Sunita Patel, Ph.D.
Education & Experience
California Board of Psychology
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
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
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
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) 12/01/2018 to 11/30/2022
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
- Patel SK, Breen EC, Paz IB, Kruper L, Mortimer J, Wong FL, Bhatia S, Irwin MR, Behrendt CE. Inflammation-related proteins as biomarkers of treatment- related behavioral symptoms: A longitudinal study of breast cancer patients and age-matched controls. Brain Behav Immun Health. 2023 Jul 31;32:100670. doi: 10.1016/j.bbih.2023.100670. PMID: 37637432; PMCID: PMC10450410.
- Root JC, Li Y, Schofield E, Orlow I, Ryan E, Traina T, Patel SK, Ahles TA. Cognitive Aging in Older Breast Cancer Survivors. Cancers (Basel). 2023 Jun 16;15(12):3208. doi: 10.3390/cancers15123208. PMID: 37370818; PMCID: PMC10296698.
- Nudelman K, Nho K, Zhang M, McDonald BC, Zhai W, Small BJ, Wegel CE, Jacobsen PB, Jim HSL, Patel SK, Graham DMA, Ahles TA, Root JC, Foroud T, Breen EC, Carroll JE, Mandelblatt JS, Saykin AJ. Genetic Variants Associated with Longitudinal Cognitive Performance in Older Breast Cancer Patients and Controls. Cancers (Basel). 2023 May 23;15(11):2877. doi: 10.3390/cancers15112877. PMID: 37296840; PMCID: PMC10252108.
- Rentscher KE, Bethea TN, Zhai W, Small BJ, Zhou X, Ahles TA, Ahn J, Breen EC, Cohen HJ, Extermann M, Graham DMA, Jim HSL, McDonald BC, Nakamura ZM, Patel SK, Root JC, Saykin AJ, Van Dyk K, Mandelblatt JS, Carroll JE. Epigenetic aging in older breast cancer survivors and noncancer controls: preliminary findings from the Thinking and Living with Cancer Study. Cancer. 2023 Sep 1;129(17):2741-2753. doi: 10.1002/cncr.34818. Epub 2023 Jun 1. PMID: 37259669.
- Mandelblatt JS, Small BJ, Zhou X, Nakamura ZM, Cohen HJ, Ahles TA, Ahn J, Bethea TN, Extermann M, Graham D, Isaacs C, Jacobsen PB, Jim HSL, McDonald BC, Patel SK, Rentscher KE, Root JC, Saykin AJ, Tometich DB, Van Dyk K, Zhai W, Breen EC, Carroll JE. Plasma levels of interleukin-6 mediate neurocognitive performance in older breast cancer survivors: The Thinking and Living With Cancer study. Cancer. 2023 Aug 1;129(15):2409-2421. doi: 10.1002/cncr.34784. Epub 2023 Apr 25. PMID: 37096888.
- Daniel E, Deng F, Patel SK, Sedrak MS, Kim H, Razavi M, Sun CL, Root JC, Ahles TA, Dale W, Chen BT. Altered gyrification in chemotherapy-treated older long-term breast cancer survivors. Res Sq [Preprint]. 2023 Apr 10:rs.3.rs-2697378. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2697378/v1. PMID: 37090667; PMCID: PMC10120747.
- Ahles TA, Schofield E, Li Y, Ryan E, Orlow I, Patel SK, Traina T, Root JC. Cognitive function is mediated by deficit accumulation in older, long-term breast cancer survivors. J Cancer Surviv. 2023 Mar 24. doi: 10.1007/s11764-023-01365-6. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36964293.
- Daniel E, Deng F, Patel SK, Sedrak MS, Kim H, Razavi M, Sun CL, Root JC, Ahles TA, Dale W, Chen BT. Cortical thinning in chemotherapy-treated older long- term breast cancer survivors. Brain Imaging Behav. 2023 Feb;17(1):66-76. doi: 10.1007/s11682-022-00743-5. Epub 2022 Nov 11. PMID: 36369620; PMCID: PMC10156471.
- Tometich DB, Mosher CE, Cyders M, McDonald BC, Saykin AJ, Small BJ, Zhai W, Zhou X, Jim HSL, Jacobsen P, Ahles TA, Root JC, Graham D, Patel SK, Mandelblatt J. An Examination of the Longitudinal Relationship Between Cognitive Function and Physical Activity Among Older Breast Cancer Survivors in the Thinking and Living With Cancer Study. Ann Behav Med. 2023 Apr 5;57(3):237-248. doi: 10.1093/abm/kaac048. PMID: 36356044; PMCID: PMC10074030.
- Chen BT, Chen Z, Deng F, Patel SK, Sedrak MS, Root JC, Ahles TA, Razavi M, Kim H, Sun CL, Dale W. Signal Variability and Cognitive Function in Older Long- Term Survivors of Breast Cancer with Exposure to Chemotherapy: A Prospective Longitudinal Resting-State fMRI Study. Brain Sci. 2022 Sep 23;12(10):1283. doi: 10.3390/brainsci12101283. PMID: 36291217; PMCID: PMC9599386.