Department / Division:
Medicine / Medical Oncology

Address:
DUMC 3436
Durham, NC 27710

Appointment Telephone:
919-684-8964

Office Telephone:
919-684-8964

Fax Telephone:
919-684-5325

• MD, Duke University School of Medicine, 1994

• Internal Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, 1997

• Hematology/Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, 2001

• Palliative Care, Flinders University of South Australia, 2003

Clinical Interests:
Melanoma, cancer pain management, symptom control, supportive oncology, general hematology/oncology, palliative medicine

Research Interests:

Dr. Abernethy is the Program Director of the Duke Cancer Care Research Program, Associate Professor of Medicine with Tenure in the Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine at Duke University Medical Center
Associate Director - Information Technology and Acting Program Leader - Cancer Control Program, Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center. Medical Director - Oncology Quality, Outcomes, and Patient-centered Care, Duke University Health System. Dr. Abernethy is also an Assistant Professor of Nursing at Duke University School of Nursing, and adjunct Associate Lecturer at Flinders University, South Australia.  An NIH-funded investigator, she co-directs both the Duke Quality Cancer Care Initiative and the Duke Integrative Oncology Program; she holds affiliations with the Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center Cancer Control Program, and Duke Center for Clinical Health Policy Research.

Dr. Abernethy's Clinical Interests include melanoma, cancer pain management, symptom control, supportive oncology, general hematology/oncology, and palliative medicine.
Dr. Abernethy’s research program – the Duke Cancer Care Research Program (DCCRP) – handles all aspects of high-quality clinical trials that generate evidence-based solutions for common problems in supportive oncology.  DCCRP studies investigate novel agents and approaches to alleviate common cancer-related symptoms such as pain, dyspnea, mucositis, and insomnia, and new health service delivery models to optimize patients’ symptoms, experience of illness and care, and quality of life.  DCCRP trials incorporate and test new methods to increase the feasibility of clinical research in supportive oncology and palliative care.


Dr. Abernethy has keen interest in evidence-based medicine and its application to oncology.  She was lead author of the report to CMS and AHRQ on the use of compendia to support funding of chemotherapeutics for off-label indications.  She is also lead author on several CMS/AHRQ reports on the efficacy and toxicity of oral cancer drugs and behavioral therapies for cancer-related pain; new projects studying targeted antibodies and small molecule therapies will be completed in 2008.  She is also the lead investigator on an AHRQ funded study evaluating the role of third party payment in clinical trials accrual.

Dr. Abernethy obtained her medical degree and post-graduate training in Internal Medicine, Hematology, and Medical Oncology at Duke University; she pursued concentrated training in Evidence-based Medicine, Palliative Medicine, and Cancer Pain Management at Flinders University in South Australia.

Representative Publications:
Uronis HE, Currow DC, McCrory DC, Samsa GP, Abernethy AP. Oxygen for relief of dyspnoea in mildly- or non-hypoxaemic patients with cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Cancer. 2008 Jan 8. (2008) Abstract

Robinson TM, Alexander SC, Hays M, Jeffreys AS, Olsen MK, Rodriguez KL, Pollak KI, Abernethy AP, Arnold R, Tulsky JA. Patient-oncologist communication in advanced cancer: predictors of patient perception of prognosis. Support Care Cancer. 2008 Jan 15. (2008) Abstract

Keefe F, Abernethy AP, Wheeler J, Affleck G. Don't ask, don't tell? Revealing placebo responses to research participants and patients. Pain. 2008 Apr;135(3):213-4. (2008) Abstract

Currow DC, Ward AM, Plummer JL, Bruera E, Abernethy AP. Comfort in the last 2 weeks of life: relationship to accessing palliative care services. Support Care Cancer. 2008 Mar 12. (2008) Abstract

Currow DC, Agar M, Tieman J, Abernethy AP. Letter to the editor: Multi-site research allows adequately powered palliative care trials; web-based data management makes it achievable today. Palliat Med. 2008 Jan;22(1):91-2. (2008) Abstract

Currow DC, Agar M, Sanderson C, Abernethy AP. Populations who die without specialist palliative care: does lower uptake equate with unmet need? Palliat Med. 2008 Jan;22(1):43-50. (2008) Abstract

Castel LD, Saville BR, Depuy V, Godley PA, Hartmann KE, Abernethy AP. Racial differences in pain during 1 year among women with metastatic breast cancer: a hazards analysis of interval-censored data. Cancer. 2008 Jan 1;112(1):162-70. (2008) Abstract

Abernethy AP. Pc-facs. J Palliat Med. 2008 Mar-Apr;11(2):258-61. (2008) Abstract

Abernethy AP, Currow DC. Culture and Financing Influence Palliative Care Services, Study Populations, and Generalizability of Research Findings. J Palliat Med. 2008 Mar;11(2):146. (2008) Abstract

Stevenson JP, Currow DC, Abernethy AP. The broader implications of managing statins at the end of life. J Palliat Care. 2007;23(3):188-9; author reply 189. (2007) Abstract

Stevenson JP, Currow DC, Abernethy AP. Frameworks for prescribing in comorbid illness. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2007 Aug;34(2):117-8. (2007) Abstract

Shelby-James TM, Currow DC, Phillips PA, Williams H, Abernethy AP. Promoting patient centred palliative care through case conferencing. Aust Fam Physician. 2007 Nov;36(11):961-4. (2007) Abstract

Shelby-James TM, Abernethy AP, McAlindon A, Currow DC. Handheld computers for data entry: high tech has its problems too. Trials. 2007;8:5. (2007) Abstract

Pollak KI, Arnold RM, Jeffreys AS, Alexander SC, Olsen MK, Abernethy AP, Sugg Skinner C, Rodriguez KL, Tulsky JA. Oncologist communication about emotion during visits with patients with advanced cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2007 Dec 20;25(36):5748-52. (2007) Abstract

Mock V, Abernethy AP, Atkinson A, Barsevick AM, Berger AM, Cella D, Cimprich B, Cleeland C, Eisenberger MA, Escalante CP, Hinds P, Jacobsen PB, Kaldor P, O'Connor T, Otis-Green SA, Piper BF, Pirl WF, Rugo HS, Sabbatini P, Stewart FM, Wagner LI. Cancer-related fatigue. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2007 Nov;5(10):1054-78. (2007) Abstract

Martin MG, Ardati AK, Dunlay SM, Abernethy AP, Blazing MA. Small cell lung cancer presenting as a paraneoplastic syndrome characterized by recurrent episodic hypotension and bradycardia: case report. Chest. 2007 Jan;131(1):290-3. (2007) Abstract

Friedman JY, Curtis LH, Hammill BG, Dhillon JK, Weaver CH, Biswas S, Abernethy AP, Schulman KA. The Medicare Modernization Act and reimbursement for outpatient chemotherapy: do patients perceive changes in access to care? Cancer. 2007 Nov 15;110(10):2304-12. (2007) Abstract

Dixon KE, Keefe FJ, Scipio CD, Perri LM, Abernethy AP. Psychological interventions for arthritis pain management in adults: a meta-analysis. Health Psychol. 2007 May;26(3):241-50. (2007) Abstract

Currow DC, Stevenson JP, Abernethy AP, Plummer J, Shelby-James TM. Prescribing in palliative care as death approaches. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2007 Apr;55(4):590-5. (2007) Abstract

Currow DC, Plummer J, Frith P, Abernethy AP. Can we predict which patients with refractory dyspnea will respond to opioids? J Palliat Med. 2007 Oct;10(5):1031-6. (2007) Abstract

Currow DC, Fazekas B, Abernethy AP. Oxygen use--patients define symptomatic benefit discerningly. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2007 Aug;34(2):113-4. (2007) Abstract

Castel LD, Abernethy AP, Li Y, Depuy V, Saville BR, Hartmann KE. Hazards for pain severity and pain interference with daily living, with exploration of brief pain inventory cutpoints, among women with metastatic breast cancer. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2007 Oct;34(4):380-92. (2007) Abstract

Abernethy AP. Pc-facs. J Palliat Med. 2007 Dec;10(6):1425-30. (2007) Abstract

Abernethy AP, Nixon A, Fine PG, Peppin JF, Crossno RJ, Bull J. Palliative care pharmacotherapy literature summaries and analyses. J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother. 2007;21(3):91-7. (2007) Abstract

Abernethy AP, Hanson LC, Main DS, Kutner JS. Palliative care clinical research networks, a requirement for evidence-based palliative care: time for coordinated action. J Palliat Med. 2007 Aug;10(4):845-50. (2007) Abstract

Abernethy AP, Currow DC, Fazekas BS, Luszcz MA, Wheeler JL, Kuchibhatla M. Specialized palliative care services are associated with improved short- and long-term caregiver outcomes. Support Care Cancer. 2007 Oct 25. (2007) Abstract

Abernethy A. Palliative care pharmacotherapy literature summaries and analyses. J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother. 2007;21(1):71-8. (2007) Abstract

Uronis HE, Currow DC, Abernethy AP. Palliative management of refractory dyspnea in COPD. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. 2006;1(3):289-304. (2006) Abstract

Sladek R, Tieman J, Fazekas BS, Abernethy AP, Currow DC. Development of a subject search filter to find information relevant to palliative care in the general medical literature. J Med Libr Assoc. 2006 Oct;94(4):394-401. (2006) Abstract

Shelby-James T, Abernethy AP, Currow DC. Evidence in palliative care research: how should it be gathered? Med J Aust. 2006 Feb 20;184(4):196-7. (2006) Abstract

Koropchak CM, Pollak KI, Arnold RM, Alexander SC, Skinner CS, Olsen MK, Jeffreys AS, Rodriguez KL, Abernethy AP, Tulsky JA. Studying communication in oncologist-patient encounters: the SCOPE Trial. Palliat Med. 2006 Dec;20(8):813-9. (2006) Abstract

Currow DC, Abernethy AP. The broader implications of diabetes management at the end of life. Palliat Med. 2006 Sep;20(6):638-9. (2006) Abstract

Currow DC, Abernethy AP. Reader questions benefit of nebulized opioids. Oncol Nurs Forum. 2006 May;33(3):513; author reply 513-4. (2006) Abstract

Currow DC, Abernethy AP. Frameworks for approaching prescribing at the end of life. Arch Intern Med. 2006 Nov 27;166(21):2404. (2006) Abstract

Currow DC, Abernethy AP, Shelby-James TM, Phillips PA. The impact of conducting a regional palliative care clinical study. Palliat Med. 2006 Dec;20(8):735-43. (2006) Abstract

Currow D, Abernethy AP. A framework for managing comorbid conditions in palliative care. J Palliat Med. 2006 Jun;9(3):620; authors reply 621-2. (2006) Abstract

Abernethy AP, Currow DC, Hunt R, Williams H, Roder-Allen G, Rowett D, Shelby-James T, Esterman A, May F, Phillips PA. A pragmatic 2 x 2 x 2 factorial cluster randomized controlled trial of educational outreach visiting and case conferencing in palliative care-methodology of the Palliative Care Trial [ISRCTN 81117481]. Contemp Clin Trials. 2006 Feb;27(1):83-100. (2006) Abstract

Abernethy AP, Arnold RM. PC-FACS: a real-time evidence resource for busy palliative care clinicians. J Palliat Med. 2006 Feb;9(1):24-8. (2006) Abstract

Tieman JJ, Abernethy AP, Fazekas BS, Currow DC. CareSearch: finding and evaluating Australia's missing palliative care literature. BMC Palliat Care. 2005 Aug 8;4:4. (2005) Abstract

Mitchell GK, Abernethy AP, , . A comparison of methodologies from two longitudinal community-based randomized controlled trials of similar interventions in palliative care: what worked and what did not? J Palliat Med. 2005 Dec;8(6):1226-37. (2005) Abstract

Keefe FJ, Abernethy AP, C Campbell L. Psychological approaches to understanding and treating disease-related pain. Annu Rev Psychol. 2005;56:601-30. (2005) Abstract

Currow DC, Abernethy AP. Quality palliative care: practitioners' needs for dynamic lifelong learning. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2005 Apr;29(4):332-4. (2005) Abstract

Abernethy AP, Shelby-James T, Fazekas BS, Woods D, Currow DC. The Australia-modified Karnofsky Performance Status (AKPS) scale: a revised scale for contemporary palliative care clinical practice [ISRCTN81117481]. BMC Palliat Care. 2005 Nov 12;4:7. (2005) Abstract

Abernethy AP, Currow DC, Frith P, Fazekas B. Prescribing palliative oxygen: a clinician survey of expected benefit and patterns of use. Palliat Med. 2005 Mar;19(2):168-70. (2005) Abstract

Stevenson J, Abernethy AP, Miller C, Currow DC. Managing comorbidities in patients at the end of life. BMJ. 2004 Oct 16;329(7471):909-12. (2004) Abstract

Currow DC, Abernethy AP, Fazekas BS. Specialist palliative care needs of whole populations: a feasibility study using a novel approach. Palliat Med. 2004 Apr;18(3):239-47. (2004) Abstract

Currow DC, Abernethy AP, and Fazekas BS.  Palliative needs of whole populations: a comprehensive population approach to determining need.  Palliative Medicine.  In Press 2003. (2003)

Abernethy AP, Samsa GP, and Matchar DB.  A clinical decision and economic analysis model of cancer pain management.  American Journal of Managed Care 2003; 9:  121-134. (2003)

Abernethy AP, Samsa GP, Matchar DB. A clinical decision and economic analysis model of cancer pain management. Am J Manag Care. 2003 Oct;9(10):651-64. (2003) Abstract

Abernethy AP, Currow DC, Frith P, Fazekas BS, McHugh A, Bui C. Randomised, double blind, placebo controlled crossover trial of sustained release morphine for the management of refractory dyspnoea. BMJ. 2003 Sep 6;327(7414):523-8. (2003) Abstract

Abernethy AP, Currow DC, Frith P, Fazekas BS, McHugh A, Bui C. Randomised, double blind, placebo controlled crossover trial of sustained release morphine for the management of refractory dyspnoea. BMJ. 2003 Sep 6;327(7414):523-8. (2003) Abstract

Breen CM, Abernethy AP, Abbott KH, Tulsky JA. Conflict associated with decisions to limit life-sustaining treatment in intensive care units. J Gen Intern Med. 2001 May;16(5):283-9. (2001) Abstract

Breen CM, Abernethy AP, Abbott KH, Tulsky JA. Conflict associated with decisions to limit life-sustaining treatment in intensive care units. J Gen Intern Med. 2001 May;16(5):283-9. (2001) Abstract

Abernethy AP, Phillips PA, and Currow DC.  Applying the evidence to improve the quality of our system of cancer care: what do the words mean?  Cancer Forum 2001; 5: 109-111. (2001)

Abbott KH, Sago JG, Breen CM, Abernethy AP, Tulsky JA. Families looking back: one year after discussion of withdrawal or withholding of life-sustaining support. Crit Care Med. 2001 Jan;29(1):197-201. (2001) Abstract

Abbott KH, Sago JG, Breen CM, Abernethy AP, Tulsky JA. Families looking back: one year after discussion of withdrawal or withholding of life-sustaining support. Crit Care Med. 2001 Jan;29(1):197-201. (2001) Abstract