth A, Patel SK, Sharafeldin N, Chen Y, Francisco L, Forman SJ, Wong FL, Bhatia S. Self-endorsed cognitive problems versus objectively assessed cognitive impairment in blood or bone marrow transplantation recipients: A longitudinal study. Cancer. 2020 Feb 25.
  • Chen BT, Jin T, Patel SK, Ye N, Ma H, Wong CW, Rockne RC, Root JC, Saykin AJ, Ahles TA, Holodny AI, Prakash N, Mortimer J, Waisman J, Yuan Y, Li D, Sedrak MS, Vazquez J, Katheria V, Dale W. Intrinsic brain activity changes associated with adjuvant chemotherapy in older women with breast cancer:a pilot longitudinal study. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2019, July 176(1):181-189.
  • Chang HA, Barreto N, Davtyan A, Beier E, Cangin MA, Salman J, Patel SK. Depression predicts longitudinal declines in social support among women with newly diagnosed breast cancer. Psycho oncology, 2019 Mar:28(3):635-642