Dejana Braithwaite, PhD, MSc

Dejana Braithwaite, PhD, MSc,

Associate Director for Cancer Population Sciences , UF Health Cancer Center

Department: MD-SURGERY-SURGONC-BMSE
Business Phone: (352) 294-5822
Business Email: dbraithwaite@ufl.edu

About Dejana Braithwaite, PhD, MSc

Additional Positions:
Associate Director for Cancer Population Sciences
2020 – Current · UF Health Cancer Center

Accomplishments

Inductee
2017 · Royal Society of Medicine (UK)
Member, Expert Panel
2015 · National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine, National Cancer Policy Forum
Mentored Research Scholar Award
2012-2017 · American Cancer Society
Career Catalyst Award
2011-2014 · Susan Komen Foundation
Junior Investigator Award
2011 · National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health, University of California, San Francisco
Junior Investigator Award
2010 · Academic Senate, University of California, San Francisco
Developmental Award
2009 · NIH Bay Area Breast Cancer Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE)
Hellman Foundation Award for Early Career Faculty
2009 · University of California, San Francisco
Cancer Prevention Research Fellowship (1 awarded nationally in the United States)
2007 · Prevent Cancer Foundation/American Society for Preventive Oncology
Scholar-in-Training Award
2003 · American Association for Cancer Research, Frontiers in Cancer Prevention
Pre-doctoral Fellowship (2 awarded nationally in the United Kingdom)
2000 · Cancer Research U.K.

Teaching Profile

Courses Taught
2022-2023
PHC7918 Independent Study
2022-2023
PHC7979 Advanced Research

Research Profile

Dr. Braithwaite’s research is focused on the intersection of cancer and aging, with the overarching goal of advancing and applying knowledge about aging to cancer population science. The overall goal is to encourage a more individualized approach to cancer screening and care among older adults.

Dr. Braithwaite has extensive experience, expertise, and leadership in large-scale multi-disciplinary NIH-funded efforts of breast and lung cancer screening, risk factors and outcomes, including the R01 Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium (BCSC), R01 Personalized Lung Cancer Screening Network (PLuS), P50 UCSF Breast Cancer SPORE and P30 UCSF Center for Aging in Diverse Communities. As PI or investigator on several of these grants, she has developed cohorts of individuals at risk for invasive cancer and developed comprehensive databases that include pathologic, clinical, biomarker, and risk factor data, as well as follow-up for subsequent disease and death. She has performed multiple epidemiologic studies where she was able to stratify older adults at risk for or diagnosed with cancer into distinct health categories associated with substantially different life expectancies. These studies have been cited by guideline panels, such as the American Cancer Society, the US Preventive Service Taskforce and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Currently, she leads two large multi-site projects that integrate longitudinal cohort data with simulation modeling to determine the benefits and harms of screening for breast and lung cancers in older adults across the levels of advancing age, comorbid conditions and functional status. This work is poised to inform precision screening policy and clinical decision making among older population subgroups for whom the net benefits of screening are currently highly uncertain.

Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID)

0000-0001-8376-5903

Publications

2023
Associations of Total Body Fat Mass and Skeletal Muscle Index with All-Cause and Cancer-Specific Mortality in Cancer Survivors
Cancers. 15(4) [DOI] 10.3390/cancers15041081. [PMID] 36831420.
2023
Survival Differences by Comorbidity Burden among Patients with Stage I/II Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer after Thoracoscopic Resection
Cancers. 15(7) [DOI] 10.3390/cancers15072075. [PMID] 37046735.
2023
The Intersectionality between Race, Ethnicity, and Residential-Level Socioeconomic Status in Disparities of Head and Neck Cancer Outcomes: A SEER Study
Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. 32(4):516-523 [DOI] 10.1158/1055-9965.epi-22-1167.
2022
Analysis of Biological Aging and Risks of All-Cause and Cardiovascular Disease-Specific Death in Cancer Survivors.
JAMA network open. 5(6) [DOI] 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.18183. [PMID] 35731518.
2022
Breast biopsy patterns and findings among older women undergoing screening mammography: The role of age and comorbidity.
Journal of geriatric oncology. 13(2):161-169 [DOI] 10.1016/j.jgo.2021.11.013. [PMID] 34896059.
2022
Cancer diagnosis is associated with a lower burden of dementia and less Alzheimer’s-type neuropathology.
Brain : a journal of neurology. 145(7):2518-2527 [DOI] 10.1093/brain/awac035. [PMID] 35094057.
2022
Cost-Effectiveness of Screening Mammography Beyond Age 75 Years : A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis.
Annals of internal medicine. 175(1):11-19 [DOI] 10.7326/M20-8076. [PMID] 34807717.
2022
Expansion of Guideline-Recommended Lung Cancer Screening Eligibility: Implications for Health Equity of Joint Screening and Cessation Interventions.
Journal of thoracic oncology : official publication of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. 17(1):13-15 [DOI] 10.1016/j.jtho.2021.10.005. [PMID] 34930605.
2022
Frailty and risk of mortality in older cancer survivors and adults without a cancer history: Evidence from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2014.
Cancer. 128(15):2978-2987 [DOI] 10.1002/cncr.34258. [PMID] 35608563.
2022
Mammography adherence in relation to function-related indicators in older women.
Preventive medicine. 154 [DOI] 10.1016/j.ypmed.2021.106869. [PMID] 34762965.
2022
Personalised Lung Cancer Screening (PLuS) study to assess the importance of coexisting chronic conditions to clinical practice and policy: protocol for a multicentre observational study
BMJ Open. 12(6) [DOI] 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-064142. [PMID] 35732383.
2022
Procedural complications associated with invasive diagnostic procedures after lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography.
Lung cancer (Amsterdam, Netherlands). 165:141-144 [DOI] 10.1016/j.lungcan.2021.12.020. [PMID] 35124410.
2022
Racial Differences in Survival Among Advanced-stage Non-small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients Who Received Immunotherapy: An Analysis of the US National Cancer Database (NCDB)
Journal of Immunotherapy. 45(2):132-137 [DOI] 10.1097/CJI.0000000000000400.
2022
Simulating Colorectal Cancer Trials Using Real-World Data
JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics. (6) [DOI] 10.1200/cci.21.00195.
2021
Association between Body Mass Index and Immune-Related Adverse Events (irAEs) among Advanced-Stage Cancer Patients Receiving Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: A Pan-Cancer Analysis.
Cancers. 13(23) [DOI] 10.3390/cancers13236109. [PMID] 34885219.
2021
Association of Breast Density With Breast Cancer Risk Among Women Aged 65 Years or Older by Age Group and Body Mass Index.
JAMA network open. 4(8) [DOI] 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.22810. [PMID] 34436608.
2021
Comorbidity Profiles and Lung Cancer Screening among Older Adults: U.S. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2017-2019.
Annals of the American Thoracic Society. 18(11):1886-1893 [DOI] 10.1513/AnnalsATS.202010-1276OC. [PMID] 33939595.
2021
Function-related Indicators and Outcomes of Screening Mammography in Older Women: Evidence from the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium Cohort.
Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology. 30(8):1582-1590 [DOI] 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-21-0152. [PMID] 34078641.
2021
Global, regional, and national burden of respiratory tract cancers and associated risk factors from 1990 to 2019 a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019
Lancet Respiratory Medicine. 9(9):1030-1049 [DOI] 10.1016/S2213-2600(21)00164-8.
2021
Immunotherapy Utilization Among Patients With Metastatic NSCLC: Impact of Comorbidities.
Journal of immunotherapy (Hagerstown, Md. : 1997). 44(5):198-203 [DOI] 10.1097/CJI.0000000000000366. [PMID] 33758148.
2021
Incorporating health equity into value assessment: frameworks, promising alternatives, and future directions
Journal Of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy. S24-S31 [DOI] 10.18553/jmcp.2021.27.9-a.s24. [PMID] 34534006.
2021
Incorporating health equity into value assessment: frameworks, promising alternatives, and future directions.
Journal of managed care & specialty pharmacy. 27(9-a Suppl):S22-S29 [DOI] 10.18553/jmcp.2021.27.9-a.s22. [PMID] 34579542.
2021
Inflammation in Relation to Sarcopenia and Sarcopenic Obesity among Older Adults Living with Chronic Comorbidities: Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2006.
Nutrients. 13(11) [DOI] 10.3390/nu13113957. [PMID] 34836213.
2021
Measuring routine childhood vaccination coverage in 204 countries and territories, 1980-2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2020, Release 1
Lancet. 398(10299):503-521 [DOI] 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)00984-3.
2021
Self-rated health in relation to fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity among older cancer survivors.
Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer. 29(5):2713-2722 [DOI] 10.1007/s00520-020-05782-6. [PMID] 32979089.
2021
Spatial, temporal, and demographic patterns in prevalence of chewing tobacco use in 204 countries and territories, 1990-2019: a systematic analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.
The Lancet. Public health. [DOI] 10.1016/S2468-2667(21)00065-7. [PMID] 34051920.
2021
Spatial, temporal, and demographic patterns in prevalence of smoking tobacco use and attributable disease burden in 204 countries and territories, 1990-2019: a systematic analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.
Lancet (London, England). [DOI] 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)01169-7. [PMID] 34051883.
2021
The association between cognitive impairment and breast and colorectal cancer screening utilization.
BMC cancer. 21(1) [DOI] 10.1186/s12885-021-08321-6. [PMID] 33975576.
2021
The role of sex and rurality in cancer fatalistic beliefs and cancer screening utilization in Florida.
Cancer medicine. 10(17):6048-6057 [DOI] 10.1002/cam4.4122. [PMID] 34254469.
2021
Type 2 Diabetes and association with neuropathological changes and domain specific cognitive decline
Alzheimers & Dementia. [DOI] 10.1002/alz.058476. [PMID] 34971132.
2020
Author Correction: Mapping local patterns of childhood overweight and wasting in low- and middle-income countries between 2000 and 2017.
Nature medicine. 26(8) [DOI] 10.1038/s41591-020-0972-7. [PMID] 32616917.
2020
Five insights from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.
Lancet (London, England). 396(10258):1135-1159 [DOI] 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31404-5. [PMID] 33069324.
2020
Global age-sex-specific fertility, mortality, healthy life expectancy (HALE), and population estimates in 204 countries and territories, 1950-2019: a comprehensive demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.
Lancet (London, England). 396(10258):1160-1203 [DOI] 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30977-6. [PMID] 33069325.
2020
Global burden of 87 risk factors in 204 countries and territories, 1990-2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.
Lancet (London, England). 396(10258):1223-1249 [DOI] 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30752-2. [PMID] 33069327.
2020
Is education or income associated with insufficient fruit and vegetable intake among cancer survivors? A cross-sectional analysis of 2017 BRFSS data.
BMJ open. 10(12) [DOI] 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-041285. [PMID] 33262193.
2020
Mapping local patterns of childhood overweight and wasting in low- and middle-income countries between 2000 and 2017.
Nature medicine. 26(5):750-759 [DOI] 10.1038/s41591-020-0807-6. [PMID] 32313249.
2020
The global, regional, and national burden of stomach cancer in 195 countries, 1990-2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease study 2017.
The lancet. Gastroenterology & hepatology. 5(1):42-54 [DOI] 10.1016/S2468-1253(19)30328-0. [PMID] 31648970.
Data from The Intersectionality between Race, Ethnicity, and Residential-Level Socioeconomic Status in Disparities of Head and Neck Cancer Outcomes: A SEER Study
. [DOI] 10.1158/1055-9965.c.6534627.
Data from The Intersectionality between Race, Ethnicity, and Residential-Level Socioeconomic Status in Disparities of Head and Neck Cancer Outcomes: A SEER Study
. [DOI] 10.1158/1055-9965.c.6534627.v1.
Supplementary Figure S1 from The Intersectionality between Race, Ethnicity, and Residential-Level Socioeconomic Status in Disparities of Head and Neck Cancer Outcomes: A SEER Study
. [DOI] 10.1158/1055-9965.22494816.
Supplementary Figure S1 from The Intersectionality between Race, Ethnicity, and Residential-Level Socioeconomic Status in Disparities of Head and Neck Cancer Outcomes: A SEER Study
. [DOI] 10.1158/1055-9965.22494816.v1.
Supplementary Figure S2 from The Intersectionality between Race, Ethnicity, and Residential-Level Socioeconomic Status in Disparities of Head and Neck Cancer Outcomes: A SEER Study
. [DOI] 10.1158/1055-9965.22494813.v1.
Supplementary Figure S2 from The Intersectionality between Race, Ethnicity, and Residential-Level Socioeconomic Status in Disparities of Head and Neck Cancer Outcomes: A SEER Study
. [DOI] 10.1158/1055-9965.22494813.
Supplementary Table S1 from The Intersectionality between Race, Ethnicity, and Residential-Level Socioeconomic Status in Disparities of Head and Neck Cancer Outcomes: A SEER Study
. [DOI] 10.1158/1055-9965.22494810.
Supplementary Table S1 from The Intersectionality between Race, Ethnicity, and Residential-Level Socioeconomic Status in Disparities of Head and Neck Cancer Outcomes: A SEER Study
. [DOI] 10.1158/1055-9965.22494810.v1.
Supplementary Table S2 from The Intersectionality between Race, Ethnicity, and Residential-Level Socioeconomic Status in Disparities of Head and Neck Cancer Outcomes: A SEER Study
. [DOI] 10.1158/1055-9965.22494807.
Supplementary Table S2 from The Intersectionality between Race, Ethnicity, and Residential-Level Socioeconomic Status in Disparities of Head and Neck Cancer Outcomes: A SEER Study
. [DOI] 10.1158/1055-9965.22494807.v1.
Supplementary Table S3 from The Intersectionality between Race, Ethnicity, and Residential-Level Socioeconomic Status in Disparities of Head and Neck Cancer Outcomes: A SEER Study
. [DOI] 10.1158/1055-9965.22494804.v1.
Supplementary Table S3 from The Intersectionality between Race, Ethnicity, and Residential-Level Socioeconomic Status in Disparities of Head and Neck Cancer Outcomes: A SEER Study
. [DOI] 10.1158/1055-9965.22494804.
Supplementary Table S4 from The Intersectionality between Race, Ethnicity, and Residential-Level Socioeconomic Status in Disparities of Head and Neck Cancer Outcomes: A SEER Study
. [DOI] 10.1158/1055-9965.22494801.v1.
Supplementary Table S4 from The Intersectionality between Race, Ethnicity, and Residential-Level Socioeconomic Status in Disparities of Head and Neck Cancer Outcomes: A SEER Study
. [DOI] 10.1158/1055-9965.22494801.
Supplementary Table S5 from The Intersectionality between Race, Ethnicity, and Residential-Level Socioeconomic Status in Disparities of Head and Neck Cancer Outcomes: A SEER Study
. [DOI] 10.1158/1055-9965.22494798.
Supplementary Table S5 from The Intersectionality between Race, Ethnicity, and Residential-Level Socioeconomic Status in Disparities of Head and Neck Cancer Outcomes: A SEER Study
. [DOI] 10.1158/1055-9965.22494798.v1.
Supplementary Table S6 from The Intersectionality between Race, Ethnicity, and Residential-Level Socioeconomic Status in Disparities of Head and Neck Cancer Outcomes: A SEER Study
. [DOI] 10.1158/1055-9965.22494795.v1.
Supplementary Table S6 from The Intersectionality between Race, Ethnicity, and Residential-Level Socioeconomic Status in Disparities of Head and Neck Cancer Outcomes: A SEER Study
. [DOI] 10.1158/1055-9965.22494795.

Grants

Jul 2022 ACTIVE
Risk of adverse cardiovascular events in breast cancer patients receiving systemic adjuvant therapy: impact of comorbidity burden
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: FL BREAST CANCER FOU
Jun 2022 ACTIVE
University of Florida Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center
Role: Other
Funding: NATL INST OF HLTH NIA
Sep 2021 – Dec 2022
Comorbidity and Screening Outcomes Among Older Women Undergoing Mammography
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: NATL INST OF HLTH NCI
Jun 2021 ACTIVE
Personalized screening for lung cancer: the importance of co-existing chronic conditions to clinical practice and policy
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: NATL INST OF HLTH NCI
Jan 2020 ACTIVE
The benefits and harms of lung cancer screening in Florida
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding: NATL INST OF HLTH NCI

Education

Fellow, Epidemiology and Public Health
2017-2021 · Royal Society of Medicine
Cancer Prevention Fellow
2006-2008 · American Society of Preventive Oncology/Prevent Cancer Foundation
Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Health and Community
2006-2007 · University of California, San Francisco
Postdoctoral Fellow in Cancer Epidemiology
2004-2007 · Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco
Postdoctoral Fellow in Health Services Research, Institute for Health Policy Studies
2004-2006 · University of California, San Francisco
Fellow in Health Outcomes Research
2000-2004 · Institute of Public Health, University of Cambridge, England and Cancer Research
Ph.D., Epidemiology
2000-2004 · University of Cambridge, Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Clinical Medicine, England
M.Sc. (high honors), Public Health
1998-1999 · University College London/Kings College, England
B.Sc. (high honors), Psychology and Psychobiology
1995-1998 · London Guildhall University, England

Contact Details

Phones:
Business:
(352) 294-5822
Emails:
Administrative Specialist II:
Addresses:
Business Mailing:
PO BOX 103633
GAINESVILLE DC 32610