H. Irene Su

Dr. H. Irene Su

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Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

18Years (2009-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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20 April 2025 in Journal of Clinical Oncology
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
HSH. Irene Su
H. Irene Su
CLChristina Lacchetti
Christina Lacchetti
JLJoseph Letourneau
Joseph Letourneau
APAnn H. Partridge
Ann H. Partridge
RQRubina Qamar
Rubina Qamar
ALAlison W. Loren
Alison W. Loren
ASCO Guidelines provide recommendations with comprehensive review and analyses of the relevant literature for each recommendation, following the guideline development process as outlined in the ASCO Guidelines Methodology Manual . ASCO Guidelines follow the ASCO Conflict of Interest Policy for Clinical Practice Guidelines . Clinical Practice Guidelines and other guidance (“Guidance”) provided by ASCO is not a comprehensive or definitive guide to treatment options. It is intended for voluntary use by clinicians and should be used in conjunction with independent professional judgment. Guidance may not be applicable to all patients, interventions, diseases or stages of diseases. Guidance is based on review and analysis of relevant literature, and is not intended as a statement of the standard of care. ASCO does not endorse third-party drugs, devices, services, or therapies and assumes no responsibility for any harm arising from or related to the use of this information. See complete disclaimer in Appendix 1 and 2 (online only) for more . PURPOSE: To provide updated fertility preservation (FP) recommendations for people with cancer. METHODS: A multidisciplinary Expert Panel convened and updated the systematic review. RESULTS: One hundred sixty-six studies comprise the evidence base. RECOMMENDATIONS: People with cancer should be evaluated for and counseled about reproductive risks at diagnosis and during survivorship. Patients interested in or uncertain about FP should be referred to reproductive specialists. FP approaches should be discussed before cancer-directed therapy. Sperm cryopreservation should be offered to males before cancer-directed treatment, with testicular sperm extraction if unable to provide semen samples. Testicular tissue cryopreservation in prepubertal males is experimental and should be offered only in a clinical trial. Males should be advised of potentially higher genetic damage risks in sperm collected soon after cancer-directed therapy initiation and completion. For females, established FP methods should be offered, including embryo, oocyte, and ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTC), ovarian transposition, and conservative gynecologic surgery. In vitro maturation of oocytes may be offered as an emerging method. Post-treatment FP may be offered to people who did not undergo pretreatment FP or cryopreserve enough oocytes or embryos. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) should not be used in place of established FP methods but may be offered as an adjunct to females with breast cancer. For patients with oncologic emergencies requiring urgent oncologic therapy, GnRHa may be offered for menstrual suppression. Established FP methods in children who have begun puberty should be offered with patient assent and parent/guardian consent. The only established method for prepubertal females is OTC. Oncology teams should ensure prompt access to a multidisciplinary FP team. Clinicians should advocate for comprehensive FP services coverage and help patients access benefits. Additional information is available at www.asco.org/survivorship-guidelines .

17 December 2011 in Journal of Cancer Survivorship
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Journal Article
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JGJessica R. Gorman
Jessica R. Gorman
SBSamantha Bailey
Samantha Bailey
JPJohn P. Pierce
John P. Pierce
HSH. Irene Su
H. Irene Su

13 November 2009 in Cancer
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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HSH. Irene Su
H. Irene Su
MSMary D. Sammel
Mary D. Sammel
JGJamie Green
Jamie Green
LVLuke Velders
Luke Velders
CSCorrie Stankiewicz
Corrie Stankiewicz
ADAngela DeMichele
Angela DeMichele
BACKGROUND: In late reproductive‐aged breast cancer survivors, there is a need for real‐time biomarkers of postchemotherapy ovarian function. The objective was to determine whether antimullerian hormone (AMH) and inhibin B are such biomarkers. The authors tested whether AMH and inhibin B were impacted by breast cancer treatment by comparing cancer survivors to age‐matched control women and determined the association between these hormones and postchemotherapy menstrual pattern.METHODS: Breast cancer patients (n = 127) with American Joint Committee on Cancer stage I to III disease who were premenopausal at diagnosis were enrolled postchemotherapy and observed. The primary endpoint was chemotherapy‐related amenorrhea (CRA) (≥12 months of amenorrhea after chemotherapy). Matched pair analyses compared AMH, inhibin B, and follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH) levels between cancer and age‐matched control subjects. Associations between hormones, CRA status, and change in CRA status over time were assessed.RESULTS: The median age of the patients at chemotherapy was 43.2 years (range, 26.7‐57.8 years). At enrollment, median follow‐up since chemotherapy was 2.1 years, and 55% of subjects had CRA. Compared with age‐matched controls, cancer subjects had significantly lower AMH (P = .004) and inhibin B (P < .001) and higher FSH (P < .001). AMH (P = .002) and inhibin B (P = .001) were found to be significantly associated with risk of CRA, even after controlling for FSH. AMH was significantly lower (P = .03) and FSH was significantly higher (P = .04) in menstruating subjects who developed subsequent CRA.CONCLUSIONS: AMH and inhibin B are 2 additional measures of postchemotherapy ovarian function in late reproductive‐aged breast cancer survivors. With further research and validation, these hormones may supplement limited current tools for assessing and predicting postchemotherapy ovarian function. Cancer 2010. © 2009 American Cancer Society.

5 May 2014 in Journal of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
JGJessica R. Gorman
Jessica R. Gorman
SRSamantha C. Roberts
Samantha C. Roberts
SDSally A. Dominick
Sally A. Dominick
VMVanessa L. Malcarne
Vanessa L. Malcarne
ADAndrew C. Dietz
Andrew C. Dietz
HSH. Irene Su
H. Irene Su
Purpose: Cancer survivors in their adolescent and young adult (AYA) years are an understudied population, possibly in part because of the high effort required to recruit them into research studies. The aim of this paper is to describe the specific recruitment strategies used in four studies recruiting AYA-aged female cancer survivors and to identify the highest yielding approaches. We also discuss challenges and recommendations. Methods: We recruited AYA-aged female cancer survivors for two studies conducted locally and two conducted nationally. Recruitment strategies included outreach and referral via: healthcare providers and clinics; social media and the internet; community and word of mouth; and a national fertility information hotline. We calculated the yield of each recruitment approach for the local and national studies by comparing the number that participated to the number of potential participants. Results: We recruited a total of 534 participants into four research studies. Seventy-one percent were diagnosed as young adults and 61% were within 3 years of their cancer diagnosis. The highest-yielding local recruitment strategy was healthcare provider and clinic referral. Nationally, social media and internet outreach yielded the highest rate of participation. Overall, internet-based recruitment resulted in the highest number and yield of participants. Conclusion: Our results suggest that outreach through social media and the internet are effective approaches to recruiting AYA-aged female cancer survivors. Forging collaborative relationships with survivor advocacy groups' members and healthcare providers also proved beneficial.

20 January 2011 in Breast Cancer Research
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
JMJun J Mao
Jun J Mao
HSH. Irene Su
H. Irene Su
RFRui Feng
Rui Feng
MDMichelle L Donelson
Michelle L Donelson
RARichard Aplenc
Richard Aplenc
ADAngela DeMichele
Angela DeMichele
Introduction: Aromatase inhibitor-associated arthralgia (AIAA) is a common and often debilitating symptom in breast cancer survivors. Since joint symptoms have been related to estrogen deprivation through the menopausal transition, we hypothesized that genetic polymorphisms in CYP19A1, the final enzyme in estrogen synthesis, may be associated with the occurrence of AIAA. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of postmenopausal women with stage 0 to III breast cancer receiving adjuvant aromatase inhibitor (AI) therapy. Patient-reported AIAA was the primary outcome. DNA was genotyped for candidate CYP19A1 polymorphisms. Serum estrogen levels were evaluated by radioimmunoassay. Multivariate analyses were performed to examine associations between AIAA and genetic variants controlling for possible confounders. Results: Among 390 Caucasian participants, 50.8% reported AIAA. Women carrying at least one 8-repeat allele had lower odds of AIAA (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 0.41, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.21 to 0.79, P = 0.008) after adjusting for demographic and clinical covariates. Estradiol and estrone were detectable in 47% and 86% of subjects on AIs, respectively. Although these post-AI levels were associated with multiple genotypes, they were not associated with AIAA. In multivariate analyses, women with more recent transition into menopause (less than five years) were significantly more likely to report AIAA than those greater than ten years post-menopause (AOR 3.31, 95% CI 1.72 to 6.39, P < 0.001). Conclusions: Functional polymorphism in CYP19A1 and time since menopause are associated with patient-reported AIAA, supporting the hypothesis that the host hormonal environment contributes to the pathophysiology of AAIA. Prospective investigation is needed to further delineate relationships between host genetics, changing estrogen levels and AIAA.

26 August 2013 in Cancer
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
JMJennifer E. Mersereau
Jennifer E. Mersereau
LGLinnea R. Goodman
Linnea R. Goodman
ADAllison M. Deal
Allison M. Deal
JGJessica R. Gorman
Jessica R. Gorman
BWBrian W. Whitcomb
Brian W. Whitcomb
HSH. Irene Su
H. Irene Su
BACKGROUND: The decision to pursue fertility preservation (FP) after a cancer diagnosis is complex. We examined the prevalence of high decisional conflict and specific factors that influence this decision using the Decisional Conflict Scale (DCS).METHODS: The FIRST project is a web‐based survey of female cancer survivors (ages 18‐44 years) who have undergone gonadotoxic treatment. We evaluated the association between recalled decisional conflict and referral to FP counseling and demographic, socioeconomic, and cancer variables.RESULTS: Of 208 participants, 115 subjects (55%) had scores consistent with high decisional conflict (DCS score >37.5 of 100), and 43 (21%) were in the moderate range (25‐37.5). In unadjusted analysis, high decisional conflict was associated with lack of referral to FP consultation, not undergoing FP treatment, concerns regarding FP cost, length of survivorship, lower income, education, partner status, and cancer type. In multivariable analysis, significantly higher prevalence of high decisional conflict was observed in participants who were not referred for FP consultation (prevalence ratio [PR], 1.25; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06‐1.47), as well as in participants who reported cost of FP services to be prohibitive (PR, 1.16 [95% CI, 1.03‐1.31]). Prevalence of high DCS was lower for women who underwent FP treatment (PR, 0.67 [95% CI, 0.52‐0.86]).CONCLUSIONS: In this study of female young adult cancer survivors, the majority recalled significant decisional conflict about FP at cancer diagnosis. Increasing access to FP via referral for counseling and cost reduction may decrease decisional conflict about FP for young patients struggling with cancer and fertility decisions. Cancer 2013;119:4044–4050. © 2013 American Cancer Society.