Ms. Bayuga works on several protocols in the department for Dr. Sara Olson, Dr. Ann Zauber, and Dr. Irene Orlow. She works with Drs. Orlow. Olson and Donat on a pilot study to determine the genetic susceptibility to tumor recurrence and progression among patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer at MSK. The long term goal of this study would be to estimate the predicted risk of recurrence or progression well enough to modify surveillance schedules. Ms. Bayuga works with Dr. Ann Zauber as the data analyst for the National Colonoscopy Screening Trial, which is a multi-centered randomized controlled trial conducted by MSK as the coordinating center. The other collaborating institutions are in Minnesota, Seattle, and Louisiana. The initial part of the trial is to determine the feasibility of a once in a lifetime screening colonoscopy in an average-risk general population of men and women (colonoscopy versus usual care). The second part of the study will be to compare screening colonoscopy to a program of FOBT directed colonoscopy. The data from these two screening approaches will later be used for modelling screening efficacy and cost/effectiveness. Ms. Bayuga works with Dr. Olson on her pancreatic and endometrial cancer studies. She assists in the data analysis of familial and sporadic pancreatic cancer cases and healthy controls, looking at environmental and lifestyle risk factors and the genetic predisposition for pancreatic cancer. The data will also be used to pilot the feasibility of surveillance of unaffected members of pancreatic cancer families. The Estrogen, Diet, Genetics and Endometrial cancer study (EDGE) focuses on the role of weight, diet, and an individual's genetic susceptibility to endometrial cancer. This is a population-based case-control study in six counties of New Jersey. Ms. Bayuga also assists Dr. Olson with her study on Diet, Lifestyle and Health Factors in Hepatitis C by editing and analyzing the diet questionnaires for the study.
Ms. Bayuga has worked on a case-control study for Dr. Olson looking at the effects of recreational and physical activity on ovarian cancer. She has also worked with Drs. Donat and Berwick on a prospective analysis of fluid intake to determine whether higher fluid intake can impact tumor recurrence rates in patients with superficial bladder cancer.
Ms. Bayuga and Urvi Mujumdar serve as the Senior Research Managers for the department of Epidemiology in collaborating with the Office of Clinical Research to ensure that the departmental protocols are in compliance with institutional regulations and standard operating procedures. She also supervises and organizes training sessions for the Research Study Assistants.
Selected Bibliography
Donat SM, Bayuga S, Herr HW, Berwick M. (2003) Fluid Intake and the Risk of Tumor Recurrence in Patients With Superficial Bladder Cancer. J Urology. 170 (5): 1777-1780.
