Dr. Jamie Jacobs, a clinical psychologist, is the Program Director for the Center for Psychiatric Oncology & Behavioral Sciences at the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and an Associate Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. She is a clinical researcher and the Director of the Caregiving Research Program in the MGH Cancer Outcomes Research & Education Program (CORE). With funded grants from the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health, the American Cancer Society, and others, Dr. Jacobs’s research encompasses patient and caregiver focused work centered on 1) enhancing adherence to treatment and symptom self-management for patients, 2) reducing anxiety and improving coping for family and friends caring for someone with cancer, and 3) improving equity in cancer care by creating culturally sensitive behavioral interventions.
Dr. Jacobs’s clinical practice focuses on improving coping and quality of life for people during treatment for cancer, post-cancer treatment, or living with advanced cancer. In the Psychiatric Oncology Service at MGH, she specializes in the integration of cognitive-behavioral and evidence-based therapy with an individualized approach to improve coping and adjustment during and after cancer, as well as at the end of life.
Dr. Jacobs provides clinical and research supervision for psychology interns and fellows in the Behavioral Medicine Service and the Cancer Outcomes Research & Education Program.
Departments, Centers, & Programs:
Clinical Interests:
Treats:
Mass General Cancer Center: Psychiatric Oncology and Behavioral Sciences
55 Fruit St.
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: 877-726-5130
Medical Education
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Dr. Jacobs’s research interests emphasize coping with cancer diagnosis and treatment, and evidence-based interventions to improve physical and emotional outcomes and symptom management for patients with cancer, cancer survivors, and cancer caregivers. She is also interested in stress-related physiological processes (e.g., immunologic, neuroendocrine, inflammation, and gene expression). Dr. Jacobs has presented her research findings related to mood, stress, and biopsychosocial processes in cancer at national and international scientific meetings. Dr. Jacobs has over 40 published works, including peer-reviewed publications and book chapters. She has been the principal investigator and co-investigator of funded grants from the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health, and serves as an ad-hoc reviewer for peer-reviewed journals such as JAMA Oncology, the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Psycho-Oncology, Cancer, and Annals of Behavioral Medicine. Dr. Jacobs supervises and mentors trainees in the Behavioral Medicine Service and the Cancer Outcomes Research Program.
*Greer JA, *Jacobs JM, El-Jawahri A, Nipp RD, Gallagher ER, Pirl WF, Park ER, Muzikansky A, Jacobsen JC, Jackson VA, Temel JS. Role of patient coping strategies in understanding the effects of early palliative care on quality of life and mood. J Clin Oncol. 2018 Jan;1(36):53-60. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2017.73.7221. PubMed PMID:29140772
1. Jacobs JM, Ream ME, Pensak N, Nisotel LE, Fishbein JN, MacDonald JJ, Buzaglo J, Lennes IT, Safren SA, Pirl WF, Temel JS, Greer JA. Patient experiences with oral chemotherapy: Adherence, symptom, and quality of life. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2019 Mar;17(3):221-228. doi: 10.6004/jnccn.2018.7098. PubMed PMID: 30865917.
2. *El-Jawahri A, *Jacobs JM, Nelson A, Traeger L, Greer JA, Waldman L, Fenech A, Jagielo A, Nicholson S, D?Alotto J, Horick N, Spitzer T, Defilipp Z, Chen YB, Temel JS. Multimodal psychosocial intervention for family caregivers of patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Cancer. 2020. In press. doi: 10.1002/cncr.32680. PubMed PMID: 31899552.
3. Jacobs JM, Shaffer KM, Nipp RD, Fishbein JN, MacDonald J, El-Jawahri A, Pirl WF, Jackson VA, Park ER, Temel JS, Greer JA. Distress is interdependent in patients and caregivers with newly diagnosed incurable cancers. Ann Behav Med. 2017 Aug;51(4):519-531. doi: 10.1007/s12160-017-9875-3. PubMed PMID: 28097515.
4. Jacobs JM, Walsh EA, Park ER, Berger J, Peppercorn J, Partridge A, Horick N, Safren SA, Temel JS, Greer JA. The patient?s voice: Adherence, symptoms, and distress related to adjuvant endocrine therapy after breast cancer. Int J Behav Med. 2020 Dec;27(6)687-697. PubMed PMID:32495240.
5. Jacobs JM, Nelson AM, Traeger L, Waldman L, Nicholson S, Jagielo AD, D?Alotto J, Greer JA, Temel JS, El-Jawahri A. Enhanced coping and self-efficacy in caregivers of stem cell transplant recipients: Identifying mechanisms of a multimodal psychosocial intervention. Cancer. 2020 Dec;126(24):5337-5346. PubMed PMID: 33026658.
6. Jacobs JM, Rapoport CS, Horenstein A, Clay M, Walsh EA, Peppercorn J, Temel JS, Greer JA. Study protocol for a randomized controlled feasibility trial of a virtual intervention (STRIDE) for symptom management, distress, and adherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy after breast cancer. BMJ Open. 2021 Jan;11(1):e041626. PubMed PMID: 3397667.
7. Jacobs JM, Walsh EA, Rapoport CS, Antoni MH, Park ER, Post K, Comander A, Peppercorn J, Safren SA, Temel JS, Greer JA. Development and refinement of a telehealth intervention for symptom management, distress, and adherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy after breast cancer. J Clin Psychol Med Settings. 2021 Sep;28(3):603-618. PMID:33219901.
8. Forst DA, Kaslow-Zieve ER, Hansen A, Mesa M, Landay S, Quain KM, Sereno I, El-Jawahri A, Greer JA, Temel JS, Jacobs JM. Characterizing distress and identifying modifiable intervention targets for family caregivers of patients with malignant gliomas. J Palliat Med. Jun 2022; PMID: 35708587.
9. Jacobs JM, Post K, Massad K, Horick N, Walsh EA, Cohn J, Rapoport CS, Clara AJ, Antoni MH, Safren SA, Partridge A, Peppercorn J, Park E, Temel JS, Greer JA. A Telehealth Intervention for Symptom Management, Distress, and Adherence to Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Cancer. (In press).
