Deputy Director
Email: val@sussex.ac.uk
Tel (UK): 01273 873016
Tel (International) +44 1273 873016
Prof Val Jenkins
Professor Valerie Jenkins is the Deputy Director in Sussex Health Outcomes, Research & Education in Cancer. She originally trained as a nurse in Wales, working in Oncology at Velindre Hospital in Cardiff and then completed her BSc (1986-1989) and DPhil (1993-1996) in Experimental Psychology at the University of Sussex. Her doctorate in neuropsychology was entitled 'Novel Word Association Priming in Amnesic Patients.'
She has worked with Professor Dame Lesley Fallowfield's group for the last 29years, first at University College London and then when it transferred to the University of Sussex. Professor Jenkins has worked extensively on research projects aimed at improving our understanding about doctor/patient communication, especially that around randomised clinical trials. The training materials she developed with colleagues are now being used throughout the UK trials community and in other parts of the world. She was the chief investigator for several studies examining the impact of chemotherapy and aromatase inhibitors on cognition in national and international trials. Her other research interests include producing user-friendly patient information films and designing and evaluating ameliorative interventions to help with side effects from cancer treatments eg. and acupuncture to reduce xerostomia in head and neck cancer, and yoga for women recovering from breast cancer surgery.
- TRUSTING AZ Workshops 2025
A series of workshops around the UK building on the previous workshops but incorporating new materials covering extra topics and scenarios.
- TARGET2
New series of workshops due to begin September 2024
- BRCA Direct 2
Following on from the successful BRCA DIRECT trial, NHS England has provided funding to implement the BRCA DIRECT digital pathway in 10-20 centres in England over an 18 month period.
- LORIS
A phase III trial of surgery versus active monitoring for Low Risk DCIS (LORIS), incorporating a two year feasibility study. The aim of the main trial is to determine whether women with newly diagnosed low risk DCIS can safely avoid surgery, without detriment to their psychological well-being and can those patients who do require surgery be identified by pathological and radiological criteria.
- POSNOC
A randomised controlled trial of axillary treatment in women with early stage breast cancer who have metastases in one or two sentinel nodes. The aim of this trial is to determine whether axillary clearance or radiotherapy can be safely avoided in women receiving chemotherapy and/or hormone therapy following surgery for early stage breast cancer. The trial also explores how aspects of QoL and psychological well-being are affected by fear of cancer recurrence and long term side effects of axillary treatment.
- TARGET2
A new series of TARGET workshops commisioned by Exact Sciences.
- TRUSTING AZ Workshops 2025 Evaluation
Evaluation of a series of workshops around the UK building on the previous workshops and incorporating new materials covering extra topics and scenarios.
- HearSay
Development and implementation of training program from Healthcare Professional on how best to communicate with patients who have metastatic disease.
- PUMMaCE
This online survey aimed to gather information from people living with multiple myeloma about their understanding of the condition and the words and phrases used to describe their diagnosis, treatment and support. The survey explored what doctors and nurses said or did that helped or hindered understanding, and what family or friends have said or done that was helpful or not so helpful.
The survey has now closed and the data are being analysed. A report summarising the finding will be available here soon.
- HER2+ CNS Surveillance
This study is investigating if it is acceptable to people with HER2 positive secondary breast cancer with no history of brain metastases to be randomised to surveillance via MRI scanning versus no surveillance.
- Fallowfield L, Solis-Trapala I, Starkings R, Matthews L, May S, Jenkins V. Improving patient understanding of GEP test results (IMPARTER4): an RCT. BMJ Oncology 2025;4:e000689. doi:10.1136/bmjonc-2024-000689 Find it online here 24/03/2025
- Kinnaird W, Schartau P, Kirby M, Jenkins V, Allen S, Payne H (2025)Sexual dysfunction in prostate cancer patients according to disease stage and treatment modality.Clinical Oncology. 2025.103801. Find it online here 24/03/2025
- Torr B, Kavanaugh G, Hamill M, Jones C, Harder H, Allen S, ..., Turnbull C.(2025) Uptake, utility and resource requirements of a genetic counselling telephone helpline within the BRCA-DIRECT digital pathway for mainstreamed BRCA testing in patients with breast cancer. Journal of Medical Genetics. (2025;0): 1-9. Find it online here 12/03/2025
- Torr B, Jones C, Kavanaugh G, Hamill M, Allen S, Choi S et al. (2024)BRCA-DIRECT digital pathway for diagnostic germline genetic testing within a UK breast oncology setting: a randomised, non-inferiority trial. British Journal of Cancer 131, 1506-1515. Find it online here 01/10/2024
- Jenkins V, Habibi R, Hall V, Leonard P, Lawn A, Naik J,...Fallowfield L. (2024) Roll-out of an educational workshop to improve knowledge and self-confidence of healthcare professionals engaged in mainstreaming of breast cancer genetics. PLoS ONE 19(7): e0307301. Find it online here 19/07/2024
- Jenkins V, Starkings R, Teoh M, May S, Bloomfield D, Zammit C, ... & Matthews L. (2023). Patients' views and experiences on the supported self-management/patient-initiated follow up pathway for breast cancer. Supportive Care in Cancer; 31(12): 658. Find it online here 27/10/2023
- Wheelwright S, Matthews L, Jenkins V, May S, Rea D, Fairbrother P, Gaunt C, Young J, Pirrie S, Wallis M G, Fallowfield L, on behalf of the LORIS Trial Management Group (2023). Recruiting women with ductal carcinoma in situ to a randomised controlled trial: lessons from the LORIS study. Trials; 24(1): 670. Find it online here 14/10/2023
- Jenkins V, Matthews L, Solis-Trapala I, Gage H, May S, Williams P, ... & Teoh M. (2023). Patients' experiences of a suppoRted self-manAGeMent pAThway In breast Cancer (PRAGMATIC): quality of life and service use results. Supportive Care in Cancer; 31: 570 Find it online here 12/09/2023
- Fallowfield L, Starkings R, Palmieri C, Tait, A, Stephen L, May S, ... & Jenkins V. (2023). Living with metastatic breast cancer (LIMBER): experiences, quality of life, gaps in information, care and support of patients in the UK. Supportive Care in Cancer; 31(8): 459. Find it online here 11/07/2023
- West Oram P, Brooks C & Jenkins V (2023) Responding to Anish and George: A Perspective from the U.K. In Frost C, Gren L, Benson S & Carlson M.(Eds.) Global Research Ethics: Case studies from international research contexts (1st ed) Routledge. Find it online here 03/07/2023
