This qualitative study aims to explore patients and parents/carers expectations, health care professionals’ expectations and prosthesis manufacturer’s expectations of survivorship following lower limb massive endoprosthetic replacements for primary bone sarcoma.

  • Staff Project Team: Dr Cecilia Vindrola (1st Author), Natalie Morgan (2nd Author), Ms Becca Pickford (3rd Author), Ms Tracy Roskrow, Ms Anju Jaggi, Mr Craig Gerrand (4th Author), Dr Sherron Furtado (Senior Author)
  • Contact: sherron.furtado@nhs.net
  • Achievements: Secured further funding for Qualitative researcher. Presented at BSG 2021 and accepted at European Musculoskeletal Oncology Society (EMSOS) congress 2021. Manuscript prepared and to be submitted shortly.

The question of return to sports in this patient group requires a collaborative input from surgeons, physiotherapists and engineers. This project’s aim is to identify and summarise the current evidence for involvement in sports, sports participation and level of sports attained following multimodal treatment of lower limb musculoskeletal tumour utilising a systematic review.

  • Staff Project team: MT Buldu: (1st Author), F Sacchetti: (2nd Author), V Parisi: (3rd Author) , S Furtado (4th Author), C Gerrand: (Senior Author) 
  • Contact: craig.gerrand@nhs.net
  • Achievements: Manuscript in preparation and to be submitted shortly.

This study investigates whether ambulatory (walking) activity assessments using an accelerometer-based  wearable (AX3, Axivity) is feasible, acceptable and clinically valid in patients treated for lower extremity musculoskeletal tumours. This project was conducted in Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals and the detailed data analysis and manuscript preparation was undertaken in RNOH and Newcastle University. See details about project and impact https://sarcoma.org.uk/research/funded-projects/monitoring-physical-difficulties-faced-bone-and-soft-tissue-sarcoma

  • Staff Project Team: Sherron Furtado (1st Author), Alan Godfrey, Silvia Del Din, Lynn Rochester, Craig Gerrand
  • Contact: sherron.furtado@nhs.net
  • Achievements: Presented at BSG, MSTS and ISPGR national and international conferences.  Manuscript recently submitted to Disability and Rehabilitation Journal.

The aim of this review is to identify: The differences in physical function, quality of life (QoL), survival and non-oncological complications between Bone Reconstruction (BR) and No Bone Reconstruction (NBR).

The purpose of this project is to investigate the long-term (i.e ≥5 year) disability and activity limitations of patients treated for sarcoma of the upper and lower limb and to determine the specific factors that affect these long-term functional outcomes.

  • MSc student: Miss Ting Wang from Physical Therapy in Musculoskeletal Healthcare and Rehabilitation MSc in UCL
  • Project Supervisors: Dr Sherron Furtado, Dr Catherine Pedengrass, Ms Abigail McCarthy and Mr Craig Gerrand
  • Contact: sherron.furtado@nhs.net,
  • Achievements: MSc Dissertation document prepared to be submitted shortly.

This project investigates whether a portable, inexpensive, markerless depth-sensor (Microsoft KinectTM) can assess novel functional outcomes of balance, gait and movements after sarcoma surgery, discriminate between tumour sub-groups and agree with existing assessments. This project was conducted in Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals and the detailed data analysis and manuscript preparation was undertaken in RNOH and Newcastle University. See details about project and impact https://sarcoma.org.uk/research/funded-projects/monitoring-physical-difficulties-faced-bone-and-soft-tissue-sarcoma

  • Staff Project team: Sherron Furtado (First Author), Brook Galna, Alan Godfrey, Lynn Rochester, Craig Gerrand
  • Contact: sherron.furtado@nhs.net,
  • Achievements: Presented at BSG, MSTS and ISPGR national and international conferences.  Manuscript recently revised and submitted to Gait and Posture Journal.

Treatment for musculoskeletal tumours has a measurable impact on outcomes; and this 10-year study will describe the survivorship experience by tumour type and treatment. A minimum of 200 patients will be recruited into the study across the defined paediatric and adult cohorts, identified from inpatient and outpatient lists or clinical records. These will include patients followed longitudinally during and after treatment at intervals and patients who have completed recovery, typically at least one-year post-treatment.

  • Staff Investigator and Project Team: Dr Sherron Furtado (Chief Investigator) and Mr Craig Gerrand (Co-Investigator)
  • Contact: sherron.furtado@nhs.net
  • Achievements: Received favourable opinion. Full ethics approval expected soon. This Ethics Approval will serve as a ‘Blanket Ethics” for Outcomes Collection and form a “A STRATEGIC STEP” in defining the lived experience of people undergoing treatments in the Sarcoma Unit at the RNOH centre of the London Sarcoma Service. This will save time for a full 6-8 months ethics application each time for outcomes-based studies.

The objective of this study is to investigate whether Personalised Rehabilitation Programmes developed using holistic assessment models (based on ICF) are feasible to perform and effective in improving survivorship outcomes in patients with lower extremity sarcomas. This project was conducted in Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals and the detailed data analysis and manuscript preparation is in process at the RNOH and Newcastle University. See details about project https://sarcoma.org.uk/research/funded-projects/can-holistic-model-rehabilitation-improve-quality-life-after-treatment

  • Staff Project Team: Dr Sherron Furtado (First Author), Dr Silvia Del Din, Dr Jan Lecouturier, Dr Rana Zia Ur Rehman, Mr Kenneth Rankin, Professor Lynn Rochester, Mr Craig Gerrand.
  • Contact: sherron.furtado@nhs.net
  • Achievements: Presented at BSG, MSTS and ISPGR national and international conferences.  Manuscript is currently being prepared. This project won the “Best Poster Award” in BOOS 2018. Please see link: http://bam-ncl.co.uk/best-poster-award-dr-sherron-furtado/

The purpose of this systematic review is to investigate the burden of pain and fatigue after sarcoma surgery, to determine future research area and focus of clinical services.

  • MSc student: Mr Lyufang Liu from Physical Therapy in Musculoskeletal Healthcare and Rehabilitation MSc in UCL
  • Project Supervisors: Mr Craig Gerrand and Dr Sherron Furtado
  • Contact: sherron.furtado@nhs.net
  • Achievements: Presented at BSG 2021. Evidence utilised as a base for current and future upcoming projects in the area. Plan is to prepare manuscript.

The aim of this study is to review the literature and describe survivorship following proximal femoral replacement surgery (PFR) and identify how survivors differ from comparative groups in terms of functional outcomes, social outcomes and long-term effects and overall quality of life following PFR. Secondary aims are to explore the following: is there a difference between primary and metastatic disease, and the experiences of PFR patients when returning to sport.

  • iBSc student: Mr Jordan Kilbey  from Sports and Exercise Medicine, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queens Mary University
  • Project team: Mr Craig Gerrand , Dr Stuart Miller and Dr Sherron Furtado
  • Contact: sherron.furtado@nhs.net

The intention of this project, recruiting patients with lower limb sarcomas from national and local sarcoma charities, is to explore the relationship between survivorship and PA, as well as identifying the potential barriers and facilitators. By identifying these elements, using qualitative interviews, it will assist the development of better evidence-based clinical guidelines.

  • iBSc student: Mr Jordan Kilbey  from Sports and Exercise Medicine, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry in Queens Mary University
  • Project team: Mr Craig Gerrand , Dr Stuart Miller and Dr Sherron Furtado
  • Contact: sherron.furtado@nhs.net

Gomathi Kanniappan, Lyufang Liu, Janet Reed, Kate Scanlan, Craig Gerrand, Sherron Furtado,

The long term aim of this 3-phased project is to establish fatigue management pathway within Inpatient and outpatient services. In the initial two stages, we aim to determine the extent of the problem of fatigue in patients diagnosed and treated for sarcomas. The team also aims to gain an insight into the impact of fatigue on functional outcomes and review qualitative patient experiences of their symptoms linked to the burden of fatigue. We anticipate, the final stage will facilitate the development of a fatigue management pathway. 

Although this project is a long term project with 3 phases, we are currently working on compiling a Systematic review and are in process of building a manuscript on the topic of "What Do We Know about Pain and Fatigue after Treatment for Extremity Sarcoma - A Systematic Review".

Retrospective analysis

The purpose of this project is to explore the current extent of physical function and Quality of Life (QoL) for people with upper extremity sarcoma in England and identify related factors of poor outcomes, with a view to enhancing rehabilitation strategies. MSc student: Miss Yiwen Yan from Physical Therapy in Musculoskeletal Healthcare and Rehabilitation MSc in UCL

Project supervisors: Dr Sherron Furtado, Dr Catherine Pendegrass, Dr Steve Taylor, and Mr Craig Gerrand Contact: sherron.furtado@nhs.net

Achievements: MSc Dissertation document submitted. Being presented shortly at EMSOS 2022.

This project aims to assess dynamic balance in pelvic sarcoma patients after 1-year post-operative hemipelvectomy surgery to further investigate the functional changes in sarcoma patients after surgery, to supply a better understanding of the concept of sarcoma. And to provide some reference for the development of clinical or rehabilitation treatments at a later stage.

MSc student: Miss Jinxuan Zhao from Physical Therapy in Musculoskeletal Healthcare and Rehabilitation MSc in UCL

Project Supervisors: Dr Sherron Furtado, Dr Steve Taylor, Dr Catherine Pedengrass and Mr Craig Gerrand

Contact: sherron.furtado@nhs.net 

Achievements: Accepted at European Musculoskeletal Oncology Society (EMSOS) congress 2022. Plan is to prepare manuscript

The aim is to explore:

1. The facilitators and barriers for achieving a good outcome.

2. How the outcomes in gait, balance and neuromuscular control affect patients’ daily life.

MSc student: Ms. Wing Ho from Physical Therapy in Musculoskeletal Healthcare and Rehabilitation MSc in UCL Academic

Supervisors: Prof. Stephen JG Taylor, Dr Catherine Pendegrass Project Supervisors: Mr Craig Gerrand and Dr Sherron Furtado Contact: rmhkywh@ucl.ac.uk

Achievements: Presented at EMSOS 2022, 2022 Therapies Research and Audit Forum (RNOH). Evidence utilised as a base for current and future upcoming projects in the area.

Abstract :

This mixed methods PhD focuses on understanding the unique prosthetic requirements of children with lower limb loss to design and evaluate a new prosthetic knee solution for use in low resourced environments. The PhD will employ questionnaires, musculoskeletal modelling, 3D CAD and gait analysis methods to produce an impactful knee design. PhD Student: Caitlin Edgar, Imperial College London Musculoskeletal Mechanics Research Group

Supervisors: Professor Anthony Bull (Imperial College London); Dr Sherron Furtado (RNOH).

RNOH Project Team: Mr Craig Gerrand Contact: Caitlin.edgar17@imperial.ac.uk; Sherron.furtado@nhs.net

Achievements: Presented at the BACPAR Conference 2022.

Abstract

The aim of this qualitative study is to understand the experiences and potential barriers of returning to activities of daily living and exercise following treatment for knee sarcoma, to pre-operatively guide the management of patient expectations and support their rehabilitation.

MSc Student: Miss Emily Dore-Smith from Physical Therapy in Musculoskeletal Healthcare and Rehabilitation MSc in University College London (UCL) 

Project Supervisors: Dr Sherron Furtado, Mr Craig Gerrand, Dr Catherine Pendergrass and Dr Steve Taylor 

Contact: sherron.furtado@nhs.net

Achievements:  Poster presentation at European Musculoskeletal Oncology Society (EMSOS) 2022, Westminster, London