Lyn Balsamo, PhD
Associate Research Scientist in Pediatrics (Hematology / Oncology)Cards
About
Research
Overview
Medical Research Interests
Hematology; Mental Health; Neurocognitive Disorders; Pediatrics; Psycho-Oncology; Psychology, Medical
Publications
2024
Patterns of Physical Therapy Referral and Subsequent Attendance Among Childhood Cancer Survivors with Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy at a Regional Childhood Cancer Survivorship Clinic
Kang L, Kadan-Lottick N, Rotatori J, Kujawski S, Messerschmidt E, Auerbach C, Balsamo L, Lustberg M, Ma X, Rodwin R. Patterns of Physical Therapy Referral and Subsequent Attendance Among Childhood Cancer Survivors with Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy at a Regional Childhood Cancer Survivorship Clinic. Seminars In Oncology Nursing 2024, 40: 151716. PMID: 39164160, DOI: 10.1016/j.soncn.2024.151716.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchChildhood cancer survivorsChemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathyCharacteristics of survivorsPhysical therapyPercentage of adultsPT referralSurvivorship clinicCancer survivorsAttended PTPT attendanceNeighborhood characteristicsChemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy symptomsCancer survivorship clinicPhysical therapy referralsHigh school diplomaSurvivor educationCare coordinationOlder survivorsTherapy referralsImprove attendanceMedian percentageCancer diagnosisSchool diplomaPercentage of householdsAttendance
2022
Sense of mastery and attitude towards illness: Examining longitudinal benefits of a medical specialty camp for youth with sickle cell disease
Gillard A, Gagnon R, Pashankar F, Balsamo L, Grafft N, Miranda J, Boruchov D, Neri C, Sprinz P, Longyear C. Sense of mastery and attitude towards illness: Examining longitudinal benefits of a medical specialty camp for youth with sickle cell disease. Clinical Child Psychology And Psychiatry 2022, 28: 1012-1023. PMID: 36503316, DOI: 10.1177/13591045221145425.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchNFB-05. A family-centered neurocutaneous syndrome clinic in the age of targeted therapies
Marks A, Antaya R, Balsamo L, Cardinale K, Cheron R, Frumberg D, Gentile V, Habib L, Puthenpura V, Zhang H. NFB-05. A family-centered neurocutaneous syndrome clinic in the age of targeted therapies. Neuro-Oncology 2022, 24: i129-i129. PMCID: PMC9165028, DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noac079.469.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchTuberous sclerosisPediatric patients 2 yearsYale-New Haven Children's HospitalInoperable plexiform neurofibromasPatients 2 yearsOwn side effectsYears of ageNeurofibromatosis type 1Multidisciplinary clinicNeurocutaneous syndromeChildren's HospitalPlexiform neurofibromaNeuro-oncologySide effectsSubspecialty consultationClinicType 1Young adultsSclerosisSyndromeHospitalTherapyAgeTreatmentClinical reasoning
2019
3.22 EMOTION REGULATION IN PEDIATRIC SICKLE CELL PATIENTS: ASSOCIATIONS WITH SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, AND PAIN INTERFERENCE
Miller M, Bailey C, Pashankar F, Balsamo L. 3.22 EMOTION REGULATION IN PEDIATRIC SICKLE CELL PATIENTS: ASSOCIATIONS WITH SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, AND PAIN INTERFERENCE. Journal Of The American Academy Of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 2019, 58: s202. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2019.08.185.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMonitoring neurocognitive functioning in childhood cancer survivors: evaluation of CogState computerized assessment and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF)
Balsamo LM, Mitchell HR, Ross W, Metayer C, Hardy KK, Kadan-Lottick NS. Monitoring neurocognitive functioning in childhood cancer survivors: evaluation of CogState computerized assessment and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF). BMC Psychology 2019, 7: 26. PMID: 31046815, PMCID: PMC6498488, DOI: 10.1186/s40359-019-0302-3.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsBehavior Rating InventoryFull neuropsychological evaluationRating InventoryNeuropsychological evaluationChildhood cancer survivorsGrade-level performanceComprehensive neuropsychological testingCancer survivorsExecutive functionNeurocognitive functioningPsychosocial functioningAcademic difficultiesNeuropsychological testingComputerized assessmentNeurocognitive impairmentNeed of evaluationFunctioningReadingImproving Care for Sickle Cell Pain Crisis Using a Multidisciplinary Approach
Balsamo L, Shabanova V, Carbonella J, Szondy MV, Kalbfeld K, Thomas DA, Santucci K, Grossman M, Pashankar F. Improving Care for Sickle Cell Pain Crisis Using a Multidisciplinary Approach. Pediatrics 2019, 143: e20182218. PMID: 30944154, DOI: 10.1542/peds.2018-2218.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsVaso-occlusive crisisHospital daysReadmission ratesHospital costsSickle cell disease vaso-occlusive crisisMultidisciplinary quality improvement projectSickle cell pain crisisThirty-day readmission ratesDedicated team effortSCD pediatric patientsPatients ages 0Direct hospital costsLength of stayHigh usersStudy-Act methodologyQuality improvement projectMental health providersHigh-use groupPain planPain crisisFrequent hospitalizationsRisk patientsPediatric patientsPreintervention periodEmergency department
2018
Parental perception of child vulnerability in childhood cancer survivors
Hogan M, Ross WL, Balsamo L, Mitchell H, Kadan‐Lottick N. Parental perception of child vulnerability in childhood cancer survivors. Pediatric Blood & Cancer 2018, 65: e27364. PMID: 30024087, DOI: 10.1002/pbc.27364.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsChildhood cancer survivorsCancer survivorsLate complicationsCancer historyPercent of parentsCurrent health statusCurrent mean ageChild Vulnerability ScalePatient sociodemographicsClinic visitsCohort studySurvivorship clinicPediatric patientsTherapy completionYears posttherapyMean ageMedical recordsLower riskHealth statusComplicationsChild vulnerabilityCancer treatmentSurvivorsTreatment intensityCancer diagnosisLong‐term psychological and educational outcomes for survivors of neuroblastoma: A report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study
Zheng DJ, Krull KR, Chen Y, Diller L, Yasui Y, Leisenring W, Brouwers P, Howell R, Lai J, Balsamo L, Oeffinger KC, Robison LL, Armstrong GT, Kadan‐Lottick N. Long‐term psychological and educational outcomes for survivors of neuroblastoma: A report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. Cancer 2018, 124: 3220-3230. PMID: 29888538, PMCID: PMC6168938, DOI: 10.1002/cncr.31379.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsBehavior Problem IndexPsychological impairmentChronic health conditionsNeuroblastoma survivorsElevated riskAdult educational attainmentMultivariate log-binomial modelsMore chronic health conditionsPrevalence of impairmentPsychological functioningHealth conditionsAttention deficitsChildhood cancer survivorsAntisocial behaviorHigh-risk groupAnxiety/depressionEducational attainmentSocial withdrawalLog-binomial modelsNeurotoxic treatmentMedian agePeripheral neuropathyYear survivorsPulmonary diseaseCancer survivors
2017
Longitudinal analysis of quality‐of‐life outcomes in children during treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia: A report from the Children's Oncology Group AALL0932 trial
Zheng DJ, Lu X, Schore RJ, Balsamo L, Devidas M, Winick NJ, Raetz EA, Loh ML, Carroll WL, Sung L, Hunger SP, Angiolillo AL, Kadan‐Lottick N. Longitudinal analysis of quality‐of‐life outcomes in children during treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia: A report from the Children's Oncology Group AALL0932 trial. Cancer 2017, 124: 571-579. PMID: 29112230, PMCID: PMC5808870, DOI: 10.1002/cncr.31085.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAverage-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemiaQuality of lifeEmotional impairmentsLife Inventory (PedsQL) Generic CoreHigh-risk patientsProspective cohort studyTime of diagnosisEnd of therapyAcute lymphoblastic leukemiaFamily-based interventionsCohort studyQoL impairmentMean ageLymphoblastic leukemiaQOL outcomesPediatric QualityProportion of individualsEarly screeningPopulation normsImpaired rangeImpairmentMonthsTime pointsFunctioning impairmentImpairment patternsLongitudinal analysis of quality of life outcomes in children during treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia: A report from the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) AALL0932.
Zheng D, Lu X, Ross W, Angiolillo A, Schore R, Balsamo L, Devidas M, Whitley M, Kadan-Lottick N. Longitudinal analysis of quality of life outcomes in children during treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia: A report from the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) AALL0932. Journal Of Clinical Oncology 2017, 35: 10522-10522. DOI: 10.1200/jco.2017.35.15_suppl.10522.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAverage-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemiaQuality of lifeAcute lymphoblastic leukemiaLymphoblastic leukemiaEmotional functioningMulti-agent chemotherapyEvent-free survivalModifiable risk factorsFrequent hospital visitsEmotional impairmentsMedian ageHospital visitsPattern of impairmentQOL outcomesRisk factorsPainful proceduresFamily functioningProportion of individualsEarly screeningSevere impairmentPopulation normsPotential predictorsImpaired rangeLife outcomesMonths
Clinical Care
Overview
Lyn Balsamo, PhD, specializes in pediatric hematology and oncology, focusing on the psychological aspects of cancer treatment and survivorship in children and adolescents. Her work addresses neurocognitive disorders and psycho-oncology, and she is part of the Pediatric HEROS Survivorship Program, where she helps young cancer survivors navigate the challenges of life after treatment.
Balsamo emphasizes the importance of mental health and resilience in young adults facing cancer. She advises, "Be kind to yourself. Don't judge or evaluate what you feel. There's no right or only way." Her approach includes teaching adaptive coping strategies to improve resilience, encouraging patients to maintain social connections, and following health care recommendations to support mental wellness.
As an associate research scientist in pediatrics (hematology/oncology) at Yale School of Medicine, Balsamo collaborates with experts in neuropsychology and child and adolescent health to develop evidence-based programs that teach stress management and wellness strategies. She advocates for early intervention, helping patients build skills to manage difficulties before they arise.
Balsamo completed her doctorate at American University. She pursued further training as an intern at the Institute of Living/Hartford Hospital and as a fellow in neuropsychology at Yale School of Medicine.
Clinical Specialties
Pediatrics; Pediatric Hematology & Oncology; Pediatric Neuropsychology; Psychology
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Pediatric Hematology & Oncology
333 Cedar Street/LMP 2073, P.O. Box 208064
New Haven, CT 06520
United States
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