Raymond Javan Chan is an Australian oncology nurse, clinical trialist, researcher, and senior administrator. He is Matthew Flinders Professor of Cancer Nursing, and Director of the Caring Futures Institute and Dean of Research within the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University. He also holds academic titles as NHMRC Investigator Fellow and Matthew Flinders Fellow.^[1] He also currently holds an NHMRC Investigator Fellowship.

Chan has published over 220 peer reviewed articles. His research program focuses on the policy, health services' and health professionals’ responses to the needs of people affected by cancer in the post-treatment survivorship phase. His research interests include improving best, equitable outcomes through patient navigation, preventing and alleviating distressing cancer- or treatment-related toxicities, enhancing integrated care models involving primary care providers, and improving outcomes for people receiving palliative/end-of-life care.^[2]

Chan is a Fellow of Australian College of Nursing,^[3] and Fellow of American Academy of Nursing^[4] In 2021, he was inducted to the Sigma Theta Tau International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame.^[5]

Education

Chan studied in School of Nursing at Queensland University of Technology and received his Bachelor of Nursing degree in 2004, a Master of Applied Science by Research in 2008, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in 2014.^[6]

Career

Chan started his career as a Personal Care Assistant at Greenslopes Hospital in 2002, and later joined Mater Adult Hospital as a Registered Nurse in 2004. He then held an appointment as a Clinical Nurse (Palliative Care) at Princess Alexandra Hospital between 2005 and 2008. Following this appointment, he joined Metro North Hospital and Health Service and held the roles of Cancer Nurse Researcher, Deputy Director of Cancer Research, and Professor of Nursing between 2008 and 2017. Chan was appointed as Professor of Cancer Nursing in 2018 at Princess Alexandra Hospital, Metro South Hospital and Health Service and Queensland University of Technology.^[6] In August, 2021, Chan commenced as Inaugural Director for the Caring Futures Institute at Flinders University, South Australia.^[1] In 2024, Chan commenced as the Deputy Vice Chancellor Research at Flinders University.^[7]

Chan is a Past President of the Cancer Nurses Society of Australia (CNSA),^[8] and serves as a Director on the Board of the International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care (ISNCC).^[9] In 2021, Chan was appointed by the Australian Federal Minister of Health to the Research Committee National Health and Medical Research Council.^[10]

Research

Chan has worked to advance the management of distressing cancer- or treatment-related toxicities, and enhance integrated care models for cancer survivors.^[11]

Cancer survivorship and navigation models of care

Chan is an active clinical trialist who has developed, tested and implemented innovative shared-care models for breast cancer, prostate cancer, lymphoma, and survivors. Chan is an active clinical trialist who has developed, tested and implemented innovative shared-care models for breast cancer, prostate cancer, lymphoma and neuroendocrine cancer survivors. As a nurse, he advocates for a nurse-enabled, multidisciplinary approach involving cancer specialists (medical specialists and specialist cancer nurses) and primary care providers (general practitioners and practice nurses).^[12][13][14]

In 2023, Chan led a team of researchers to complete an evidence report on cancer patient navigation. This work was published in the CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.^[15]

Symptom and toxicity management

Skin toxicity

Chan’s clinical trials and meta-analyses in radiation dermatitis have been adopted into clinical guidelines from Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC); Oncology Nursing Society;^[16] UpToDate; and the EVIQ guidelines.^[17][18]

In 2019, Chan’s StrataXRT Trial provided a breakthrough as the world’s first positive trial for a non-steroidal intervention effective for reducing the risk of developing wet desquamation by 49% in patients receiving radiotherapy for head & neck cancer.^[19]

Financial toxicity

Chan is an active researcher in the field of financial toxicity (i.e. distress, burden, hardship). His work highlights the significance and prevalence of financial toxicity in cancer survivors.^[20] In 2017, he obtained an Oncology Nursing Foundation Fellowship to conduct a series of work on the relationships between financial toxicity or employment interference and symptom burden in cancer survivors.^[21] Chan’s work reported significant relationships between financial toxicity and physical/psychological symptom burden in cancer survivors, providing directions for further interventional work to improve patient outcomes. ^[22]

Fatigue

Chan’s doctoral work examined self-management of fatigue in cancer survivors living with metastatic disease.^[23] Over recent years, the focus of his work has shifted to facilitate translation of available research evidence into practice. In 2020, he was awarded by the PA Research Foundation to develop a model of care, in collaboration with Cancer Council Queensland, for addressing cancer-related fatigue in all cancer survivors.^[24]

Awards and honors

• 2014 - Outstanding Young Alumnus of the Year, Queensland University of Technology
• 2014 - Premier’s Award for Excellence in Leadership, Queensland Government
• 2021 - Inductee, Sigma Theta Tau International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame^[25]
• 2021 - Nurse of the Year (Finalist), HESTA Australian Nursing Awards^[26]
• 2022 – Fellow, American Academy of Nursing^[27]
• 2023 – Outstanding Publication of the Year, Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer^[28]