Professor Alex Molassiotis RN, MSc, PhD

Professor of Cancer and Supportive Care
- Email: Alex.Molassiotis@manchester.ac.uk
- Telephone: +44 (0)161 306 7830
- Alternative Telephone: +44 (0) 161 306 7780 (Sue Tizini, Secretary)
- Fax: +44 (0) 161 306 7790
The School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work
The University of Manchester
Room 5.310, Jean McFarlane Building
University Place
Oxford Road
Manchester
M13 9PL
Role
Research Lead, Cancer, Supportive & Palliative Care research team.
Head of Academic Cancer Nursing Research Centre, Christie Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
Management Board, National Cancer Research Institute Supportive & Palliative Care Research Collaborative (with Universities of Manchester, Southampton, Liverpool, Nottingham & Lancaster).
Board Member of: National Cancer Research Institute, Complementary Therapies CSG; Research Committee, International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care; Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, antiemetics working group and quality of life working group (co-chair).
Adjunct Professor, Australian Catholic University, Sydney, Australia.
Research
Research Interests: managing complex symptoms, especially chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, mucositis, nutritional disturbances (ie. cachexia, anorexia, taste changes), and symptom clusters.
Methodological Knowledge
- Randomised controlled trials/experimental studies/quasi-experimental studies
- Systematic reviews
- Survey designs
- Quantitative research
Teaching
- Continuing Education (Cancer Care, Palliative Care & Bone Marrow Transplant courses)
- MSc/PhD Research Methods course
- BNurs Research module
- Complementary Therapies in Cancer
Biography
Alex obtained his BSc in Nursing in 1990 in Greece, an MSc from the University of Hull, UK in 1991 and his PhD from the University of Birmingham, UK in 1996. With a clinical background in cancer care and more specifically in haemato-oncology and bone marrow transplatation, he has worked both clinically and academically in Greece, the UK, US, Malta and Hong Kong. He has worked up every stage of the academic ladder and he is now Professor of Cancer & Supportive Care at the University of Manchester.
Selected publications
2010
- Brearley SG, Craven O, Saunders M, Swindell R, Molassiotis A. (2010). Clinical features of oral chemotherapy: results of a longitudinal prospective study of breast and colorectal cancer patients receiving capecitabine in the UK. European Journal of Cancer Care, 19, 425-433. eScholarID:92004
- Molassiotis A, Bryan G, Caress A, Bailey C, Smith J. (2010). Pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions for cough in adults with respiratory and non-respiratory diseases: A systematic review of the literature. Respiratory Medicine, 104(7), 934-944. eScholarID:92183 | DOI:10.1016/j.rmed.2010.02.010
- Molassiotis A, Smith JA, Bennett MI, Blackhall F, Taylor D, Zavery B, Harle A, Booton R, Rankin EM, Lloyd-Williams M, Morice AH. (2010). Clinical expert guidelines for the management of cough in lung cancer: report of a UK task group on cough. Cough, 6, 9. eScholarID:96366 | DOI:10.1186/1745-9974-6-9
- Molassiotis A, Wengström Y, Kearney N. (2010). Symptom cluster patterns during the first year after diagnosis with cancer. Journal of Pain & Symptom Management, 39(5), 847-858. eScholarID:92182 | DOI:10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2009.09.012
2008
- Brearley SG, Clements C, Molassiotis A. (2008). A Review of Patient Self-report Tools for Chemotherapy-induced Nausea and Vomiting. Supportive Care in Cancer, 16, 1213-1229. eScholarID:67815 | DOI:10.1007/s00520-008-0428-y
- Molassiotis, A, Saunders, MP, Valle, JW, Wilson, G, Lorigan, P, Wardley, A, Levine, E, Cowan, RR, Loncaster, J, Rittenberg, C. (2008). A prospective observational study of chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting in routine practice in a UK cancer centre. Support Care Cancer, 16, eScholarID:1d16954 | DOI:10.1007/s00520-007-0343-7
2007
- Molassiotis A, Helin AM, Dabbour R, Hummerston S. (2007). The effects of P6 acupressure in the prophylaxis of chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting in breast cancer patients. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 15, 3-12. eScholarID:1d27644 | DOI:10.1016/j.ctim.2006.07.005
2006
- Lau J T F, Tsui H Y, Li C K, Chung W Y Rita, Molassiotis A. (2006). Validation of a Chinese version of the Medical Outcomes Study HIV Health Survey (MOS/HIV) among Chinese people living with HIV/AIDS in Hong Kong. Quality of Life Research, 15, 1079-1089. eScholarID:1d27238 | DOI:10.1007/s11136-005-5914-9
- Molassiotis A, Gibson F, Kelly D, Richardson A, Dabbour R, Ahmad A M-A, Kearney N. (2006). A systematic review of worldwide cancer nursing research: 1994 to 2003. Cancer Nursing Review, 29 (6), 431-440. eScholarID:1d27184
- Molassiotis A, M Browall, L Milovics, V Panteli, E Patiraki, P Fernandez-Ortega. (2006). Complementary and alternative medicine use in patients with gynecological cancers in Europe. International Journal of Gynecological Cancer, 16 (Suppl.1), 219-224. eScholarID:1d26957
2005
- Feyer Petra Ch, Maranzano Ernesto, Molassiotis A, Clark-Snow Rebecca A, Roila Fausto, Warr David, Olver Ian. (2005). Radiotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (RINV): antiemetic guidelines. Supportive Care in Cancer, 13 (2), 122-128. eScholarID:1d26347
- Maranzano E, Feyer P, Molassiotis A, Rossi R, Clark-Snow R, Olver I, Warr D, Schiavone C, Roila F. (2005). Evidence-based recommendations for the use of antiemetics in radiotherapy. Radiotherapy and Oncology, 76, eScholarID:1d27046 | DOI:10.1016/j.radonc.2005.07.002
- Molassiotis, A, Fernandez-Ortega, D, Pud, D, Ozden, G, Scott, JA, Panteli, V, Margulies, A, Browall, M, Magri, M, Selvekerova, S, Madsen, E, Milovics, L, Bruyns, I, Gudmundsdottir, G, Hummerston, S. (2005). Use of complementary and alternative medicine in cancer patients: a European Study. Annals of Oncology, 16, 655-663. eScholarID:1d27045 | DOI:10.1093/annonc/mdi110
2004
- Molassiotis A, Denise Cubbin. (2004). 'Thinking outside the box': Complementary and alternative therapies use in paediatric oncology patients. European Journal Of Oncology Nursing, 8 (1), 50-60. eScholarID:1d25779
- Molassiotis A, Xu Min. (2004). Quality and safety issues of web-based information about herbal medicines in the treatment of cancer. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 12 (4), 217-227. eScholarID:1d26350
2003
- Cheung Yuk Lung, Molassiotis A, Chang Anne M. (2003). The effect of progressive muscle relaxation training on anxiety and quality of life after stoma surgery in colorectal cancer patients. Psycho-Oncology, 12 (3), 254-266. eScholarID:1d25047 | DOI:10.1002/pon.638
- Molassiotis A, Lopez-Nahas V, Chung WY, Lam SW. (2003). A pilot study of the effects of a behavioural intervention on treatment adherence in HIV-infected patients. Aids Care, 15 (1), 125-135. eScholarID:1d25052
2002
- Molassiotis A, Chan Carmen WH, Yam Bernard MC, Chan Eunice SJ, Lam Charlotte SW. (2002). Life after cancer: adaptation issues faced by Chinese gynaecological cancer survivors in Hong Kong. Psycho-Oncology, 11 (2), 114-123. eScholarID:1d25048
- Molassiotis A, Yam BMC, Yung H, Chan FYS, Mok TSK. (2002). Pretreatment factors predicting the development of postchemotherapy nausea and vomiting in Chinese breast cancer patients. Supportive Care in Cancer, 10 (2), 139-145. eScholarID:1d25051
- Molassiotis A, Yung Hilary P, Yam Bernard MC, Chan Flora YS, Mok TSK. (2002). The effectiveness of progressive muscle relaxation training in managing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in Chinese breast cancer patients: a randomised controlled trial. Supportive Care in Cancer, 10 (3), 237-246. eScholarID:1d25050 | DOI:10.1007/s00520-001-0329-9
2001
- Chan CWH, Molassiotis A, Yam BMC, Chan SJ, Lam CSW. (2001). Travelling through the cancer trajectory: social support perceived by women with gynecological cancer in Hong Kong. Cancer Nursing, 24 (5), 387-394. eScholarID:1d25063
- Molassiotis A, Callaghan P, Twinn SF, Lam SW. (2001). Correlates of quality of life in symptomatic HIV patients living in Hong Kong. Aids Care, 13 (3), 319-334. eScholarID:1d25058
2000
- Chan CWH, Molassiotis A. (2000). The impact of fatigue on Chinese cancer patients in Hong Kong. Support Cancer Care, 9 (1), 18-24. eScholarID:1d25055
Selected research projects
- A non-pharmacological supportive care intervention for patients with lung cancer and their caregivers in the management of the respiratory distress symptom cluster.
- Assessing unmet supportive care needs and quality of life in patients with cutaneous invasive melanoma
- Clarifying the cluster of symptoms related to chemotherapy induced nausea
- Development of a risk prediction model for chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting.
- Effectiveness of home care nursing in decreasing side effects and improving quality of life in breast and colorectal cancer patients receiving oral chemotherapy
- Testing the effect of resistance inspiratory muscle training in the management of breathlessness in lung cancer patients: a feasibility randomised trial.
- The effectiveness and cost effectiveness of acupressure for the control and management of chemotherapy-related acute and delayed nausea.
- The effectiveness of acupuncture and self-acupuncture in managing cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer patients: a pragmatic randomised trial
