Jenny Jaeeun Ko

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Vision Statement

Dr.

Jenny Jaeeun Ko

Position

Clinical Assistant Professor

Division

Medical Oncology

Phone

Email

Overview
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Research Interests

My  interests include clinical and translational research projects in gynecologic, genitourinary and lung cancers. I have collaborated with clinical and scientific experts in Canada and internationally to evaluate outcomes and validate prognostic factors in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (published in Lancet Oncology) and testicular cancer (published in JCO). I am working with multiple national partners and scientists at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre/BC Michael Smith Laboratory to evaluate translational aspects and/or treatment related outcomes in gynecologic and genitourinary cancers. I also serve as Medical Director of the Clinical Trials Unit at the Abbotsford BC Cancer Agency to lead clinical trials related activity at my centre.

Research Summary

I am principal investigator for a medical education research project involving ACP education in residents that has been awarded major grant, and hold grants for other large research projects including Michael Smith Foundation Health Professional Investigator Award. I serve as Systemic Chair for the BC Gynecologic Oncology group, and a member of the Priority and Evaluation Committee (PEC) for the BC Cancer Agency. I serve as clinical instructor and lecturer for the UBC Family Medicine Abbotsford program. I mentor residents interested in clinical rotations and research. In addition, I am involved in quality improvement projects and advance care planning (ACP)/palliative care initiatives. I have completed the inaugural Clinician Quality Academy organized by the BC Patient Safety and Quality Council as well as the Physician Leadership Program by UBC Sauder School of Business (certificates available upon request), and serve actively in several quality improvement (QI) and leadership roles as Team Leader for two projects funded through the Medical Staff Association of Abbotsford Hospital and as Medical Director of Abbotsford BC Cancer Agency.

Research Highlights

Personal

Education and Affiliations
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Education

Medical Oncology, University of Calgary, Postdoctoral,

Internal Medicine, University of British Columbia, Postdoctoral,

Medicine, University of British Columbia, Doctor of Medicine,

Phamacology, University of British Columbia, Bachelor of Sience,

Affiliations

Publications and Awards
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Recent Publications

4 Most Important Publications

  • Ko JJ, Bernard B, Tran B, Li H, Asif T, Stukalin I, Lee M, Day D, Alimohamed N, Sweeney C, Bedard PL, Heng DYC. Conditional survival of patients with metastatic testicular germ-cell tumors (MT-GCT) treated with first-line curative therapy. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2016 Mar 1;34(7):714-20. (Impact Factor 24.008. Ranking 4th of 184 oncology journals)
  • Ko JJ, Xie W, Kroeger N, Lee J, Rini BI, Knox JJ, Bjarnason GA, Srinivas S, Pal SK, Yuasa T, Smoragiewicz M, Donskov F, Kanesvaran R, Wood L, Ernst DS, Agarwal N, Vaishampayan UN, Rha SY, Choueiri TK, Heng DYC. The international metastatic renal cell carcinoma database consortium (IMDC) model as a prognostic tool in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients previously treated with first-line targeted therapy (TT) – A Population Based Study. Lancet Oncol. 2015 Mar;16(3):293-300. Epub 2015 Feb 12. (Impact Factor 33.900. Ranking 3rd of 213 oncology journals)
  • Ko JJ, Klimowicz AC, Jagdis A, Phan T, Laskin J, Lau HY, Siever JE, Petrillo SK, Thomson TA, Rose S, Bebb G, Magliocco AM, Hao D. ATM, THMS and RRM1 protein expression in nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPC) treated with curative intent. Head Neck. 2015 Jan 10. doi: 10.1002/hed.24004. [Epub ahead of print] (Impact Factor: 3.376. Ranking 1st of 42 otorhinolaryngology journals; 34th of 196 surgery journals)
  • Ko JJ, Choueiri TK, Rini BI, Lee JL, Kroeger N, Srinivas S, Harshman LC, Knox JJ, Bjarnason GA, MacKenzie MJ, Wood L, Vaishampayan UN, Agarwal N, Pal SK, Tan MH, Rha SY, Yuasa T, Donskov F, Bamias A, Heng DYC. First-, Second-, Third-line therapy for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC): benchmarks for trial design from the International mRCC Database Consortium (IMDC). Br J Cancer. 2014 Apr 15;110(8):1917-22. Epub 2014 Apr 1. (Impact Factor: 6.176, Ranking 32th of 217 oncology journals)

Refereed Publications

  • Khan OF, Cusano E, Raissouni S, Pabia M, Haeseker J, Bosma N, Ko JJ, Li H, Kumar A, Vickers MM, Tang PA. Immediate-term cognitive impairment following intravenous (IV) chemotherapy: a prospective pre-post design study. Manuscript Manuscript accepted for publication, BMC Cancer, 2019.
  • Soumyajit R, Ko JJ, Bahl G. Small Cell Carcinoma of Cervix: a Population-based Study Evaluating Standardized Provincial Treatment Protocols. Manuscript accepted for publication, Gynecologic Oncology Report, 2018.
  • Ko JJ, Arora R, Stosky J, Gelowitz G, Tinker AV, Holloway C, Doll CM, Banerjee R, Huang F, Kumar A, Phan T. The addition of sequential locoregional radiation therapy after adjuvant chemotherapy for endometrial cancer patients with para-aortic involvement – the impact on recurrence and survival. Manuscript accepted for publication, Journal of Gynecological Oncology, 2018.
  • Ko JJ, Grewal J, Ng T, Lavoie J-M, Thibodeau ML, Shen Y, Mungall AJ, Taylor G, Schrader KA, Jones SJM, Kollmannsberger C, Laskin J, Marra MA. Whole genome and transcriptome profiling of a metastatic thyroid-like follicular renal cell carcinoma. Cold Spring Harb Mol Case Stud. 2018 Dec 17;4(6).
  • Parimi S, Rauw J, Ko JJ. Systemic therapies for metastatic testicular germ cell tumors – past, present, and future. Current Cancer Therapy Reviews, E-pub Ahead of Print. DOI : 10.2174/1573394714666180706150427.
  • Raycraft T, Cheung WY, Yin Y, Speers C, Ko JJ, Mariano C. Causes of Mortality in Older Patients with Stage 3 Colon Cancer. J Geriatr Oncol. 2018 Jun 27. pii: S1879-4068(18)30041-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jgo.2018.06.002. [Epub ahead of print]
  • Parimi S, Ko JJ. Recent advances in circulating tumor cells and cell-free DNA in metastatic prostate cancer – a review. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther. 2017 Oct;17(10):939-949. doi: 10.1080/14737140.2017.1359544. Epub 2017 Jul 31.
  • Ko JJ, Tudor R, Li H, Liu M, Skolnik K, Boland W, Macklow J, Morris D, Bebb DG. Reasons for lack of referral to medical oncology for systemic therapy in stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer: comparison of 2003-2006 with 2010-2011. Curr Oncol. 2017 Dec;24(6):e486-e493. doi: 10.3747/co.24.3691. Epub 2017 Dec 20.
  • Ko JJ, Bernard B, Tran B, Li H, Asif T, Stukalin I, Lee M, Day D, Alimohamed N, Sweeney C, Bedard PL, Heng DYC. Conditional survival of patients with metastatic testicular germ-cell tumors (MT-GCT) treated with first-line curative therapy. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2016 Mar 1;34(7):714-20.
  • Ko JJ, Siever JE, Hao D, Simpson R, Lau HY. Adenoid cystic carcinoma of head and neck: clinical predictors of outcome from a Canadian centre. Curr Oncol, 2016 Feb;23(1):26-33.
  • Ko JJ, Asif T, Li H, Alimohamed N, Nguyen PT, Heng DYC. Disease characteristics and survival outcomes of extragonadal primary germ cell tumour in two Canadian tertiary cancer centres. Can Urol Assoc J. 2016 May-Jun;10(56):E165-E170. Epub 2016 May 12.
  • Ko JJ, Kennecke HF, Lim HJ, Renouf DJ, Gill S, Woods R, Speers C, Cheung WY. Reasons for Underuse of Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Elderly Patients with Stage III Colon Cancer. Clin Colorectal, 2015 Sep 30. pii: S1533-0028(15)00112-7.
  • Railton C, Lupichuk L, McCormick J, Zhong L, Ko JJ, Walley B, Joy AA, Giese-Davis J. Discharge to primary care for survivorship follow-up: how are early-stage breast cancer patients faring? J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2015 Jun;13(6):76271.
  • Ko JJ, Xie W, Kroeger N, Lee J, Rini BI, Knox JJ, Bjarnason GA, Srinivas S, Pal SK, Yuasa T, Smoragiewicz M, Donskov F, Kanesvaran R, Wood L, Ernst DS, Agarwal N, Vaishampayan UN, Rha SY, Choueiri TK, Heng DYC. The international metastatic renal cell carcinoma database consortium (IMDC) model as a prognostic tool in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients previously treated with first-line targeted therapy (TT) – A Population Based Study. Lancet Oncol. 2015 Mar;16(3):293-300. Epub 2015 Feb 12.
  • Ko JJ, Klimowicz AC, Jagdis A, Phan T, Laskin J, Lau HY, Siever JE, Petrillo SK, Thomson TA, Rose S, Bebb G, Magliocco AM, Hao D. ATM, THMS and RRM1 protein expression in nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPC) treated with curative intent. Head Neck. 2015 Jan 10. doi: 10.1002/hed.24004. [Epub ahead of print]
  • Ko JJ, Choueiri TK, Rini BI, Lee JL, Kroeger N, Srinivas S, Harshman LC, Knox JJ, Bjarnason GA, MacKenzie MJ, Wood L, Vaishampayan UN, Agarwal N, Pal SK, Tan MH, Rha SY, Yuasa T, Donskov F, Bamias A, Heng DYC. First-, Second-, Third-line therapy for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC): benchmarks for trial design from the International mRCC Database Consortium (IMDC). Br J Cancer. 2014 Apr 15;110(8):1917-22. Epub 2014 Apr 1.
  • Ballard MS, Sun M, Ko JJ. Vitamin A, folate, and choline as a possible preventive intervention to fetal alcohol syndrome. Med Hypotheses. 2012 Apr;78(4):489-93
  • Catherine N, Ko JJ, Barr RG. Should we do more to get the word out? Causes of, responses to, and consequences of crying and colic in popular parenting magazines. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 29:508 –511, 2008.

Non-Refereed Publications

  • Ko JJ, Lester B, Bowering G, Rugayan C, Ghement I, Kumar A. Adjuvant therapy and outcomes in younger vs. older patients with FIGO stage I endometrial cancer. Poster presentation at the 2018 European Society of Medical Oncology Annual Meeting, October 18, 2018, Munich, Germany.
  • Ko JJ, Ballard MS, Roze des Ordons A, Shenkier T, Fyles G, Lefresne S, McKenzie M, Chen C, Jones S, Ghement I, Simon J, Hawley P. Validation of a novel assessment tool to evaluate how well medical residents are prepared to lead Serious Illness Conversations with oncology patients based on the competency-based medical education (CBME) model – a quantitative analysis. Poster presentation at the 2018 2018 International Congress on Palliative Care, October 3-5, 2018, Montreal, Canada.
  • Ko JJ, Ballard MS, Roze des Ordons A, Shenkier T, Fyles G, Lefresne S, McKenzie M, Chen C, Jones S, Ghement I, Simon J, Hawley P. Validation of a novel assessment tool to evaluate how well medical residents are prepared to lead Serious Illness Conversations with oncology patients based on the competency-based medical education (CBME) model – a qualitative analysis. Poster presentation at the 2018 2018 International Congress on Palliative Care, October 3-5, 2018, Montreal, Canada.
  • Ko JJ, Ballard MS, Roze des Ordons A, Shenkier T, Hawley P, Fyles G, Lefresne S, McKenzie M, Chen C, Jones S, Ghement I, Simon J. Validation of a novel assessment tool to evaluate how well medical residents are prepared to lead Serious Illness Conversations with oncology patients based on the competency-based medical education (CBME) model – a qualitative analysis. Poster presentation at the 2018 International Association for Medical Education (AMEE) Annual Meeting, Aug 26, 2018, Basel, Switzerland.
  • Bahl G, Pathak RS, Sia M, Ko JJ, Tyldesley S. The Use of Chemotherapy Instead of Radiation Therapy Does Not Reduce the Incidence of Second Cancers in Survivors of Early Stage Seminoma: A Population-Based Study from British Columbia. Oral presentation at the American Society for Radiation Oncology Annual Meeting, Oct 1, 2017, San Diego, CA.
  • Ko JJ, Gelowitz G, Tinker AV, Holloway C, Kumar A. Impact of the adjuvant management and risk factors on survival in FIGO stage 3 endometrial cancer patients. Poster presentation at the 2017 European Society of Medical Oncology Annual Meeting, Sep 8, 2017, Madrid, Spain.
  • Khan OF, Cusano E, Raissouni S, Pabia M, Haeseker J, Bosma N, Yip SY, Ko JJ, Kumar A, Vickers MM, Tang, PA. Immediate-term chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment following administration of intravenous chemotherapy. Poster presentation at the 2017 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, June 3, 2017, Chicago, IL.
  • Khan OF, Cusano E, Raissouni S, Pabia M, Haeseker J, Bosma N, Yip SY, Ko JJ, Kumar A, Vickers MM, Tang, PA. Immediate-term chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment in breast and colorectal cancer patients following administration of intravenous chemotherapy. Oral presentation at the 2017 Canadian Association of Medical Oncologists Annual Scientific Meeting, Apr 27, 2017, Toronto, ON.
  • Stosky J, Ko JJ, Kumar A, Tinker A, Holloway C, Doll C, Banerjee R, Huang F, Phan T. Improved disease-free survival with adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) in patients with stage IIIC2 endometrial carcinoma – experience from two provinces. 2016 Canadian Association of Radiation Oncology Annual Meeting, Poster presentation. Banff, AB; Sep 2016.
  • Ko JJ, Bernard B, Tran B, Li H, Asif T, Stukalin I, Lee M, Day D, Alimohamed N, Sweeney C, Bedard PL, Heng DYC. Conditional survival of patients with metastatic testicular germ-cell tumors (MT-GCT) treated with first-line curative therapy. 2016 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, Oral Abstract presentation. San Francisco, CA; Jan 2016.
  • McIntyre JB, Ko JJ, Siever J, Chan A, Simpson R, Hao D, Lau HY. MYB-NFIB gene fusions identified in archival adenoid cystic carcinoma tissue employing NanoString® analysis: an exploratory study. Canadian Cancer Research Conference, Poster presentation. November 8-10, 2015.
  • Ko JJ, Asif T, Li H, Alimohamed N, Heng DY. Patient, disease and treatment characteristics of extragonadal primary germ cell tumour in two Canadian tertiary cancer centres. 2015 Canadian Urologic Association meeting, Moderated poster presentation. Ottawa, ON; June 2015.
  • Khan O, Raissouni S, Haeseker J, Ko JJ, Kumar A, Vickers MM, Tang PA. Immediate-term Cognitive Impairment After Administration of Intravenous Chemotherapy. 2015 Canadian Association of Medical Oncologists (CAMO), Poster presentation. Toronto, ON; Apr 2015.
  • McIntyre M, Gresham G, Cheung PY, Chan M, Ko JJ, Cheung WY. A population-based comparison of outcomes among screening, symptom, and emergently detected colorectal cancer (CRC). 2014 American Society of Clinical Oncology, Poster presentation. Chicago, Il; Jun 2014.
  • Ko JJ, Xie W, Heng DYC, Kroeger N, Lee J, Rini BI, Knox JJ, Bjarnason GA, Harshman LC, Pal SK, Yuasa T, Smoragiewicz M, Donskov F, Bamias A, Wood L, Ernst DS, Agarwal N, Vaishampayan UN, Rha SY, Choueiri TK. The international metastatic renal cell carcinoma database consortium (IMDC) model as a prognostic tool in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients previously treated with first-line targeted therapy (TT). 2014 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, Oral Abstract presentation. San Francisco, CA; Jan 2014.
  • Railton C, Lupichuk S, Ko JJ, Joy AA, McCormick J, Zong L, Giese-Davis J, Walley B. Assessing the Need in Alberta, Canada for A Virtual Breast Cancer Survivorship Clinic. 2013 American Society of Clinical Oncology Breast Cancer Symposium, Poster Discussion. San Francisco, CA; Sep 2013.
  • Ko JJ, Gill S, Lim HJ, Kennecke H, Cheung WY. Adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) initiation and early discontinuation in elderly patients (EPs) with stage III colon cancer (CC). 2012 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, Poster Discussion session. Chicago, Il; Jun 2012.
  • Ko JJ, Railton C, Giese-Davis J, Joy A, Walley B, Lupichuk S. Adherence to endocrine therapy and surveillance mammography amongst women with early breast cancer participating in a cross-sectional study assessing the need for a virtual follow-up clinic in Alberta. UBC Internal Medicine Resident Research Day, Oral Presentation. Vancouver, BC; May 2012.
  • Ko JJ, Gill S, Lim HJ, Kennecke H, Cheung WY. Adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) initiation and early discontinuation in elderly patients (EPs) with stage III colon cancer (CC). 2012 BC Cancer Agency Medical Oncology Fellow and Resident Research Day, Oral Presentation. Vancouver, BC; May 2012.
  • Ko JJ, Gill S, Lim HJ, Kennecke H, Cheung WY. Outcomes of Adjuvant Chemotherapy Choices in Elderly Patients with Resected Stage III Colorectal Cancer: A Retrospective BCCA Review. 2012 American Society of Clinical Oncology Gastrointestinal Cancer Symposium, Poster session, San Francisco, CA; Jan 2012.
  • Ko JJ. Azathioprine-induced febrile neutropenia caused by Plasmodium Malariae in a man with membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. Ted Giles clinical vignette poster presentation session, Canadian Society of Internal Medicine Conference. Halifax, NS; Oct 2011.
  • Ko JJ, Ravindranathan G, Lavoie J, Shepherd J. Trends in the Outpatient Autologous Transplant activity for Multiple Myeloma at BC. 12th Biennial Canadian Bone and Marrow Transplant Group Conference. Vancouver, BC; April 2010.
  • Ko JJ, Lavoie J. Outpatient Stem Cell Transplantation for Multiple Myeloma: Review of the first 101 autologous transplants done in Vancouver. BC Leukemia/Lymphoma Society Conference. Vancouver, BC; August 2007.
  • Ko JJ, Catherine N, Barr RG. Incidence of Shaken Baby Syndrome in BC, 2000-2005. BC Research Institute for Children’s & Women’s Health Poster Presentation. Vancouver, BC; August 2005.
  • Ko JJ, Tsang RY. Reports from the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting – Glioblastoma. Oncology Exchange Vol 14, No. 3, August 2015.
  • Ko JJ, Tsang RY. Reports from the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting – Brain metastasis. Oncology Exchange Vol 14, No. 3, August 2015.

Awards & Recognition

Awards for Teaching

  • Dec 31,2018 – UBC Faculty of Medicine Family Medicine Residency Abbotsford – Mission Site Teaching

Awards for Scholarship

  • March 2017 – JCC Leadership Scholarship
  • November 2016 – 2016 Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Activity Grant
  • March 2016 – JCC Leadership Scholarship
  • June 2015 – Royal College Professional Development Grant, 2015 ECCO-AACR-EORTC-ESMO Workshop on Methods in Clinical Cancer Research
  • June 2015 – University of Calgary Research Travel Grant, 2015 Canadian Urologic Association Meeting
  • June 2015 – Amgen Canada Fellows Program Travel Grant, 2015 American Society of Clinical Oncology Main Meeting
  • January 2014 – University of Calgary Research Travel Grant, 2014 Genitourinary Cancers
  • January 2014 – Conquer Cancer Foundation Merit Award, 2014 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium
  • June 2012 – Conquer Cancer Foundation Merit Award, American Society of Clinical Oncology Main Meeting
  • 2012- BC Cancer Agency Medical Oncology Fellow and Resident Research Day Award (Best Presentation among R1-R3)
  • 2007 – UBC Summer Student Research Program Award
  • 2007 – Vancouver Korean – Canadian Scholarship
  • 2006 – Faculty Women’s Club Anne Wesbrook Scholarship
  • 2006 – William, Sadie and Edwin Rowan Scholarship in Medicine
  • 2006 – Korea Honour Scholarship
  • 2005, 2006 – Science Undergraduate Dean’s Honour List
  • 2005, 2006 – Charles and Jane Banks Scholarship
  • 2004, 2005, 2006 – Recognition of the Contribution, Science Undergraduate Society
  • 2004, 2005, 2006 – Undergraduate Scholarship Program
  • 2005 – BC Children’s Hospital Summer Student Research Program Award
  • 2003 – Governor General’s Academic Medal

Awards for Service

  • November 22, 2018 – BC Cancer Medical Staff Engagement Society Scholar Award
  • 2012 – UBC Internal Medicine CanMEDS Advocacy Award
  • 2004, 2005, 2006 – Recognition of the Contribution , Science Undergraduate Society

 

Grants
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Grants

  • 2016-2017 (PI) – Medical Council of Canada: The Advance Care Planning-Clinical Evaluation Exercise (ACP-CEx): Validation of a novel assessment tool to evaluate advance care planning discussions between oncology patients and trainees based on the competency-based medical.
  • 2018-2020 (Co-PI) – AstraZeneca Professional Grant: Assessment of BRCA testing rates in South Asian Patients
  • 2018-2019 (PI) – Janssen fellowship grant: Use of systemic therapy in mCRPC patients
  • 2018-2020 (PI) – Michael Smith Foundation Health Research Grant: Assessment of breast cancer and response to systemic therapy before surgery using diffuse optical imaging technology
Teaching/Students
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I am a regular speaker for the Abbotsford Regional Hospital Grand Rounds, UBC Abbotsford Family Medicine Residency academic half days, Family Practice Oncology Network GPO training program in Vancouver, East Fraser Valley Genitourinary Oncology Meetings, and other in-service/CME events. My areas of interest in medical education include advance care planning (ACP) AND Serious Illness Conversation (SIC) dissemination and competency-based education model. With other collaborators across the BC Cancer Agency and University of Calgary, I have led a research project to create and validate a resident evaluation tool for the trainee’s SIC conversation performance. This research project has won 2016 Medical Council of Canada Research in Clinical Assessment Grant. Relevant to this commitment, I also organize annual accredited SIC education events for BC Cancer – Abbotsford with invited speakers, and won the Royal College Continuing Medical Education Grant to support the activity. I am also involved in teaching activities for UBC School of Medicine.