BSc Psychology (2001), MBBS (2006), MRCP (2009), PhD (2016) FRCR (2017)
NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer in Clinical Oncology
Email: a.gilbert@leeds.ac.uk
Alex is an Honorary consultant and CRUK Senior Clinical Trial fellow in Clinical (Radiation) Oncology, Leeds Cancer Centre, UK. Since joining the research and clinical teams in Leeds in 2010, she has followed a seamless National Institute for Health Research funded clinical academic pathway. Her research expertise is in the use of patient reported outcomes (PROs) in radiation toxicity measurement both in clinical trials and routine practice. She has particular interests in the use of PROs to develop predictive biomarkers of radiotherapy late effects and PRO methodology in clinical trials. As a CRUK senior clinical trial fellow, she is working on a number of interventional radiotherapy trials including complex multi-centre platform RCTs evaluating novel agents and techniques, providing expertise in toxicity and PRO measurement. She is also a member of the NCRI anorectal cancer subgroup and deputy chair of the Methodology workstream as well as an active member of the EORTC Quality of Life group. She has collaborated both nationally and internationally with experts in health services research, PROs, technical radiotherapy and clinical trials.
Background
Alex joined the Leeds Cancer Centre, Patient Centered Research group and Radiotherapy research group in 2010 as a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Academic Clinical Fellow; combining her training in clinical oncology with research. During this time she prepared a successful application for funding to NIHR for a PhD into the use of PROs in monitoring side effects following pelvic radiotherapy, which she completed in 2016. After completing her training as an NIHR-funded academic clinical lecturer she was then successful in gaining funding as a CRUK Senior clinical trials fellow to continue her research as a consultant. She is currently working on an Academy of Medical Sciences funded project evaluating toxicity related to pelvic radiotherapy and assessing multiple methods for contouring organs at risk alongside her clinical trials work.
Alex completed a BSc in Psychology at University College, London prior to studying medicine at Royal Free and University College Medical School. Previous research as a clinical fellow funded by the National Leadership Council considered the experiences of junior doctors working in the NHS. This was a collaborative medical education and leadership development project working with South Central Strategic Health Authority and Wessex Deanery.
Research Interests
Alex’s research interests include:
- Radiotherapy clinical trials
- Measurement of patient reported outcomes (PROs) and quality of life of radiotherapy patients in routine clinical practice
- Using patient reported outcomes to predict radiotherapy toxicity
- Predicting radiotherapy-related toxicity using radiotherapy dose data (normal tissue complication probability modelling)
Papers
Holch P, Pini S, Henry AM, Davidson S, Routledge J, Brown J, Absolom K, Gilbert A, Franks K, Hulme C, Morris C, Velikova G; eRAPID radiotherapy work group. eRAPID electronic patient self-Reporting of Adverse-events: Patient Information and aDvice: a pilot study protocol in pelvic radiotherapy. Pilot Feasibility Stud. 2018 Jun 5;4:110. doi: 10.1186/s40814-018-0304-6
Sodergren SC, Johnson CD, Gilbert A, Tomaszewski KA, Chu W, Chung HT, Dennis K, Desideri I, Glynne-Jones R, Grolie Guren M, Kardamakis D, Nugent K, Schmidt H, Sebag-Montefiore D, Vassiliou V. On behalf of the EORTC Quality of Life Group. Phase I-III development of the EORTC QLQ-ANL27, a health-related quality of life questionnaire for anal cancer. Radiother Oncol (2017), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radonc.2017.11.018
Holch P, Henry AM, Davidson S, Gilbert A, Routledge J, Shearsmith L, et al. Acute and Late Adverse Events Associated With Radical Radiation Therapy Prostate Cancer Treatment: A Systematic Review of Clinician and Patient Toxicity Reporting in Randomized Controlled Trials. International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics. 2017;97(3):495-510.
Sodergren SC, Vassiliou V, Dennis K, Tomaszewski KA, Gilbert A, Glynne-Jones R, et al. Systematic review of the quality of life issues associated with anal cancer and its treatment with radiochemotherapy. Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer. 2015;23(12):3613-23.
Gilbert A, Sebag-Montefiore D, Davidson S, Velikova G. Use of patient-reported outcomes to measure symptoms and health related quality of life in the clinic. Gynecologic oncology. 2015;136(3):429-39.
Gilbert A, Ziegler L, Martland M, Davidson S, Efficace F, Sebag-Montefiore D, et al. Systematic Review of Radiation Therapy Toxicity Reporting in Randomized Controlled Trials of Rectal Cancer: A Comparison of Patient-Reported Outcomes and Clinician Toxicity Reporting. International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics. 2015;92(3):555-67.
Sodergren SC, Vassiliou V, Dennis K, Tomaszewski KA, Gilbert A, Glynne-Jones R, et al. Systematic review of the quality of life issues associated with anal cancer and its treatment with radiochemotherapy. Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer. 2015.
Prestwich R, Teo, M, Gilbert A, Williams G, Dyker K, Sen M. Long term swallow function post-chemoradiotherapy for oropharyngeal cancer: the influence of a prophylactic gastrostomy or reactive nasogastric tube. Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol). 2014 Feb;26(2):103-9. doi: 10.1016/j.clon.2013.10.005. Epub 2013 Nov 15.
Efficace F, Jacobs M, Pusic A, Greimel E, Piciocchi A, Kieffer JM, Gilbert A, Fayers P, Blazeby J. EORTC Quality of Life Group (Patient Reported Outcome Measurements Over Time In ONcology-PROMOTION Registry). Patient-reported outcomes in randomised controlled trials of gynaecological cancers: Investigating methodological quality and impact on clinical decision-making. Eur J Cancer. 2014 May 10. pii: S0959-8049(14)00590-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ejca.2014.04.005. [Epub ahead of print]
Gilbert, A., Hockey, P., Vaithianathan, R., Curzen, N. & Lees, P. (2012) Perceptions of Junior doctors in the NHS about their training: Results of a regional questionnaire. BMJ Quality and Safety, published online 25 Jan 2012, DOI: 10.1136/bmjqs-2011-000611
Exworthy, M., Hockey, P. & Gilbert, A. (2012) The teacher and the cop: the role of `private space’ in increasingly transparent clinical practice. Journal of Health Services Research & Policy, 17:1; 60-2.
Prestwich, R., Subesinghe, M., Gilbert A., Şen, M. & Scarsbrook, A. Delayed response assessment with FDG-PET-CT following (chemo)radiotherapy for locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Clinical Radiology, 2012.
Jeffery, KJ., Gilbert, A., Burton, S. & Strudwick, A. (2003) Preserved performance in a hippocampal dependent spatial task despite complete place cell remapping. Hippocampus, 13: 175-189
Book Chapters
Chapter 2: Monitoring of Symptoms, Toxicity and Functioning Using Patient-Reported Outcome Measures. Alexandra Gilbert, Peter Selby, Galina Velikova. In Problem Solving in Patient-Centred and Integrated Cancer Care. Edited by Velikova, G; Fallowfield, L; Younger, J; Board, R; Selby, P. Published in association with the Association of Cancer Physicians, EBN Health, Nov 2017, Oxford.
Chapter 14:Treatment of Cervical Cancer during Pregnancy and Management of Late Effects. Alexandra Gilbert, Kate Cardale, Galina Velikova. In Problem Solving in Patient-Centred and Integrated Cancer Care. Edited by Velikova, G; Fallowfield, L; Younger, J; Board, R; Selby, P. Published in association with the Association of Cancer Physicians, EBN Health, Nov 2017, Oxford.
Chapter 4: Introduction to Radiotherapy. Emma Dugdale, Alexandra Gilbert, Robin Prestwich. In Clinical Problems in Oncology: A Practical Guide to Management. Edited by Sing Yu Moorcraft, Daniel Lee, David D. Cunningham. June 2014, Wiley-Blackwell
Chapter 5: Radiotherapy side effects and their management. Alexandra Gilbert, Emma Dugdale, Robin Prestwich. In Clinical Problems in Oncology: A Practical Guide to Management. Edited by Sing Yu Moorcraft, Daniel Lee, David D. Cunningham. June 2014, Wiley-Blackwell
Invited Speaker
Late toxicity and patient reported outcomes measures (PROMs) following CRT. Royal College of Radiologists: Multidisciplinary management of anal cancer meeting, Birmingham, October 2017
Measuring Toxicity of Pelvic Radiotherapy, UKRO Manchester, June 2017
Patient reported outcomes in radiotherapy workshop, ESTRO 2017. OPTIMAL: longitudinal follow up using ePROs; ESTRO 36, May 2017
Gilbert, A; Davidson, S; Velikova, G; Sebag-Montefiore, D. Collecting PROs in routine clinical practice to assess radiotherapy toxicity and develop normal tissue complication probability models, ESTRO 36, Vienna, May 2017. Radiotherapy and Oncology; Volume 123, S1, Page S275 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-8140(17)30959-3
Measuring Toxicity of Pelvic Radiotherapy. National Workshop for Managing Side Effects after Pelvic Cancer Treatment, Leeds March 2017
Gilbert, A and Velikova, G. Monitoring of symptoms, toxicity and functioning using PROMS. Academy of Cancer Physicians, Manchester, Oct 2016
Measuring Toxicity of Pelvic Radiotherapy, Royal College of Radiologists Annual Scientific Meeting, Sept 2016, London
Teaching
Alex has been involved in medical education throughout her career. Alex was successfully awarded a funded post as a Medical Education Associate Trainee (Southampton University Hospitals Trust) for the development of a postgraduate course examining systemic aspects of patient care. This course led on to Alex’s National Leadership Council clinical fellow research into junior doctors’ experiences in the NHS. During her two year training in Wessex, Alex was a faculty member of the successful Tomorrow’s Teachers course. Tomorrow’s teachers is a peer-led one day teaching course, which involves facilitating both large and small groups of other trainee doctors in developing their teaching skills. Alex has carried on this interest as the trainee representative on Yorkshire Deanery Generic Education Group and with her involvement on the trainee steering group of the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management group.
Professional Activities
- Active member of EORTC Quality of Life Group and elected member of the Project and Module Development committee
- Member of the NCRI Anorectal subgroup
- Member of the NCRI Psychosocial Oncology and Survivorship Clinical Studies Group