Yuanlu (April) Sun, PhD, RN, CLT

Yuanlu (April) Sun, PhD, RN, CLT
Assistant Professor

Seton 310
College of Nursing, South Campus

Email: ys4k9@umsl.edu
Phone: 314-516-6097
Fax: 314-516-7093

Dr. Sun's experience as an oncology research nurse was the foundation for her research interest in clinical research, patient-centered care, and self-management for cancer patients. Dr. Sun's research has focused on cancer survivorship and cancer treatment-related lymphedema. Her published manuscripts and conference papers include the self-reported symptoms, physical function impairment associated with breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL), as well as rehabilitation issues among breast cancer survivors in general. Her recently-completed study examined the influence of breast cancer treatment-related lymphedema on women returning to work. She would like to continue research on developing a better model of clinical rehabilitation for survivors with lymphedema, that promotes individualized support, self-management, and quality of life.

Education

• PhD, Nursing, University of Missouri-Columbia
• PhD Minor, Statistics, University of Missouri-Columbia
• BSN, Sun Yat-sen University

Research Interests

• Chronic illness: self-management, symptom measurement, occupational rehabilitation, quality of life
• Cancer survivorship, Lymphedema
• Digital health, informatics, data science
• Populational research, community health

Selected Grants

• PI: Technology-based support of the transition to a cancer survivor. UM-St. Louis Research Award Competition. 6/2021-6/2022.
• PI: The Influence of Breast Cancer-related Lymphedema on Women’s Return-to-Work. Funded by Toni and Jim Sullivan Endowed Research Fund. 2017-2018 
• CO-I: Self-reported Work Experiences and Quality of Life in Latina Breast Cancer Survivors with Lymphedema. Funded by Sigma Theta Tau International Alpha Iota Chapter. 1/2019-12/2019
• CO-PI: The Impact of Breast Cancer-related Lymphedema on Rural Survivors’ Return to Work. Funded by Sigma Theta Tau International/Rosemary Berkel Crisp Research Award. 6/1/2019-5/31/2021 

Selected Publications

• Sun, Y., Shigaki, C.L, Armer, J.M. (2020). Return-to-work and breast cancer survivorship care. Current Breast Cancer Rep, 12, 202-207 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12609-020-00371-2 
• Sun, Y. (Dec, 2020) Abridge of the breast cancer related lymphedema and women’s return-to-work. British Lymphedema Society News & Views, 119, 25-27. https://www.thebls.com/documents-library/news-views-issue-119
• Dorit Tidhar, Jane M. Armer, Allison Anbari, Yuanlu Sun, Michael Bernas, Joseph L. Feldman, Janice N. Cormier (2020). Clinical evaluation of lymphedema. In: Ming-Huei Cheng (eds). Principles and Practice of Lymphedema Surgery. Elsevier., In press
• Sun, Y., Shigaki, C. L., Armer, J. M. (2020). The Influence of Breast Cancer-related Lymphedema on Women’s Return-to-Work. Women’s health, 16, 1-16. doi: 10.1177/1745506520905720
• Sun, Y., & Armer, J. M. (2019). A nurse's twenty-four-year journey with breast cancer-related lymphedema. Work, 63(1), 21-31. doi:10.3233/wor-192904
• Armer, J. M., Ballman, K., McCall, L., Armer, N. C., Sun, Y., Udmuangpia, T., . . . Boughey, M. D. (2019). Lymphedema symptoms and limb measurement changes in breast cancer survivors treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and axillary dissection: results of American College of Surgeons Oncology Group (ACOSOG) Z1071 (Alliance) substudy. Supportive Care in Cancer, 1-9. doi: 10.1007/s00520-018-4334-7
• Sun, Y., Shigaki, C. L., Armer, J. M. (2017). Return to Work among Breast Cancer Survivors: A Literature Review. Supportive Care in Cancer, 25(3), 709-718. doi: 10.1007/s00520-016-3446-1
• Armer, J. M., Feldman, J. L., Ostby, P., Chance-Heltzler, J., Sun, Y., Armer, N. C., & Shih, T. (2017). Lymphedema within the Healthcare System. In: Lee BB., Rockson S., Bergan J. (eds) Lymphedema: a concise compendium of theory and practice. Springer, Cham. pp 503-523. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-52423-8_40
• Armer, J. M., Feldman, J. L., Ostby, P., Thrift, K. M., Lasinski, B. B., Beck, M. S., Rodrick, J. R., Norton, S., Sun, Y., Udmuangpia, T., Armer, N. C. & Stewart, B. R (2016). Simplifying Evidence-based Management of Breast Cancer-related Lymphedema. Expert Review of Quality of Life in Cancer Care, 1(5), 389-402
• Xue, C., Yu, Q., Pan, J.-j., Sun, Y., & Zhang, L. (2012). A phase II study of sorafenib in combination with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil in the treatment of recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 30(15_suppl), 5538-5538. doi:10.1200/jco.2012.30.15_suppl.5538

  Published conference proceedings

• Anderson, E., Anbari, A., Sun, Y., Armer, J. (2021) Breast cancer-related lymphedema influences on the work experiences and quality of life of Hispanic/Latina survivors. Oncology Nursing Forum, 48(2), 21-21
• Anbari, A., Sun, Y., McCaffery, S. Armer, J. (2021) Breast cancer-related lymphedema and rural survivor’s return to work. Oncology Nursing Forum, 48(2), 39-40
• Sekyere, M., Armer, J., Sun, Y., Anderson, E., Anbari, A. (Jun 2019). Impact of Breast Cancer-related Lymphedema on Survivors’ Return to Work and Quality of Life in Ghana. Poster presentation at 9th International Lymphoedema Framework Conference. Chicago, IL.

Selected Presentations

• Sun Y. (Oct 23 2019) Cancer Survivorship: Lymphedema and Occupational Rehabilitation Oral presentation at 13th Annual Multidisciplinary Research Conference. Saint Louis, MO
• Sun, Y., Armer, J. M. (June 13, 2019) Reliability of Circumferential Measurements for Assessment of Upper Extremity Lymphedema. Oral presentation at 9th International Lymphoedema Framework Conference. Chicago, IL.
• Sekyere, M., Armer, J., Sun, Y., Anderson, E., Anbari, A. (Jun 2019). Impact of Breast Cancer-related Lymphedema on Survivors’ Return to Work and Quality of Life in Ghana. Poster presentation at 9th International Lymphoedema Framework Conference. Chicago, IL.
• Sun, Y., Armer, J. M. (March, 2019) The Influences of Breast Cancer-related Lymphedema on Survivors’ Return-to-Work. Oral Presentation at Midwest Nurse Research Society 43^rd Annual Conference. Kansas City, MO. & poster presentation at 9th International Lymphoedema Framework Conference. Chicago, IL.
• Sun, Y., Armer, J. M. (April, 2017). The Effects of Lymphedema on Self-Reported Physical Function among Breast Cancer Survivors: A Meta-analysis. Oral Presentation at Midwest Nurse Research Society Annual Conference. Minneapolis, MN.
• Sun, Y., Armer, J. M. (September, 2016). The Impact of Breast Cancer-related Lymphedema on Survivors' Return to Work. Oral Presentation at National Lymphedema Network. Dallas, TX.
• Sun, Y., Armer, J. M. (September, 2015). Symptoms of Breast Cancer-Related lymphedema. Oral Presentation at 25th World Conference of Lymphology. San Francisco, CA.
• Sun, Y., Armer, J. M. (July, 2015). Work among Breast Cancer Survivors: A Literature Review. Oral Presentation at 2015 International Conference on Cancer Nursing. Vancouver, BC.

Other Scholarly Activities

• Journal peer reviewer
  • Supportive Care in Cancer
  • Journal of Cancer Survivorship
  • Journal of Women's Health
  • European Journal of Oncology Nursing
  • BMC Cancer
  • Nursing Open
  • Journal of Psycho-oncology
  • Journal of Cancer Management and Research
  • European Journal of Cancer Care
• Guest speaker
  
  • Eleventh Annual Breast Cancer Awareness and Survivorship Event, Columbia MO (2017)
  • David Lile Show (local radio program) “Breast cancer and lymphedema”, Columbia MO (2017)

Honors and Awards

• 01/2019 43rd Midwest Nursing Research Society Self-Care RIG dissertation award
• 08/2017 V. Jame and Verna Adwell Rhodes Endowed Fellowship
• 02/2017 MU SSON MNRS travel award, Mizzou
• 2016-2017 Fellow, Griffith Leadership Society (GLS) for Women
• 10/2016 Graduate Professional Council (GPC) Travel Award, Mizzou
• 08/2016 Curator's Grant-in-Aid Scholarship University of Missouri-Columbia (2016 Fall)
• 04/2015 Mizzou Advantage Travel Award
• 03/2013 V. Jame and Verna Adwell Rhodes Endowed Nursing Fellowship Fund
• 09/2012 Supplemental Graduate Fellowship, Sinclair School of Nursing
• 09/2009 Outstanding Student Scholarship, Sun Yat-sen University

Memberships

• American Medical Informatics Association (member, 2021-present)
• National Organization of Arts in Health (member, 2021-present)
• Australasian Lymphology Association (member, 2021-present)
• Sigma Theta Tau International, Alpha Iota Chapter #31 (member, 2018-present)
• Oncology Nurse Society (ONS), Central Missouri Chapter (member, 2013-2018)
• Midwest Nurse Research Society (MNRS) (member, 2013-2019)