Photo of Kelly E. Irwin,  MD, MPH

Kelly E. Irwin, MD, MPH

Massachusetts General Hospital

Massachusetts General Hospital
Phone: (617) 643-4453
Fax: (617) 643-9913


kirwin@mgh.harvard.edu

Kelly E. Irwin, MD, MPH

Massachusetts General Hospital

EDUCATIONAL TITLES

  • Assistant Professor, Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
  • Director, Collaborative Care and Community Engagement Program, Psychiatric Oncology and Behavioral Sciences, Massachusetts General Hospital

DF/HCC PROGRAM AFFILIATION

Research Abstract

Dr. Irwin’s research interests focus on understanding health disparities for individuals with serious mental illness (SMI). Dr. Irwin is interested in understanding why people with SMI including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are more likely to die from cancer and in developing interventions to improve cancer outcomes throughout the continuum of cancer care including prevention, early detection, treatment, and end-of-life care. She is investigating communication about smoking cessation, perceptions of cancer risk, and cancer screening in individuals with schizophrenia. She conducted a retrospective cohort study investigating inequities in cancer treatment for patients with severe mental illness and completed a qualitative study of oncology and mental health clinicians examining barriers to cancer care for people with schizophrenia. With support from the American Cancer Society, she piloted an intervention incorporating proactive psychiatry consultation and case management for individuals with severe mental illness and cancer and is now preparing to lead a follow-up randomized trial.

Publications from Harvard Catalyst Profiles

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  • Irwin KE, Ko N, Walsh EP, Decker V, Arrillaga-Romany I, Plotkin SR, Franas J, Gorton E, Moy B. Developing a Virtual Equity Hub: Adapting the Tumor Board Model for Equity in Cancer Care. Oncologist 2022. PubMed
  • Callaway CA, Corveleyn AE, Barry MJ, Gorton EI, Nierenberg AA, Irwin KE. Lessons learned: Building a coalition to advance equity in cancer and mental health care. 2021. PubMed
  • Leahy D, Donnelly A, Irwin K, D'Alton P. Barriers and facilitators to accessing cancer care for people with significant mental health difficulties: A qualitative review and narrative synthesis. 2021. PubMed
  • Flores EJ, Neil JM, Tiersma KM, Pappano CR, Mulligan C, Van Alphen MU, Park ER, Irwin KE. Feasibility and Acceptability of a Collaborative Lung Cancer Screening Educational Intervention Tailored for Individuals With Serious Mental Illness. J Am Coll Radiol 2021. PubMed
  • Krakauer EL, Kwete X, Kane K, Afshan G, Bazzett-Matabele L, Bien-Aimé DDR, Byrne-Martelli S, Connor S, Correa R, Devi CRB, Diop M, Gafer N, Goodman A, Grover S, Hasenburg A, Irwin K, Thanh Khanh Q, Kumar S, Nevzorova D, Truong QXN, Rajagopal MR, Randall T, Rassouli M, Sessa C, Spence D, Torode JS, Trimble T, Varghese C, Fidarova E. Cervical Cancer-Associated Suffering: Estimating the Palliative Care Needs of a Highly Vulnerable Population. JCO Glob Oncol 2021; 7:862-872. PubMed
  • Krakauer EL, Kane K, Kwete X, Afshan G, Bazzett-Matabele L, Ruthnie Bien-Aimé DD, Borges LF, Byrne-Martelli S, Connor S, Correa R, Devi CRB, Diop M, Elmore SN, Gafer N, Goodman A, Grover S, Hasenburg A, Irwin K, Kamdar M, Kumar S, Truong QXN, Randall T, Rassouli M, Sessa C, Spence D, Trimble T, Varghese C, Fidarova E. Essential Package of Palliative Care for Women With Cervical Cancer: Responding to the Suffering of a Highly Vulnerable Population. JCO Glob Oncol 2021; 7:873-885. PubMed
  • Krakauer EL, Kane K, Kwete X, Afshan G, Bazzett-Matabele L, Ruthnie Bien-Aimé DD, Borges LF, Byrne-Martelli S, Connor S, Correa R, Devi CRB, Diop M, Elmore SN, Gafer N, Goodman A, Grover S, Hasenburg A, Irwin K, Kamdar M, Kumar S, Nguyen Truong QX, Randall T, Rassouli M, Sessa C, Spence D, Trimble T, Varghese C, Fidarova E. Augmented Package of Palliative Care for Women With Cervical Cancer: Responding to Refractory Suffering. JCO Glob Oncol 2021; 7:886-895. PubMed
  • Deshields TL, Wells-Di Gregorio S, Flowers SR, Irwin KE, Nipp R, Padgett L, Zebrack B. Addressing distress management challenges: Recommendations from the consensus panel of the American Psychosocial Oncology Society and the Association of Oncology Social Work. CA Cancer J Clin 2021. PubMed
  • Park ER, Perez GK, Regan S, Muzikansky A, Levy DE, Temel JS, Rigotti NA, Pirl WF, Irwin KE, Partridge AH, Cooley ME, Friedman ER, Rabin J, Ponzani C, Hyland KA, Holland S, Borderud S, Sprunck K, Kwon D, Peterson L, Miller-Sobel J, Gonzalez I, Whitlock CW, Malloy L, de León-Sanchez S, O'Brien M, Ostroff JS. Effect of Sustained Smoking Cessation Counseling and Provision of Medication vs Shorter-term Counseling and Medication Advice on Smoking Abstinence in Patients Recently Diagnosed With Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA 2020; 324:1406-1418. PubMed
  • Hwong AR, Irwin KE. Reducing global disparities in cancer screening for people with mental illness. Lancet Psychiatry 2020; 7:4-6. PubMed
  • Irwin KE, Steffens EB, Yoon Y, Flores EJ, Knight HP, Pirl WF, Freudenreich O, Henderson DC, Park ER. Lung Cancer Screening Eligibility, Risk Perceptions, and Clinician Delivery of Tobacco Cessation Among Patients With Schizophrenia. Psychiatr Serv 2019; 70:927-934. PubMed
  • Abramson JS, Irwin KE, Frigault MJ, Dietrich J, McGree B, Jordan JT, Yee AJ, Chen YB, Raje NS, Barnes JA, Davis B. Successful anti-CD19 CAR T-cell therapy in HIV-infected patients with refractory high-grade B-cell lymphoma. Cancer 2019. PubMed
  • Irwin KE, Moy B, Fields LE, Callaway CA, Park ER, Wirth L. Expanding Access to Cancer Clinical Trials for Patients With Mental Illness. J Clin Oncol 2019; 37:1524-1528. PubMed
  • Flores EJ, Park ER, Irwin KE. Improving Lung Cancer Screening Access for Individuals With Serious Mental Illness. J Am Coll Radiol 2019; 16:596-600. PubMed
  • Irwin KE, Park ER, Fields LE, Corveleyn AE, Greer JA, Perez GK, Callaway CA, Jacobs JM, Nierenberg AA, Temel JS, Ryan DP, Pirl WF. Bridge: Person-Centered Collaborative Care for Patients with Serious Mental Illness and Cancer. Oncologist 2019. PubMed
  • Wong RL, El-Jawahri A, D'Arpino SM, Fuh CX, Johnson PC, Lage DE, Irwin KE, Pirl WF, Traeger L, Cashavelly BJ, Jackson VA, Greer JA, Ryan DP, Hochberg EP, Temel JS, Nipp RD. Use of Antidepressant Medications Moderates the Relationship Between Depressive Symptoms and Hospital Length of Stay in Patients with Advanced Cancer. Oncologist 2018. PubMed
  • Irwin KE. The Patients We Have to See. Oncologist 2017. PubMed
  • Irwin KE, Park ER, Shin JA, Fields LE, Jacobs JM, Greer JA, Taylor JB, Taghian AG, Freudenreich O, Ryan DP, Pirl WF. Predictors of Disruptions in Breast Cancer Care for Individuals with Schizophrenia. Oncologist 2017. PubMed
  • Hagan TL, Fishbein JN, Nipp RD, Jacobs JM, Traeger L, Irwin KE, Pirl WF, Greer JA, Park ER, Jackson VA, Temel JS. Coping in Patients With Incurable Lung and Gastrointestinal Cancers: A Validation Study of the Brief COPE. J Pain Symptom Manage 2017; 53:131-138. PubMed
  • Irwin KE, Freudenreich O, Peppercorn J, Taghian AG, Freer PE, Gudewicz TM. CASE RECORDS of the MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL. Case 30-2016. N Engl J Med 2016; 375:1270-81. PubMed
  • Pirl WF, Greer JA, Irwin K, Lennes IT, Jackson VA, Park ER, Fujisawa D, Wright AA, Temel JS. Processes of discontinuing chemotherapy for metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer at the end of life. J Oncol Pract 2015. PubMed
  • Irwin KE, Henderson DC, Knight HP, Pirl WF. Cancer care for individuals with schizophrenia. Cancer 2014; 120:323-34. PubMed
  • Irwin KE, Greer JA, Khatib J, Temel JS, Pirl WF. Early palliative care and metastatic non-small cell lung cancer: potential mechanisms of prolonged survival. Chron Respir Dis 2013; 10:35-47. PubMed
  • Wolfe J, Hammel JF, Edwards KE, Duncan J, Comeau M, Breyer J, Aldridge SA, Grier HE, Berde C, Dussel V, Weeks JC. Easing of suffering in children with cancer at the end of life: is care changing? J Clin Oncol 2008; 26:1717-23. PubMed
  • Edwards KE, Neville BA, Cook EF Jr, Aldridge SH, Dussel V, Wolfe J. Understanding of prognosis and goals of care among couples whose child died of cancer. J Clin Oncol 2008; 26:1310-5. PubMed
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