Ananya Gupta & Sanjeev Gupta

Biography

Names: Ananya Gupta & Sanjeev Gupta

Job Titles: Lecturer Above the bar, Dept. Physiology, School of Medicine, NUI Galway; Scientist & Lecturer in Pathology, NUI Galway

Organisation: Chemotherapy Management and Rehabilitation Research Group, Discipline of Physiology School of Medicine, NUI Galway

Contact: (opens in a new window)ananya.gupta@nuigalway.ie

Project Title: NEUTRO-CHECK: Management of Chemotherapy Induced Pan-cytopenia 

Research Outline

Chemotherapy induced neutropenia (CIN) occurs in cancer patients suffering from neutropenia as an adverse side effect of cancer treatment. These patients’ immune system becomes significantly impaired, making them susceptible to infections, a condition known as febrile neutropenia (FN) associated with high body temperature. FN is considered an oncologic emergency and has a  mortality rate of 21% in the United States. 

FN is currently diagnosed upon hospitalisation through blood tests using a hospital laboratory-based blood cell counter. Rapid treatment with antibiotics is necessary to prevent sepsis and death.

There is no monitoring system available to detect neutropenia at the time of onset in an at-home setting. NEUTRO-CHECK will ensure neutropenia is seen early and before the patient develops a fever. These patients can be treated with targeted antibiotics and growth factors in an outpatient setting. The project will also reduce hospitalisation costs and improve cancer treatment.

Our solution is a minimally invasive and easy-to-use monitor. The NEUTRO-CHECK protocol is similar to the existing at-home devices such as the glucometer. Its capacity for early diagnosis has the potential to impact the efficacy of growth factors significantly.