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Karen M. Basen-Engquist, Ph.D., M.P.H.

Present Title & Affiliation

Primary Appointment

Professor, Department of Behavioral Science, Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment

Adjunct Professor, Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston, TX
Adjunct Professor, Department of Kinesiology, Rice University, Houston, TX

Bio Statement

Karen Basen-Engquist, B.A., M.P.H., Ph.D., is a Professor of Behavioral Science in the Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

 

As a psychologist, Dr. Basen-Engquist’s primary area of research interest is developing and testing health behavior interventions for cancer survivors to improve their physical function, quality of life, and health outcomes. Her research includes how exercise and diet affect cancer survivors' physical and emotional well-being, development of interventions to help cancer survivors adopt more physically active lifestyles, and innovative real-time methods of assessing fatigue and other symptoms in patients with and survivors of cancer. She has a study funded by the NCI to investigate the mechanisms of exercise adoption and maintenance in endometrial cancer survivors using a social cognitive theory model that tests the social, physiological, and behavioral predictors of exercise self-efficacy. In addition to studies that seek to better understand health behavior adoption, she is studying whether exercise and dietary interventions can reduce the negative sequelae of cancer and cancer treatment. For example, a Lance Armstrong Foundation study evaluated the feasibility of using diet and exercise for weight-gain prevention in women receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer. She also is currently collaborating with Dr. Lenihan (Department of Cardiology) on a pilot study of a lifestyle intervention for cancer survivors with chemotherapy-induced heart failure.

 

She also directs the Patient-Reported Outcomes, Population, and Survey Research (PROSPR) Shared Resource. PROSPR is a CCSG-supported shared resource that assists investigators who are conducting research involving patient-reported outcome, behavioral, and psychosocial data. She assists investigators in identifying appropriate questionnaires and measurement tools, designing data-collection protocols, developing tracking and questionnaire data-entry databases, creating computer-assisted assessment tools and Internet surveys, and performing psychometric analyses.

 

Research Interests

Health Behavior

Exercise

Cancer Survivors

Quality of Life

Education & Training

Degree-Granting Education

1990 University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston, TX, MPH, Health Promotion/Health Education
1989 The University of Texas, Austin, TX, PHD, Psychology
1982 Saint Olaf College, Northfield, MN, BA, Psychology

Experience/Service

Academic Appointments

Director, Department of Behavioral Science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2012-present

Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities

Director, Patient Reported Outcomes, Survey, and Population Research (PROSPR) Shared Resource, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 7/2003-present

Other Appointments/Responsibilities

Member - Committee On Living Well With Chronic Disease, Institute of Medicine, Washington, DC, 1/2011-1/2012
Member, Task Force on Behavioral Science and Cancer, American Association for Cancer Research, Philadelphia, PA, 9/2008-12/2010
Member, Gynecologic Cancer Steering Committee, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, 3/2008-8/2010
Alternate Member and Liaison to the Gynecologic Cancer Steering Committee, Symptom Management and Quality of Life Committee, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, 3/2008-8/2010
Advisory Committee Member, Cancer Prevention Training Grant (NCI R25T), University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston, TX, 1/2007-present
Steering Committee Member, Cancer Special Interest Group, Society of Behavioral Medicine, Milwaukee, WI, 2007-2009
Member and liaison to Quality of Life Committee, Cancer Prevention and Control Committee, Gynecologic Oncology Group, Philadelphia, PA, 1/2004-present

Honors and Awards

2010-2011 Leading Mentor in Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
2007 Nominee, Robert M. Chamberlain Distinguished Mentor Award, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
2006 Nominee, Robert M. Chamberlain Distinguished Mentor Award, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
2005-2006 M.D. Anderson Faculty Leadership Academy, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
2004 Citation Paper, 25th Annual Meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Original Research Articles
1. Waters AJ, Burgess A, Hughes DL, Jovanovic JL, Miller EK, Basen-Engquist K. Outcome expectancies and expectancy accessibility in exercise behavior. Journal of Applied Social Psychology 42(2):414-439, 2012. e-Pub 2/2012.
2. Carmack CL, Basen-Engquist K, Yuan Y, Greisinger A, Rodriguez-Bigas M, Wolff RA, Barker T, Baum G, Pennebaker JW. Feasibility of an expressive-disclosure group intervention for posttreatment colorectal cancer patients: results of the healthy expressions study. Cancer 117(21):4993-5002, 11/1/2011. e-Pub 4/8/2011. PMID: 21480203.
3. Carmack CL, Basen-Engquist K, Gritz ER. Survivors at higher risk for adverse late outcomes due to psychosocial and behavioral risk factors. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 20(10):2068-77, 10/2011. PMID: 21980014.
4. Sterba KR, Swartz RJ, Basen-Engquist K, Black PC, Pettaway CA. Long-term quality of life after radical prostatectomy in wives of men in the postoperative adjuvant androgen deprivation trial. Support Care Cancer 19(8):1117-24, 8/2011. e-Pub 5/25/2010. PMID: 20499107.
5. Patrick K, Wolszon L, Basen-Engquist KM, Demark-Wahnefried W, Prokhorov AV, Barrera S, Baru C, Farcas E, Krueger I, Palmer D, Raab F, Rios P, Ziftci C, Peterson S. CYberinfrastructure for COmparative effectiveness REsearch (CYCORE): improving data from cancer clinical trials. Transl Behav Med 1(1):83-88, 3/2011. e-Pub 12/29/2010. PMCID: PMC3065645.
6. Jovanovic JL, Hughes DC, Baum GP, Carmack C, Greisinger AJ, Basen-Engquist K. Accelerometry and self-report in sedentary populations. Am J Health Behav 35(1):71-80, Jan-Feb, 1/2011. PMID: 20950160.
7. Basen-Engquist K, Carmack CL, Perkins H, Hughes D, Serice S, Scruggs S, Pinto B, Waters A. Design of the steps to health study of physical activity in survivors of endometrial cancer: testing a social cognitive theory model. Psychol Sport Exerc 12(1):27-35, 1/2011. PMCID: PMC3014624.
8. Hughes DC, Lenihan DJ, Harrison CA, Basen-Engquist KM. Exercise intervention for cancer survivors with heart failure: Two case reports. J Exerc Sci Fit 9(1):65-73, 2011. PMCID: PMC3121107.
9. Hughes D, Baum G, Jovanovic J, Carmack C, Greisinger A, Basen-Engquist K. An acute exercise session increases self-efficacy in sedentary endometrial cancer survivors and controls. J Phys Act Health 7(6):784-793, 11/2010. PMID: 21088310.
10. Shinn EH, Swartz RJ, Thornton BB, Spiess PE, Pisters LL, Basen-Engquist KM. Testis cancer survivors' health behaviors: comparison with age-matched relative demographically-matched population controls. J Clin Oncol 28(13):2274-2279, 5/2010. e-Pub 4/2010. PMCID: PMC2860440.
11. Perkins HY, Waters AJ, Baum GP, Basen-Engquist KM. Outcome expectations, expectancy accessibility, and exercise in endometrial cancer survivor. J Sport Exerc Psychol 31(6):776-785, 12/2009. PMID: 20384012.
12. Shinn EH, Taylor CL, Kilgore K, Valentine A, Bodurka DC, Kavanagh J, Sood A, Li Y, Basen-Engquist K. Associations with worry about dying and hopelessness in ambulatory ovarian cancer patients. Palliat Support Care 7(3):299-306, 9/2009. PMCID: PMC3265166.
13. Ashida S, Palmquist AE, Basen-Engquist K, Singletary SE, Koehly LM. Changes in female social network systems and adaptation after breast cancer diagnosis: differences between older and younger patients. Gerontologist 49(4):549-59, 8/2009. e-Pub 5/22/2009. PMCID: PMC2733765.
14. Perkins HY, Baum GP, Taylor CL, Basen-Engquist KM. Effects of treatment factors, comorbidities and health-related quality of life on self-efficacy for physical activity in cancer survivors. Psychooncology 18(4):405-411, 4/2009. PMID: 19241489.
15. Basen-Engquist K, Scruggs S, Jhingran A, Bodurka DC, Lu K, Ramondetta L, Hughes D, Carmack Taylor C. Physical activity and obesity in endometrial cancer survivors: associations with pain, fatigue, and physical functioning. Am J Obstet Gynecol 200(3):288.e1-8, 3/2009. e-Pub 12/2008. PMCID: PMC2666540.
16. Basen-Engquist K, Hughes D, Perkins H, Shinn E, Taylor CC. Dimensions of physical activity and their relationship to physical and emotional symptoms. J Cancer Surviv 2(4):253-261, 12/2008. e-Pub 10/2008. PMID: 18923906.
17. Bast RC, Thigpen JT, Arbuck SG, Basen-Engquist K, Burke LB, Freedman R, Horning SJ, Ozols R, Rustin GJ, Spriggs D, Wenzel LB, Pazdur R. Clinical trial endpoints in ovarian cancer: report of an FDA/ASCO/AACR public workshop. Gynecol Oncol 107(2)(2):173-176, 11/2007. PMID: 17950384.
18. Parker PA, Youssef A, Walker S, Basen-Engquist K, Cohen L, Gritz ER, Wei QX, Robb GL. Short-term and long-term psychosocial adjustment and quality of life in women undergoing different surgical procedures for breast cancer. Ann Surg Oncol 14(11):3078-3089, 11/2007. e-Pub 6/2007. PMID: 17574501.
19. Carmack Taylor CL, Kulik J, Badr H, Smith M, Basen-Engquist K, Penedo F, Gritz ER. A social comparison theory analysis of group composition and efficacy of cancer support programs. Soc Sci Med 65(2):262-273, 7/2007. e-Pub 4/2007. PMID: 17448580.
20. Swartz RJ, de Moor C, Cook KF, Fouladi RT, Basen-Engquist K, Eng C, Carmack Taylor CL. Mode effects in the center for epidemiologic studies depression (CES-D) scale: personal digital assistant vs. paper and pencil administration. Qual Life Res 16(5):803-13, 6/2007. e-Pub 2/2007. PMID: 17295102.
21. Carmack Taylor CL, de Moor C, Basen-Engquist K, Smith MA, Dunn AL, Badr H, Pettaway C, Gritz ER. Moderator analyses of participants in the Active for Life after cancer trial: implications for physical activity group intervention studies. Ann Behav Med 33(1):99-104, 2/2007. PMID: 17291175.
22. Basen-Engquist K, Fouladi RT, Cantor SB, Shinn E, Sui D, Sharman M, Follen M. Patient assessment of tests to detect cervical cancer. Int J Technol Assess Health Care 23(2):240-247, 2007. PMID: 17493310.
23. Basen-Engquist K, Taylor CL, Rosenblum C, Smith MA, Shinn EH, Greisinger A, Gregg X, Massey P, Valero V, Rivera E. Randomized pilot test of a lifestyle physical activity intervention for breast cancer survivors. Patient Educ Couns 64(1-3):225-34, 12/2006. e-Pub 7/2006. PMID: 16843633.
24. Badr H, Basen-Engquist K, Carmack Taylor CL, de Moor C. Mood states associated with transitory physical symptoms among breast and ovarian cancer survivors. J Behav Med 29(5):461-75, 10/2006. e-Pub 5/17/2006. PMID: 16705484.
25. de Moor JS, de Moor CA, Basen-Engquist K, Kudelka A, Bevers MW, Cohen L. Optimism, distress, health-related quality of life, and change in cancer antigen 125 among patients with ovarian cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Psychosom Med 68(4):555-62, Jul-Aug, 7/2006. PMID: 16868264.
26. Cantor SB, Levy LB, Cárdenas-Turanzas M, Basen-Engquist K, Le T, Beck JR, Follen M. Collecting direct non-health care and time cost data: application to screening and diagnosis of cervical cancer. Med Decis Making 26(3):265-72, May-Jun, 5/2006. PMID: 16751325.
27. Canada AL, Parker PA, de Moor JS, Basen-Engquist K, Ramondetta LM, Cohen L. Active coping mediates the association between religion/spirituality and quality of life in ovarian cancer. Gynecol Oncol 101(1):102-7, 4/2006. e-Pub 10/26/2005. PMID: 16256181.
28. Parker PA, Cohen L, Bhadkamkar VA, Babaian RJ, Smith MA, Gritz ER, Basen-Engquist KM. Demographic and past screening behaviors of men attending a free community screening program for prostate cancer. Health Promot Pract 7(2):213-20, 4/2006. PMID: 16585144.
29. Ho V, Yamal JM, Atkinson EN, Basen-Engquist K, Tortolero-Luna G, Follen M. Predictors of breast and cervical screening in Vietnamese women in Harris County, Houston, Texas. Cancer Nurs 28(2):119-29; quiz 130-1, Mar-Apr, 3/2005. PMID: 15815181.
30. Follen M, Crain S, MacAulay C, Basen-Engquist K, Cantor SB, Cox D, Atkinson EN, MacKinnon N, Guillaud M, Richards-Kortum R. Optical technologies for cervical neoplasia: update of an NCI program project grant. Clin Adv Hematol Oncol 3(1):41-53, 1/2005. PMID: 16166967.
31. Nath A, Rivoire K, Chang S, West L, Cantor SB, Basen-Engquist K, Adler-Storthz K, Cox DD, Atkinson EN, Staerkel G, MacAulay C, Richards-Kortum R, Follen M. A pilot study for a screening trial of cervical fluorescence spectroscopy. Int J Gynecol Cancer 14(6):1097-107, Nov-Dec, 11/2004. PMID: 15571615.
32. Shinn E, Basen-Engquist K, Le T, Hansis-Diarte A, Bostic D, Martinez-Cross J, Santos A, Follen M. Distress after an abnormal Pap smear result: scale development and psychometric validation. Prev Med 39(2):404-12, 8/2004. PMID: 15226053.
33. Ramondetta LM, Tortolero-Luna G, Bodurka DC, Sills D, Basen-Engquist K, Gano J, Levenback C. Approaches for end-of-life care in the field of gynecologic oncology: an exploratory study. Int J Gynecol Cancer 14(4):580-8, Jul-Aug, 7/2004. PMID: 15304150.
34. Carmack Taylor CL, Basen-Engquist K, Shinn EH, Bodurka DC. Predictors of sexual functioning in ovarian cancer patients. J Clin Oncol 22(5):881-9, 3/1/2004. PMID: 14990644.
35. Navo MA, Phan J, Vaughan C, Palmer JL, Michaud L, Jones KL, Bodurka DC, Basen-Engquist K, Hortobagyi GN, Kavanagh JJ, Smith JA. An assessment of the utilization of complementary and alternative medication in women with gynecologic or breast malignancies. J Clin Oncol 22(4):671-7, 2/15/2004. PMID: 14966090.
36. Basen-Engquist K, Bodurka-Bevers D, Fitzgerald MA, Webster K, Cella D, Hu S, Gershenson DM. Reliability and validity of the functional assessment of cancer therapy-ovarian. J Clin Oncol 19(6):1809-17, 3/2001. PMID: 11251013.

Grant & Contract Support

Title: Pilot test of a lifestyle intervention arm in an endometrial cancer prevention trial: Effects on endometrial proliferation and related biomarkers
Funding Source: Duncan Family Institute
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 8/1/2011 - 7/31/2013
 
Title: Multimodal therapy for the treatment of fatigue in patients with Cancer
Funding Source: American Cancer Society (ACS)
Role: Co-Investigator
Principal Investigator: Sriram Yennu
Duration: 7/1/2011 - 6/30/2014
 
Title: Transdisciplinary Research in Energy Balance: Multi-Level Influences on Physical Activity, Diet, and Obesity
Funding Source: Duncan Family Institute
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 8/31/2010 - 8/30/2012
 
Title: Yoga for women with breast cancer undergoing radiotherapy
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Co-Investigator
Principal Investigator: Cohen, L
Duration: 4/1/2010 - 3/31/2016
 
Title: CYCORE: CYberinfrastructure for Comparative Effectiveness Research
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Principal Investigator - Multiple PI
Principal Investigator: Peterson - Corresponding
Duration: 9/30/2009 - 8/31/2013
 
Title: Adherence to Swallowing Rehabilitation Exercises in Head and Neck Cancer
Funding Source: NIH/NIDCR
Role: Co-Investigator
Principal Investigator: Eileen Shinn
Duration: 9/18/2009 - 8/31/2014
 
Title: Cancer Center Support Grant (Core) Grant - Patient Report Outcome, Survey, and Population Resources (PROSPR) Shared Resource
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Shared Resource Director
Principal Investigator: DePinho
Duration: 9/8/2009 - 6/30/2013
 
Title: Oncologist-Assisted Home Exercise Program For Advanced Colon Cancer Patients
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 8/14/2009 - 7/31/2013
 
Title: Take Heart: Exercise & Diet Intervention for Heart Failure in Cancer Survivors
Funding Source: NIH
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 4/1/2009 - 2/28/2013
 
Title: Exercise in Hispanic Breast Cancer Survivors
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Project Leader
Principal Investigator: Dubois
Duration: 2/1/2009 - 8/31/2013
 
Title: Determinants of Exercise Adherence for Hispanic Cancer Survivors
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Mentor
Principal Investigator: Hughes, D.
Duration: 9/3/2008 - 8/31/2011
 
Title: Biobehavioral Effects of Qigong During Treatment for Rectal in Cancer
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Co-Investigator
Principal Investigator: Cohen, L.
Duration: 4/1/2008 - 3/31/2012
 
Title: Social Cognitive Theory and PA after Endometrial Cancer
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 9/1/2004 - 8/31/2011

Last updated: 3/7/2013