Father’s battle with cancer inspires student’s award-winning research

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/Tanis_Darling1.jpg” caption=”Tanis Darling won the Canadian Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (CSDMS) Student Presentation Award for her research on the use of ultrasound contrast agents for prostate biopsies. Photo courtesy of Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology. “]A McMaster-Mohawk student has won a national award for a research presentation inspired by her father's early diagnosis and successful treatment of prostate cancer.

The Canadian Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (CSDMS) selected Tanis Darling as the recipient of the national CSDMS Student Presentation Award.

Heading into her final year of the four-year Medical Radiation Sciences Mohawk College / McMaster University Collaborative Ontario College Advanced Diploma / B.Sc. Degree Program, Darling competed with research submissions from the Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences and Winnipeg Health Sciences.

Darling looked at the use of ultrasound contrast agents to help guide prostate biopsies. One study has shown that ultrasound contrast agents detected 2.6 times the amount of cancer in biopsy cores than ultrasound biopsies done without contrast agents. The use of contrast agents could mean achieving better results from fewer biopsies, reducing the time spent per exam, reducing the risk of possible complications and lowering the discomfort to patients.

According to the Canadian Cancer Society, an estimated 22,300 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2007 and 4,300 will die of it. On average, 429 Canadian men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer every week and one in eight men will develop prostate cancer during his lifetime, making it the most common cancer among men.

“My father is a prostate cancer survivor and he attributes his early detection to a good doctor and a very smart sonographer,” says Darling. “My father's successful battle led me to choose ultrasound as my field of study. My hope is that I can have a career where I help detect this type of cancer in patients and be a part of saving someone else's dad or loved one. I know it meant the world to me.”

Although used in cardiac ultrasound, contrast agents are not currently funded for prostate ultrasound guided biopsy.

“Hopefully, with more research, further studies and greater public awareness, this will change in the future,” says Darling.

She presented her research presentation at the 2007 CSDMS Annual Conference from June 6 to 9 at the Sheraton Fallsview in Niagara Falls.

“I am very excited to have won this award and I'm humbled and honoured to have had the opportunity to represent our program in the competition,” says Darling.