The focus of the Biostatistics Shared Resource (BSSR) is to collaborate with and provide support to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center (AHWFBCCC) members by providing analytical expertise and rigor that enhances peer-reviewed research to reduce the incidence of cancer, improve response and survival, reduce morbidity, manage symptoms, improve health-related quality of life and translate important laboratory discoveries into clinical practice.
The focus of the Biostatistics Shared Resource (BSSR) is to collaborate with and provide support to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center (AHWFBCCC) members by providing analytical expertise and rigor that enhances peer-reviewed research to reduce the incidence of cancer, improve response and survival, reduce morbidity, manage symptoms, improve health-related quality of life and translate important laboratory discoveries into clinical practice.
These core functions align with the BSSR's four primary goals:
- Goal 1: Support investigator-initiated clinical protocol development, including developing appropriate statistical designs, preparing statistical sections and reviewing the statistical content of protocols submitted for review to the Protocol Review Committee (PRMC) of the AHWFBCCC.
- Goal 2: Provide operational and analytical support for clinical protocols, including monitoring patient accrual, providing support for quality assurance efforts and performing interim and final analyses when needed.
- Goal 3: Collaborate with AHWFBCCC members from all programs to provide statistical design and data analysis in support of grant development, abstracts, presentations and publications.
- Goal 4: Provide leadership, education and training in support of the AHWFBCCC mission, including participation in graduate-level courses, T32-supported training grants, mentoring teams for K awardees and other young investigators and leadership on committees responsible for scientific and administrative decisions for the Comprehensive Cancer Center, as well as conducting multiple seminar series on topics such as meta-analysis, survival analysis and early-phase adaptive designs for Comprehensive Cancer Center members.
1. Brown LC, Boselli D, Symanowski JT, Grigg CM, Zhu J, Norek S, Begic XJ, Raghavan D, Burgess EF. Circulating tumor cells and clinical outcomes in men with metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer treated with enzalutamide and docetaxel: An analysis of the enzada trial. Eur Urol Open Sci. 2025;81:1-4. PMCID: PMC12628052
2. Hadzikadic-Gusic L, Bilz J, Boselli D, Symanowski J, Wallander M, Danile L, Sobel A, Livasy C, Sarantou T, Voci A, Sarma D, Forster M, Scott S, Mitchelides W, Shah S, Begic X, Flynn C, Verbyla A, Cruz A, Sejdic A, Schepel C, White RL. A randomized, single-center, superiority trial of radioactive seed localization versus wire localization for malignant breast disease. Ann Surg. 2025;282(6):998-1006. PMCID: PMC12594132
3. Costa JV, Lucas AR, Mihalko SL, Brubaker PH, Marshall A, Leitzelar B, Wolle BR, Norton S, Franco RL, Via J, Yazbeck V, Vaidya R, Seegars MB, D'Agostino R, Jr., Wagner L, Hundley WG. Feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a physical activity intervention in adults with lymphoma undergoing treatment. Pilot Feasibility Stud. 2025;11(1):6. PMCID: PMC11731389
4. Reding KW, Szewczyk W, D'Agostino RB, Jr., O'Connell NS, Vasbinder A, Bellissimo MP, Lucas AR, Sheppard VB, Sutton AL, Ky B, Lesser GJ, Hundley WG. Black-White disparities in submaximal exercise capacity reductions in breast cancer survivors: A prospective cohort study. JACC CardioOncol. 2024;6(3):467-469. PMCID: PMC11229545
5. Yogeswaran V, Kim Y, Franco RL, Lucas AR, Sutton AL, LaRose JG, Kenyon J, D'Agostino RB, Jr., Sheppard VB, Reding K, Hundley WG, Cheng RK. Association of poverty-income ratio with cardiovascular disease and mortality in cancer survivors in the United States. PLoS One. 2024;19(7):e0300154. PMCID: PMC11226125
6. Garg R, D'Agostino RB, Jr., O'Connell N, Lesser GJ, Salloum FN, Hines AL, Meléndez GC, Jordan JH, Ky B, Wagner LI, Sutton AL, Bottinor W, Olson KC, Ladd AC, Hundley WG. Hypertension severity and declines in left ventricular ejection fraction among women receiving adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer (WF-97415 UPBEAT). Hypertension. 2024;81(6):1365-1373. PMCID: PMC11304519
7. Makhlin I, Demissei BG, D'Agostino R, Hundley WG, Baleanu-Gogonea C, Wilcox NS, Chen A, Smith AM, O'Connell NS, Januzzi JL, Lesser GJ, Scherrer-Crosbie M, Ibáñez B, Tang WHW, Ky B. Statins do not significantly affect oxidative nitrosative stress biomarkers in the PREVENT randomized clinical trial. Clin Cancer Res. 2024;30(11):2370-2376. PMCID: PMC11287023
8. Mabudian L, Reding K, D'Agostino RB, Jr., Heiston EM, Bellissimo MP, Olson K, Ntim WO, Klepin HD, Dressler EV, Moore T, Jordan JH, O'Connell NS, Ladd A, Weaver KE, Ky B, Wagner LI, Hackney MH, Lesser GJ, Hundley WG. The relationship between body composition and left ventricular performance in women with breast, lymphoma, or sarcoma cancer. Cardiooncology. 2024;10(1):34. PMCID: PMC11155055
9. Bellissimo MP, Canada JM, Jordan JH, Ladd AC, Reding KW, Moore TL, Ntim WO, Heiston EM, Brubaker P, Mihalko SL, D'Agostino R, Jr., O'Connell N, Ky B, Wagner LI, Hackney MH, Weaver KE, Lesser GJ, Avis NE, Sutton AL, Lucas AR, Franco RL, Fuemmeler BF, Salloum FN, Hundley WG. Physical activity during breast cancer therapy associates with preserved exercise capacity and cardiac function (WF97415). JACC CardioOncol. 2023;5(5):641-652. PMCID: PMC10635881
10. Suddala S, O'Connell N, D'Agostino R, Jr., Ladd A, Lucas AR, Jordan JH, Salloum FN, Ky B, Hackney MH, Hundley WG. Reduced thoracic aortic distensibility upon breast cancer diagnosis (WF-97415 and WF-98213). JACC CardioOncol. 2023;5(5):704-706. PMCID: PMC10635869
11. Mabudian L, D'Agostino RB, Jr., Jordan JH, Martin MB, Fleshman JA, Crotts T, Ladd A, Olson K, Weaver KE, Hackney MH, Hundley WG. Accuracy of rapid cardiovascular magnetic resonance assessment of left ventricular function during community cancer cardiotoxicity surveillance (WF98213). Am J Cardiol. 2023;205:204-206. PMCID: PMC11097678
12. Thomas A, O'Connell NS, Douglas E, Hatcher S, Park CJ, Dent S, Ansley K, Klem I, Bansal R, Westbrook K, Hundley WG, Bottinor W, Hackney MH, Richardson KM, Sirkisoon SR, D'Agostino RB, Jr., Jordan JH. Cardiovascular impact of near complete estrogen deprivation in premenopausal women with breast cancer: The crown study. Am Heart J. 2024;267:33-43. PMCID: PMC10976295
13. Bellissimo MP, Reding KW, O'Connell NS, D'Agostino RB, Jr., Mabudian L, Heiston EM, Ladd AC, Weaver KE, Lesser GJ, Fuemmeler BF, Salloum FN, Hundley WG. Intermuscular fat changes are related to reduced left ventricular ejection fraction during cancer therapy (PREVENT-WF-98213). JACC CardioOncol. 2023;5(3):409-411. PMCID: PMC10308035
14. Lucas AR, D'Agostino R, Jr., Jordan JH, Reding KW, O'Connell NS, Melendez GC, Salloum FN, Weaver KE, Lesser GJ, Hundley WG. Atorvastatin does not attenuate aortic stiffening after doxorubicin for breast cancer and lymphoma (PREVENT-WF-98213). JACC CardioOncol. 2023;5(3):412-414. PMCID: PMC10308033
15. Hundley WG, D'Agostino R, Jr. Population-associated variance in native myocardial T1: Value added or is there more to come? JACC Cardiovasc Imaging. 2023;16(4):461-463. PMCID: PMC11097677
16. Hundley WG, D'Agostino R, Jr., Crotts T, Craver K, Hackney MH, Jordan JH, Ky B, Wagner LI, Herrington DM, Yeboah J, Reding KW, Ladd AC, Rapp SR, Russo S, O'Connell N, Weaver KE, Dressler EV, Ge Y, Melin SA, Gudena V, Lesser GJ. Statins and left ventricular ejection fraction following doxorubicin treatment. NEJM Evid. 2022;1(9):10.1056/evidoa2200097. PMCID: PMC9997095
17. Kim Y, Franco RL, Lucas AR, Sutton AL, LaRose JG, Kenyon J, Via J, Cheng RK, D'Agostino RB, Jr., Sheppard VB, Hundley WG. Prevalence of cardiovascular diseases among breast cancer survivors: Findings from the NHANES 2003-2018. Am J Health Promot. 2023;37(2):233-238. PMCID: PMC10981503
18. Jordan JH, D'Agostino RB, Jr., Ansley K, Douglas E, Melin S, Sorscher S, Vasu S, Park S, Kotak A, Romitti PA, O'Connell NS, Hundley WG, Thomas A. Myocardial function in premenopausal women treated with ovarian function suppression and an aromatase inhibitor. JNCI Cancer Spectr. 2021;5(4):pkab071. PMCID: PMC8406435
19. Reding KW, O'Connell NS, D'Agostino RB, Jr., Hundley W, Lucas AR, Ladd AC, Jordan JH, Heiston EM, Ge Y, Hundley WG. Both intermuscular fat and LVEF decline promote heart failure symptoms in cancer survivors. Cardiooncology. 2021;7(1):16. PMCID: PMC8105949
20. Reding KW, Ghemigian K, Carbone S, D'Agostino R, Jr., Jordan JH, Meléndez G, Lamar ZS, Klepin HD, Thomas A, Langford D, Vasu S, Hundley WG. The relationship between abdominal fat and change in left ventricular ejection fraction in cancer patients. Obes Sci Pract. 2021;7(1):82-90. PMCID: PMC7909597
21. Sutton AL, O'Connell NS, Lucas AR, Olson KC, Reding KW, Sheppard VB, Ky B, Ruddy KJ, Weaver KE, Hundley WG. Socioeconomic status and left ventricular ejection fraction decline in breast cancer survivors following receipt of doxorubicin (PREVENT WF-98213). Cardiooncology. 2025;11(1):11. PMCID: PMC11796113
22. Bailey RL, Jun S, Cowan AE, Eicher-Miller HA, Gahche JJ, Dwyer JT, Hartman TJ, Mitchell DC, Seguin-Fowler RA, Carroll RJ, Tooze JA. Major gaps in understanding dietary supplement use in health and disease. Annu Rev Nutr. 2023;43:179-197. PMCID: PMC11078263
23. Cowan-Pyle AE, Bailey RL, Gahche JJ, Dwyer JT, Reynolds LM, Carroll RJ, Mallick BK, Mitchell DC, Tooze JA. Methods matter for dietary supplement exposure assessment: Comparing prevalence, product types, and amounts of nutrients from dietary supplements in the interactive diet and Activity Tracking in the American Association of Retired Persons cohort study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2025;121(6):1258-1267. PMCID: PMC12226753
24. Cowan AE, Bailey RL, Jun S, Dodd KW, Gahche JJ, Eicher-Miller HA, Guenther PM, Dwyer JT, Potischman N, Bhadra A, Carroll RJ, Tooze JA. The total nutrient index is a useful measure for assessing total micronutrient exposures among US adults. J Nutr. 2022;152(3):863-871. PMCID: PMC8891182
25. Cowan AE, Jun S, Tooze JA, Dodd KW, Gahche JJ, Eicher-Miller HA, Guenther PM, Dwyer JT, Potischman N, Bhadra A, Carroll RJ, Bailey RL. A narrative review of nutrient based indexes to assess diet quality and the proposed total nutrient index that reflects total dietary exposures. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2023;63(12):1722-1732. PMCID: PMC8888777
26. Cowan AE, Tooze JA, Gahche JJ, Eicher-Miller HA, Guenther PM, Dwyer JT, Potischman N, Bhadra A, Carroll RJ, Bailey RL. Trends in overall and micronutrient-containing dietary supplement use in US adults and children, NHANES 2007-2018. J Nutr. 2023;152(12):2789-2801. PMCID: PMC9839985
27. Bawaneh A, Shively CA, Tooze JA, Cook KL. Impact of gut permeability on the breast microbiome using a non-human primate model. Gut Microbiome (Camb). 2022;3:e10. PMCID: PMC9990890
28. Jun S, Cowan AE, Dodd KW, Tooze JA, Gahche JJ, Eicher-Miller HA, Guenther PM, Dwyer JT, Potischman N, Bhadra A, Forman MR, Bailey RL. Association of food insecurity with dietary intakes and nutritional biomarkers among US children, national health and nutrition examination survey (NHANES) 2011-2016. Am J Clin Nutr. 2021;114(3):1059-1069. PMCID: PMC8408856
29. Newman TM, Shively CA, Register TC, Appt SE, Yadav H, Colwell RR, Fanelli B, Dadlani M, Graubics K, Nguyen UT, Ramamoorthy S, Uberseder B, Clear KYJ, Wilson AS, Reeves KD, Chappell MC, Tooze JA, Cook KL. Diet, obesity, and the gut microbiome as determinants modulating metabolic outcomes in a non-human primate model. Microbiome. 2021;9(1):100. PMCID: PMC8101030
30. Rossmeisl JH, Herpai D, Quigley M, Cecere TE, Robertson JL, D'Agostino RB, Hinckley J, Tatter SB, Dickinson PJ, Debinski W. Phase I trial of convection-enhanced delivery of IL13RA2 and EPHA2 receptor targeted cytotoxins in dogs with spontaneous intracranial gliomas. Neuro Oncol. 2021;23(3):422-434. PMCID: PMC7992889
31. Heinzerling JH, Mileham KF, Robinson MM, Symanowski JT, Induru RR, Brouse GM, Corso CD, Prabhu RS, Haggstrom DE, Moeller BJ, Bobo WE, Fasola CE, Thakkar VV, Pal SE, Gregory JM, Norek SL, Begic XJ, Kesarwala AH, Burri SH, Simone CB, 2nd. Primary lung tumour stereotactic body radiotherapy followed by concurrent mediastinal chemoradiotherapy and adjuvant immunotherapy for locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: A multicentre, single-arm, phase 2 trial. Lancet Oncol. 2025;26(1):85-97.
32. Anderson R, Miller LD, Isom S, Chou JW, Pladna KM, Schramm NJ, Ellis LR, Howard DS, Bhave RR, Manuel M, Dralle S, Lyerly S, Powell BL, Pardee TS. Phase II trial of cytarabine and mitoxantrone with devimistat in acute myeloid leukemia. Nat Commun. 2022;13(1):1673. PMCID: PMC8967916
33. Rapp SR, Dressler EV, Brown WM, Wade JL, 3rd, Le-Lindqwister N, King D, Rowland KM, Weaver KE, Klepin HD, Shaw EG, Lesser GJ. Phase III randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial of donepezil for treatment of cognitive impairment in breast cancer survivors after adjuvant chemotherapy (WF-97116). J Clin Oncol. 2024;42(21):2546-2557. PMCID: PMC11513887
34. Forsythe SD, Erali RA, Sasikumar S, Laney P, Shelkey E, D'Agostino R, Jr., Miller LD, Shen P, Levine EA, Soker S, Votanopoulos KI. Organoid platform in preclinical investigation of personalized immunotherapy efficacy in appendiceal cancer: Feasibility study. Clin Cancer Res. 2021;27(18):5141-5150. PMCID: PMC8720262
35. Burcher KM, Bloomer CH, Gavrila E, Kalada JM, Chang MJ, Gebeyehu RR, Song AH, Khoury LM, Lycan TW, Kinney R, D'Agostino R, Jr., Bunch PM, Shukla K, Triozzi P, Furdui CM, Zhang W, Porosnicu M. Study protocol: Phase II study to evaluate the effect of cetuximab monotherapy after immunotherapy with PD-1 inhibitors in patients with head and neck squamous cell cancer. Ther Adv Med Oncol. 2024;16:17588359231217959. PMCID: PMC10799583
36. Burcher KM, Faucheux AT, Lantz JW, Wilson HL, Abreu A, Salafian K, Patel MJ, Song AH, Petro RM, Lycan T, Jr., Furdui CM, Topaloglu U, D'Agostino RB, Zhang W, Porosnicu M. Prevalence of DNA repair gene mutations in blood and tumor tissue and impact on prognosis and treatment in HNSCC. Cancers (Basel). 2021;13(13):3118. PMCID: PMC8267691
37. Burcher KM, Lantz JW, Gavrila E, Abreu A, Burcher JT, Faucheux AT, Xie A, Jackson C, Song AH, Hughes RT, Lycan T, Jr., Bunch PM, Furdui CM, Topaloglu U, D'Agostino RB, Jr., Zhang W, Porosnicu M. Relationship between tumor mutational burden, PD-L1, patient characteristics, and response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Cancers (Basel). 2021;13(22):5733. PMCID: PMC8616373
38. Burcher KM, Wilson HL, Gavrila E, Abreu A, D'Agostino RB, Zhang W, Porosnicu M. In reply: TP53 alteration status and tumor mutational burden score: Prevalence and prognosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Oncologist. 2022;27(7):e606-e607. PMCID: PMC9256026
39. Hughes RT, Gebeyehu RR, Kalada JM, Lycan TW, Frizzell BA, Kinney RD, D'Agostino RB, Bunch PM, Triozzi P, Zhang W, Furdui CM, Porosnicu M. Quad-shot-immunotherapy: Quad-shot radiotherapy with pembrolizumab for advanced/recurrent head and neck cancer. Future Oncol. 2023;19(22):1523-1534. PMCID: PMC10463211
40. Rajendran S, Obeid JS, Binol H, D. Agostino R J, Foley K, Zhang W, Austin P, Brakefield J, Gurcan MN, Topaloglu U. Cloud-based federated learning implementation across medical centers. JCO Clin Cancer Inform. 2021;5:1-11. PMCID: PMC8140794
41. Wilson HL, D'Agostino RB, Jr., Meegalla N, Petro R, Commander S, Topaloglu U, Zhang W, Porosnicu M. The prognostic and therapeutic value of the mutational profile of blood and tumor tissue in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Oncologist. 2021;26(2):e279-e289. PMCID: PMC7873320
42. Liu L, Ahmed T, Petty WJ, Grant S, Ruiz J, Lycan TW, Topaloglu U, Chou PC, Miller LD, Hawkins GA, Alexander-Miller MA, O'Neill SS, Powell BL, D'Agostino RB, Jr., Munden RF, Pasche B, Zhang W. SMARCA4 mutations in kras-mutant lung adenocarcinoma: A multi-cohort analysis. Mol Oncol. 2021;15(2):462-472. PMCID: PMC7858279
