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Dr Helena Harder

After her MSc in Psychology (Utrecht University, the Netherlands) Helena completed a PhD at the Erasmus University Rotterdam in 2007. She worked for many years within academic research and clinical practice and has been an HCPC-registered Clinical Psychologist since 2011.

Her research interests include understanding the effects of cancer treatment on cognitive functioning and QoL (particularly in bone marrow or haematopoietic stem cell transplant and breast cancer). Other interests focus on the benefits of complementary treatment (i.e. yoga) after cancer treatment, measuring treatment-related side-effects (e.g. chemotherapy-induced diarrhoea, anxiety in older stroke survivors, and the use of mHealth (i.e. smartphone apps) in cancer recovery and rehabilitation.

  • REDUCe2

    RCT looking at HRQoL with two kinds of ascetic drains in untreatable cirrhosis patients. The study will compare an alternative intervention, insertion of a palliative tunnelled long-term abdominal drain (Group 1 intervention - LTAD), to standard of care large volume paracentesis (Group 2 intervention - LVP) in the management of refractory ascites.

  • Q-ABC

    The aim of the Q-ABC study is to address the current paucity of information available to patients and clinicians facing treatment decisions where increasingly evidence is showing surgery and radiotherapy can provide equivalent overall survival.

  • 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.

  • INSTEP

    This project aims to design a programme the help people with bowel cancer who not very active to move more before and after thir bowel cancer surgery, which can help them feel better, recover faster, and even lower the chance of the cancer coming back. The team are working closely with patients, nurses, cancer support workers and other health experts to make sure the programme is easy to use, helpful, inclusive and fit's into people's lives.

  • PACiFiC Pilot

    There is interest worldwide about using a drug called a PARP inhibitor (PARPi) in people with BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 gene changes. These drugs already work in patients with cancer who have gene changes. We hope that PARP inhibitors given to those with gene changes who do not have cancer will stop a cancer developing. Before doctors can design a chemoprevention trial using this drug, we need to find out the preferences and acceptability of such a study. Initial insights gained from members of the public - in this instance women - will help with trial design and the sort of information required.

  • Harder H, Jenkins V, & Fallowfield L. (2026). Perceptions and lived experiences with abemaciclib and endocrine therapy for early breast cancer: a rapid communication. Future Oncology, 1-7. Find it online here 22/05/2026
  • Haddadin Y, Anagnostopoulou V, Bremner S, Harder H, Starkings R, Lambert D, ... Verma S. (2025). Palliative long-term abdominal drains vs. large volume paracentesis for refractory ascites secondary to cirrhosis: protocol for a definitive randomised controlled trial (REDUCe2 study). Trials; 26(1):193. Find it online here 04/06/2025
  • Starkings R, Harder H, Fallowfield L, Shilling V. (2025) Exploring the real-world experience of abemaciclib treatment for HR +, HER2- metastatic breast cancer - a qualitative analysis of the IMPACTOR study. Supporive Care in Cancer; 33 (421). Find it online here 26/04/2025
  • Harder H, Starkings R, Fallowfield L, May S, & Shilling V. (2025) Incidence and management of diarrhoea associated with abemaciclib and endocrine therapy for hormone-receptor positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer: the UK patients' experiences. Support Care Cancer 33, 422. Find it online here 26/04/2025
  • 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
  • Wheelwright SJ, Russ S, Mold F, Armes J & Harder H (2024) Symptomatic presentation of cancer in primary care: a scoping review of patients' experiences and needs during the cancer diagnostic pathway. BMJ Open; 14:e076527. Find it online here 20/03/2024
  • Rademaker C, Bhandary S, & Harder H. (2021). Knowledge, awareness, attitudes and screening practices towards breast and cervical cancer among women in Nepal: a scoping review. Journal of Public Health; 30: 1995-2027. Find it online here 22/12/2021
  • Wyld L, Reed M W, Collins K, Burton M, Lifford K, Edwards A, ... & Thompson A M. (2021). Bridging the age gap in breast cancer: cluster randomized trial of two decision support interventions for older women with operable breast cancer on quality of life, survival, decision quality, and treatment choices. British Journal of Surgery; 108(5): 499-510. Find it online here 23/03/2021
  • Harder H, Shilling V M, May S F, Cella D, Schmid P, & Fallowfield L J. (2020). The development and initial evaluation of the Diarrhoea Management Diary (DMD) in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment; 183: 629-638. Find it online here 27/07/2020
helena
EMAIL: adminshore-c@sussex.ac.uk PHONE: 01273 873019 BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/shore-c.bsky.social LOCATION: MAP