Specializing In:
Cancer Cachexia Age-related and Cancer-related Sarcopenia Malnutrition Screening Diet and Exercise Interventions for Cancer SurvivorsAbout Mary Platek
Biography:
Dr. Platek is an epidemiologist and a Registered Dietitian and has had a diverse career in clinical nutrition, University teaching, and research. Following her PhD in epidemiology and community health, she came to Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center (Roswell Park) as a post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Cancer Prevention and Control where she examined risk factors and clinical outcomes for upper aero-digestive cancers. She then joined the faculty at New York University (NYU) as a Professor of Clinical Nutrition and an affiliate of the NYU Institute of Cancer where she focused on interventions to prevent cancer-related malnutrition. Dr. Platek has now returned to the Department of Cancer Prevention and Control at Roswell Park and will continue to focus on cancer outcomes and prevention of adverse events in cancer survivors.
Positions
- Assistant Professor of Oncology
- Department of Cancer Prevention and Control
Background
Education and Training:
- 2008 - PhD - Epidemiology and Community Health, State University of NY at Buffalo
- 1995 - MS - Nutritional Science, State University of NY at Buffalo
Fellowship:
- Postdoctoral Fellow, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Cancer Prevention and Control
Board Certification:
- Registered Dietitian Credential, Commission on Dietetic Registration
Professional Memberships:
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; Research and Oncology Dietetic Practice Groups
Research
Research Overview:
Dr. Platek’s research focuses on understanding the role of nutritional status, a reflection of how well a person’s physiologic nutritional needs are being met, in preventing adverse health events that impact morbidity and mortality associated with cancer diagnosis and treatment. Specifically, she is interested in factors associated with inadequate nutritional statuses such as cancer-related malnutrition or cachexia, and in factors associated with sarcopenia, the loss of lean body mass in the adult oncology outpatient population.
In general, cancer and cancer treatment impact nutritional status and in turn, nutritional status influences treatment delivery and clinical outcomes, all impacting the short and long-term sequelae encountered throughout survivorship. Poor nutritional status occurs in up to 80% of oncology patients at some point in the continuum of cancer care. Populations at highest risk include those with head and neck, gastrointestinal, lung cancer and any type of advanced cancer.
Dr. Platek’s research objectives are (a) to understand how cancer diagnosis and treatment affects the nutritional status of cancer patients and how cachexia/sarcopenia affects treatment delivery and clinical outcomes throughout survivorship (b) to design, conduct and evaluate innovative diet and exercise interventions to improve the nutritional health and overall fitness of cancer survivors.
Email: Mary.Platek@RoswellPark.org
Phone: 716-845-4909
Fax: 716-845-8487
Publications
- DeNysschen C, Platek ME, Hemler D, Aronoff N, Zafron ML. Optimal nutrition and hydration through the surgical treatment trajectory. Seminars in Oncology Nursing 2017. 33(1), 61-73. ISSN 0749-2081. DOI: 10.1016/j.soncn.2016.11.006.
- Platek ME, Jayaprakash VJ, Gupta V, Cohan DM, Hicks Jr. WL, Winslow TB, Platek AJ, Groman A, Dibaj S, Arshad H, Kuriakose MA, Warren GW, Singh AK (2016). Sub-site variation in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas in the era of HPV tonsillar fossa has improved survival compared to base of tongue. Laryngoscope, Accepted September 7, 2016.
- Ozturk CN, Ozturk C, Glasgow M, Platek M, Ashary Z, Kuhn J, Aronoff N, Djohan R, Gurunluoglu R (2016). Free vascularized lymph node transfer for treatment of lymphedema: A systematic evidence based review. Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery, 69(9):1234-47. PMID: 2742500, DOI: 10.1016/j.bjps.2016.06.022.
- Platek AJ, Jayaprakash V, Merzianu M, Platek ME, Cohan DM, Hicks WL, Marimuthu SP, Winslow TB, Gupta V, Arshad H, Kuriakose MA, Dibaj S, Marshall JR, Reid M, Warren GW (2016). Smoking cessation associated with improved survival in oropharynx cancer treated by chemoradiation. Laryngoscope 2016 Jun 27. PMID: 27346612, DOI: 10.1002/lary.26083.
- Platek ME, Hertroijs D, Parekh N, Nicholson J (2015). Sensitivity and Specificity of malnutrition Screening Tools Used in the Adult hospitalized Patient Setting: A systematic review. Topics in Clinical Nutrition, 30(4), 289-301. DOI:10.1097/TIN.0000000000000046.