The Draconis project
Patients with ALK/ROS1-fusion lung cancer may benefit from targeted therapies, namely ALK/ROS1 TKIs, which are highly effective. However, these treatments appear to be associated with neurocognitive and psychiatric disorders, as well as cognitive complaints reported by patients. As such, they are likely to impair patients’ quality of life.
The DRACONIS project aims to characterise the neurocognitive and psychiatric disorders associated with ITK-ALK/ROS1 treatments, using a multidisciplinary and participatory research approach involving researchers from a range of disciplines (oncology, neurology, psychiatry, social psychology, pharmacology) and patients and their carers who are members of the French ALK/ROS1 patient association, France Cancer du Poumon.
Project leaders:
Myriam PANNARD
Myriam Pannard is a senior lecturer in social psychology of health at the Pôle de Psychologie Sociale (Unité INSERM U1296) at the Université Lyon 2. Her research focuses in particular on the lived experiences of patients, relatives, carers and healthcare professionals in the context of cancer care and treatment.
This work is rooted in a critical approach and aims, in particular, to examine – and bring about change in – the power dynamics that permeate the various spheres of healthcare. This is reflected, in particular, in a commitment to encouraging public involvement in cancer research through participatory or community-based approaches.
Michaël DURUISSEAUX
Michaël Duruisseaux is a professor of medicine and a respiratory oncologist at the Hospices Civils de Lyon, and a researcher at the Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon (INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286).
He heads a thoracic oncology team and an early-phase clinical trials unit. His research focuses on all aspects of cancer treatment, with a particular interest in the study of targeted therapies for lung cancers with oncogenic addictions.
