Dr. Affronti is a 3-time graduate of the Duke School of Nursing and has been an Adult Oncology Advance Practice Provider (APP) for >35 years. As one of the first Duke oncology nurse practitioners in Duke’s Bone Marrow Transplant Program and Brain Tumor Center she became the Adult Clinical Director and led interdisciplinary teams to provide evidence-based clinical care while advocating for APP roles as a clinical nurse researcher. She creates innovative systems.
Research utilizing APPs is an underdeveloped component of Oncology practice. As the only APP student among her physician-scientist colleagues, she obtained a 2009 Masters in Clinical Research from the Duke School of Medicine and then a 2013 Doctorate from DUSON that allowed her to communicate/collaborate with her oncologists/scientists mentors to move (glioma) interdisciplinary research forward.
As Co/Director of the Duke Brain Tumor Supportive Care Program, she trail-blazed the Duke APP clinical/research role. In 2014, she joined the DUSON, achieving the rank of Clinical Professor in 2020 with a dual role as the Director for the Oncology Specialty and Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner- Primary Care (AGNP-PC) Program, the #1 AGNP-PC Program in the US.
As a well-published, expert neuro-oncology APP, and primary investigator, Dr. Affronti has established and worked with interdisciplinary teams to improve practice, symptom management, and treatment outcomes in patients with brain tumors. Dr. Affronti’s research primarily focuses on poorly controlled chemotherapy-induced nausea/vomiting (CINV) to significantly close gaps in patients with gliomas who are excluded from inter/national guideline trials. Her extra-mural funding has totaled >2.4 million contributing to ~50 peer-reviewed, primarily databased publications and >100 presentations at inter/national meetings.
The impact of her doctoral project to implement guideline antiemetics into electronic ordersets for glioma patients was cited in the 2016 New England of Journal of Medicine Review, as an effective US strategy. She has been on multiple expert advisory panels/committees and has reviewed glioma NCCN guidelines. The NIH invited her to be on the 2019 Review Board to evaluate the NCI Neuro-Oncology Branch. Notably, she was chosen as guest editor to mentor >35 local/national clinicians Seminars in Oncology Nursing issue on Adult Brain Tumors. This issue has been used a primer to educate providers on the complexity of caring and managing patients with gliomas.
In addition to local leadership/service, she also has inter/national leadership and impact. A major scholarship goal to be selected as a Clinical Expert Leader that has global influence was realized when she was internationally nominated/elected as the only APP (and part of the 1st woman-only newly elected members) on the 2023 Society for Neuro-Oncology (SNO) Board of Directors. She will represent and advocate for the unrepresented Advance Practice Providers (APP) and Allied Health* for a 3-year term. She was key in reducing SNO APP membership cost which has increased APP access/inclusivity. This accolade was recognized by one of our NC Senators, Gail Adcock (a NP mentor and advocate for NP autonomy). As a nausea/vomiting expert she was recently selected/invited as a member of the 2022-3 Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) Antiemetic Guidelines Consensus Committee. She is the elected chairman for MASCC’s Patient Antiemetic Guideline Committee and insisted on including patient advocate members. Dr. Affronti was recently appointed as Vice-Chair of the MASCC Antiemetic study group. She is honored to be recognized as a DNP-Assistant Dean and her education, clinical research and leadership experience will hopefully move the DNP Program into a unique and re-envisioned future!
*Allied Health includes nurses, social workers, and APPs (nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, physician assistants, pharmacists, psychologist; and physical therapists)