Diversity-sensitive cancer medicine
Our research focus in diversity-sensitive cancer medicine is on how gender and other diversity factors influence diagnosis, treatment and disease progression in oncological diseases. The aim is individualised cancer medicine that takes biological and social factors into account.
The research field
Cancer progresses differently depending on gender, age, origin and other individual factors. We are therefore systematically investigating how these diversity characteristics influence diagnoses, therapies and prognoses. We therefore place particular emphasis on the representativeness of different groups of people in clinical studies and the development of context-aware standards.
The primary aim is to fill care-relevant gaps in the medical evidence.
Research projects
The Cancer Drug Development Forum (CDDF) Diversity Initiative
As a neutral platform, the Cancer Drug Development Forum (CDDF) has established a multi-stakeholder group involving patients, healthcare professionals, developers, regulators, health technology assessment, pharmaceutical companies and academic researchers. The initiative identifies key factors influencing diversity and defines relevant variables to assess representativeness in European oncology trials.
Project details
Ensuring diversity in oncology clinical trials is essential to make the study populations more representative of the wider patient community and to make the results more generalisable.
As a neutral, non-competitive platform, the CDDF has established a multi-stakeholder group involving patients, healthcare professionals, developers, regulators, health technology assessment, pharmaceutical companies and academic researchers to coordinate strategies to improve diversity in clinical research. The initiative aims to identify key factors influencing diversity and define a set of relevant variables to assess representativeness in European oncology trials. The first steps include a review of existing research and guidelines on this topic. The final outcome will be a white paper detailing selected diversity variables, the rationale for their selection and methodological recommendations for implementation, together with practical guidelines. The initiative aims to promote practical, evidence-based best practices for conducting more inclusive cancer studies. With this initiative, the CDDF aims to contribute to fairer and more effective cancer drug development across Europe.
The project is funded and led by the CDDF and the RUB team that supports the CDDF in conducting the research. It is led by Pauline Reiss and Sarina Agkatsev, who are also the main contact persons at RUB.
Further information on the CDDF Diversity Initiative can be found on the CDDF-Homepage.
Project team
Prof. Dr. Marie von Lilienfeld-Toal
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
+49 234 32 12385 info-dimrub "«@&.de
Pauline Reiss M. Sc.
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
Pauline.Reissrub "«@&.de
Dr. Sarina Agkatsev
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
+49 234 32 12765 Sarina.Agkatsevrub "«@&.de
EquiRefBlood - Establishing context-aware reference values for blood counts in Germany in the 21st century
This multicentre study deals with standard values in haematology in Germany. For this purpose, over 1000 people are recruited via the occupational health service and undergo a health check including laboratory tests, for example on iron status.
Project details
The prospective, multicentre study investigates, among other things, the prevalence of iron deficiency in healthy adults without underlying diseases, both with normal and slightly reduced haemoglobin levels.
The aim is to obtain as representative a picture as possible of iron status in the population with the help of approx. 1,500 people recruited via the occupational health service. Secondarily, gender-sensitive differences in platelet count, ferritin and MCV values are analysed, particularly in connection with iron deficiency. In women, differences between menstruation and peri- and postmenopausal phases will also be analysed. Further analyses include socio-demographic factors such as dietary habits, quality of life and resilience as well as cognitive and physical performance, which are collected through medical history interviews and smaller tests. In addition, the prevalence of the Duffy Null phenotype in Germany is determined taking into account ethnicity and migration background. In addition, gender-specific re-evaluations of the reference values of the differential blood count will be carried out in order to generate hypotheses for future reference values.
The inclusion criteria are an age of at least 18 years, sufficient knowledge of German and the ability to give informed consent. Exclusion criteria include chronic diseases that affect the blood count, recent blood donations, pregnancy or breastfeeding, as well as acute infections or known infectious diseases.
The study is funded by the InnovationFORUM from the special university contract 2022-2025; IF-036-24.
Project tteam
Prof. Dr. Marie von Lilienfeld-Toal
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
+49 234 32 12385 info-dimrub "«@&.de
Dr. Milena Lückemeyer
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
+49 234 32 17410 Milena.Lueckemeyerrub "«@&.de
Anne-Christin Gude
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
+49 234 32 12434 Anne-Christin.Guderub "«@&.de
Calara Müller
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
DiVersO: Digital care in oncology
This survey study at several RUB clinics examines the acceptance of digital services by patients with malignant tumours. It analyses the influence of diversity factors, tumour entity and treatment strategy on the use of digital versus paper-based questionnaires (PROMs). At the centre of the investigations is the question of which questionnaire format patients prefer. This will ultimately be analysed according to cancer type, age groups and other individual factors. In addition, the completeness of responses, the drop-out rates and the results reported by patients on quality of life and fatigue are recorded.
Project details
The prospective survey study with an explorative character examines the acceptance of digital services by patients with malignant tumours. The aim is to analyse the influence of diversity factors (such as age, gender, origin, language, religion, education, cultural identity, personal life situation), as well as the tumour entity and the treatment strategy (curative versus palliative) on the use of digital versus paper-based questionnaires (patient-reported outcome measures - PROMs).
This is intended to identify differences between patient cohorts and enable conclusions to be drawn about individual needs for digital services. In addition, the Diversity Minimal Item Set (DiMIS) questionnaire will be used for the first time in an oncological context and evaluated in terms of its feasibility.
The primary endpoint of this study is the choice of questionnaires (digital versus paper-based), each evaluated according to tumour entities, age groups and other subcategories. The secondary endpoints include the completeness of data collection, dropout rates, participation rates and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) for various characteristics, such as health-related quality of life, fatigue, diversity-specific factors, depression and suicidality.
Recruitment will take place at the sites of the University Hospital of the Ruhr University Bochum (Marien Hospital Herne, Knappschaftskrankenhaus Bochum, St. Josef Hospital Bochum) over a period of three years. This will be followed up for two years with a target cohort of approx. 1,000 patients aged at least 18 years who are currently undergoing treatment or aftercare and are able to give written consent.
Project team
Prof. Dr. Marie von Lilienfeld-Toal
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
+49 234 32 12385 info-dimrub "«@&.de
Dr. Milena Lückemeyer
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
+49 234 32 17410 Milena.Lueckemeyerrub "«@&.de
Anne-Christin Gude
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
+49 234 32 12434 Anne-Christin.Guderub "«@&.de
KePoP: Collateral effects of the pandemic in oncological patients
Healthcare in Germany has been significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The KePoP project is now investigating the indirect effects on mortality, diagnostics and treatment in patients with tumours of the respiratory tract, pancreas and colon. The pre-pandemic, pandemic and post-pandemic periods of two years each are being analysed.
Project details
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on healthcare, especially for vulnerable groups such as people with oncological diseases. As part of "Collateral Effects in Pandemics" (CollPan), the KePoP project is investigating the indirect effects on the mortality, diagnosis and treatment of patients with tumours of the respiratory tract, pancreas and colon. This will take place in the pre-pandemic, pandemic and post-pandemic periods of 2 years each.
For this purpose, routine clinical data from the Research Data Portal for Health (FDPG) will be requested and evaluated in order to analyse mortality rates, incidences, stages of diagnosis, therapeutic measures and psychiatric comorbidities.
The project is supported by the Network University Medicine: Second funding phase "NUM 2.0" (FKZ: 01KX2121).
Project team
Prof. Dr. Marie von Lilienfeld-Toal
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
+49 234 32 12385 info-dimrub "«@&.de
Anne-Christin Gude
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
+49 234 32 12434 Anne-Christin.Guderub "«@&.de
Regional deprivation and health in Bochum
In this project, we are investigating how health and life expectancy differ between Bochum's neighbourhoods and what role socio-economic disadvantage plays in this.
Project details
The project is based on the "German Index of Multiple Deprivation" (GIMD). This is a method that measures how disadvantaged a region is - for example in terms of income, unemployment or environmental pollution. Studies show that people in more disadvantaged areas fall ill more often or die earlier. In Germany, such differences have so far only been analysed between cities or federal states.
We are now transferring this approach to the neighbourhood level for the first time by comparing the 30 statistical districts in Bochum. The aim is to visualise and better understand social differences in health. In this way, we can find out where there is a particularly great need for health support.
The results can thus serve as an evidence-based decision-making basis for a more needs-orientated distribution of resources and targeted municipal health promotion.
Project team
Prof. Dr. sc. med. Ina Otte
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
+49 234 32 12385 info-dimrub "«@&.de
Prof. Dr. Marie von Lilienfeld-Toal
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
+49 234 32 12385 info-dimrub "«@&.de
Maja Kuehl M. A.
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
Maja.Kuehlrub "«@&.de
Tobias Sachs M. Sc.
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
0234-32-17586Tobias.Sachsrub "«@&.de