Smita Dandekar, MD - Penn State Cancer Institute
Researcher Profile
Smita Dandekar, MD
Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics
Division of Hematology and Oncology
Division of Hematology and Oncology
Scientific Program:Cancer Control
Disease Teams:
Cancer Institute, Pediatric Cancer Team
Clinical Trials
A Phase 3 Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Open vs Thoracoscopic Management of Pulmonary Metastases in Patients With Osteosarcoma
Phase II Trial of Tipifarnib and Naxitamab for Relapsed/Refractory Neuroblastoma BCC022
Healthy diet and physical activity lifestyle in adolescent and young adult cancer survivors
A Phase II Study of Naxitamab Added to Induction Therapy for Subjects with Newly Diagnosed High-Risk Neuroblastoma
BCC021 Phase I/II study of Silmitasertib (CX-4945) in combination with chemotherapy in children and young adults with relapsed refractory solid tumors
Pediatric Acute Leukemia (PedAL) Screening Trial Developing New Therapies for Relapsed Leukemias
ARAR2221 A Phase 2 Study Using Chemoimmunotherapy with Gemcitabine, Cisplatin and Nivolumab in Newly Diagnosed Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC)
A Prospective Phase 3 Study of Patients with Newly Diagnosed Very Low-risk and Low-risk Fusion Negative Rhabdomyosarcoma
Adolescent and young adult professional and Olympian athlete cancer survivors
A Dose Escalation Study Using Difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) and AMXT-1501 followed by a Randomized Controlled Trial of DFMO with or without AMXT-1501 for Neuroblastoma, CNS Tumors, and Sarcomas
Exploring Patient Level Barriers and Facilitators for Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Opportunities in Young Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer in Rural Pennsylvania
AHOD2131 A Randomized Phase 3 Interim Response Adapted Trial Comparing Standard Therapy with Immuno-oncology Therapy for Children and Adults with Newly Diagnosed Stage I and II Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma
A Pilot Study Using Molecular Guided Therapy with Induction Chemotherapy Followed by Maintenance with DFMO for Subjects with Newly Diagnosed High-Risk Neuroblastoma
Recent Publications
2026
Dandekar, S, Kurth, J, Shang, Y, Stine, JG, Ladwig, MA, Conroy, DE, Schmitz, KH, Rovniak, LS, Silvis, M, Danilovich, M, Ballentine, N, Pierwola-Gawin, N, Zhou, S & Sciamanna, C 2026, 'Brief daily functional strength training to improve functional performance in older adults with mobility disability: A randomized trial', PloS one, vol. 21, no. 3 March, e0336748. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0336748
Wert, E, Menachery, L, Hengst, J, Arjmandi, T, Nagulapally, AB, Gandra, D, Brown, V, Sholler, GS & Dandekar, S 2026, 'Molecular guided therapy leading to exceptional response in relapsed osteosarcoma', Frontiers in Pharmacology, vol. 16, 1719832. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2025.1719832
2025
Gay, K & Dandekar, S 2025, 'A Unique Presentation of Early-Onset Colon Cancer in the Setting of Helicobacter pylori Positivity, IgA Deficiency, and a Germline 18p Deletion', Pediatric Blood and Cancer. https://doi.org/10.1002/pbc.31858
Bhat, R, Sharathkumar, A, Kumar, R, Corrales-Medina, FF, van Ommen, H, Bhatt, M, Dandekar, S, Mosha, M & Goldenberg, NA 2026, 'Frequency of, and prognostic factors for, residual thrombosis and complete veno-occlusion following anticoagulation for provoked venous thromboembolism in patients <21 years: findings from the Kids-DOTT Multinational Trial', Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 672-681. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtha.2025.10.007
Caru, M, Dandekar, S & Schmitz, KH 2025, 'Physical Activity and Childhood Cancer: Present Status and Future Directions', American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1177/15598276251368342
Levesque, A, Pugalenthi Saravanan, D, Newman, P, Six, LE, Bamme, Y, Dandekar, S, Krause, KJ, Chang Swartz, M, Smink, GM & Caru, M 2026, 'Physical Activity and Physical Fitness in Children and Adolescents Diagnosed With Sickle Cell Disease: A Scoping Review', American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, vol. 20, no. 6, pp. 843-868. https://doi.org/10.1177/15598276251370338
Rao, P, Devine, KA, Bingen, K, Scott, AM, Koehly, LM, Rumbaugh, CL, Wasserman, E, Costigan, HJ, Dandekar, S, Songdej, N, Blackall, GF, Lengerich, EJ & Van Scoy, LJ 2025, 'The Impact of a Personal Cancer Diagnosis on the Psychological Health of Adolescent/Young Adult Cancer Survivors: A Mixed Methods Study', Psycho-Oncology, vol. 34, no. 9, e70272. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.70272
Rao, P, Segel, JE, Bingen, K, Devine, KA, Scott, AM, Koehly, LM, Verdery, AM, Rumbaugh, CL, Wasserman, E, Costigan, HJ, Dandekar, S, Rakszawski, K, Songdej, N, Blackall, GF, Vasekar, M, Naik, S, Lengerich, EJ & Van Scoy, LJ 2025, 'The impact of a personal cancer diagnosis on adolescent and young adult cancer survivors’ social connectedness: A qualitative analysis', Journal of Health Psychology, vol. 30, no. 9, pp. 2216-2231. https://doi.org/10.1177/13591053241311977
Harvey, A, Caru, M, Gonzalez Corcia, C, Bertrand, É, Gagné, V, Dandekar, S, Krajinovic, M, Gravel, H, Laverdière, C, Raboisson, MJ, Andelfinger, G, Jacquemet, V, Sinnett, D & Curnier, D 2025, 'Uncovering possible silent acquired long QT syndrome using exercise stress testing in long-term pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivors', International Journal of Cancer, vol. 156, no. 2, pp. 403-416. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.35168
2024
Barone, T, Dandekar, S, McKeone, D & Mulieri, K 2024, 'Assessment on the use of allopurinol to improve safety and efficacy of mercaptopurine in pediatric patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and Lymphoma during maintenance therapy', Cancer Reports, vol. 7, no. 2, e1987. https://doi.org/10.1002/cnr2.1987
Gay, K, Smink, G, Mulieri, K & Dandekar, S 2024, 'Delayed serum sickness reaction after initial hypersensitivity reaction to calaspargase during treatment for B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia', Pediatric Blood and Cancer, vol. 71, no. 5, e30922. https://doi.org/10.1002/pbc.30922
Kuntz, H, Santucci, J, Butts, S, Dandekar, S, Smink, G, Van Scoy, LJ & Rao, P 2024, 'Determinants of Decision Regret Regarding Fertility Preservation in Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review', Journal of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology, vol. 13, no. 5, pp. 726-737. https://doi.org/10.1089/jayao.2023.0191
Rao, P, Segel, JE, Bingen, K, Devine, KA, Rumbaugh, CL, Costigan, HJ, Dandekar, S, Wasserman, E, Koehly, LM, Blackall, GF, Rakszawski, K, Songdej, N, Verdery, AM, Lengerich, EJ & Van Scoy, LJ 2024, 'Educational and occupational aspirations of adolescent and young adult cancer survivors: a qualitative analysis', Supportive Care in Cancer, vol. 32, no. 9, 572. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-024-08761-3
Caru, M, Dandekar, S, Gordon, B, Conroy, DE, Barb, ED, Doerksen, SE, Smink, GM, McKeone, DJ, Shah, NB, Greiner, RJ, Schramm, JW, Rao, P, McGregor, L & Schmitz, KH 2024, 'Implementing a behavioral physical activity program in children and adolescent survivors of childhood cancer: a pilot randomized controlled trial', Journal of Behavioral Medicine, vol. 47, no. 5, pp. 792-803. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-024-00497-z
Caru, M, Levesque, A, Dandekar, S & Schmitz, K 2024, 'Physical activity and psychological support can replace “another pill” to manage cancer-related symptoms in children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer', BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, vol. 24, no. 1, 170. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-024-04446-w
2023
Dandekar, S, Caru, M & Schmitz, KH 2023, 'Behavioral physical activity intervention coupled with standard post-cancer directed treatment care to mitigate chronic pain in childhood cancer survivors: A protocol for a single-center, pilot randomized controlled trial', Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, vol. 36, 101216. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conctc.2023.101216
Caru, M, Alberts, NM, Freeman, MC, Dandekar, SC, Rao, P, McKeone, DJ, Brown, VI, McGregor, LM & Schmitz, KH 2023, 'Chronic pain in children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer: the challenge of mitigating the pain and the potential of integrating exercise into pain management', Supportive Care in Cancer, vol. 31, no. 4, 228. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-023-07695-6
Feit, T, Beals, E, Dandekar, S, Kadan-Lottick, N & Joffe, L 2023, 'Nutritional assessment and dietary intervention among survivors of childhood cancer: current landscape and a look to the future', Frontiers in Nutrition, vol. 10, 1343104. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2023.1343104
Caru, M, Wurz, A, Brunet, J, Barb, ED, Adams, SC, Roth, ME, Winters-Stone, K, Fidler-Benaoudia, MM, Dandekar, S, Ness, KK, Culos-Reed, SN, Schulte, F, Rao, P, Mizrahi, D, Swartz, MC, Smith, M, Valle, CG, Kadan-Lottick, NS, Dieli-Conwright, CM & Schmitz, KH 2023, 'Physical activity and physical fitness assessments in adolescents and young adults diagnosed with cancer: a scoping review', Supportive Care in Cancer, vol. 31, no. 10, 569. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-023-08008-7
2022
Caru, M, Levesque, A, Rao, P, Dandekar, S, Terry, C, Brown, V, McGregor, L & Schmitz, K 2022, 'A scoping review to map the evidence of physical activity interventions in post-treatment adolescent and young adult cancer survivors', Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology, vol. 171, 103620. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.critrevonc.2022.103620