Risk Of Recurrence After Diagnosis Of Invasive Breast Cancer By Molecular Subtype As Defined By ER, PR And Her2 Status
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$500,622.00
Summary
Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease. Molecular subtypes have been identified that differ in terms of prognosis and response to treatment. This study aims to estimate recurrence free survival of breast cancer by molecular subtypes in a population-based sample of Australian women. The results will assist clinicians to guide their therapeutic decisions and will inform women about their anticipated outcome after diagnosis of breast cancer.
Modelling The Possible Effects Of Low-dose Irradiation In Young Australians Exposed To CT Scans
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$130,877.00
Summary
Radiation from CT (computerised tomographic X-ray) scans of children may cause a later increase in cancer risk. However, any risk for an individual will be small, so we are using de-identified records to study the average risk of cancer in 600,000 young Australians exposed to CT scans between 1985-2005. Our project has the capacity to detect an increase of 10% in the risk of exposed compared with non-exposed. Results will be available by Dec 2012.
We will conduct a study of more than 500 Australian female twin pairs in which one or both have had breast cancer. We will also study measured and unmeasured genetic and environmental causes of risk factors.
Methylation And The Risk Of Urothelial Cell Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$703,628.00
Summary
Why don’t we run prevention programs for urinary tract cancers like we do for others? It’s because we don’t know which lifestyle factors, except smoking, are important to cancers of the renal pelvis, ureters, bladder and urethra. We plan to use new technology to measure the ‘epigenome’, the part of the genome that turns genes on or off. This may explain how lifestyle factors influence what genes do, and we hope our findings will help to develop future prevention strategies for these cancers.
A Population-based Family Study Of Follicular Lymphoma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,703,070.00
Summary
Annually more than 900 Australians are diagnosed with follicular lymphoma. The proposed research aims identify the environmental and genetic causes of this serious blood cancer. People diagnosed with lymphoma, and a family member, will provide detailed personal and family histories, and a blood sample. Exposure to specific chemicals, types of work, sun exposure, and body size are some of the factors the study will examine. The 5-year study will be conducted in NSW, ACT and Victoria.
Case-Control Study Of Genetic And Environmental Risk Factors For Pancreatic Carcinoma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,003,411.00
Summary
Pancreatic carcinoma is the fourth most common cause of cancer death in developed countries, and is approximately sixty percent more common in men than in women. In Australia approximately 1800 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year and there are a similar number of deaths. The five-year survival is less than five percent, and the majority of patients die within the first year. Surgery is frequently not possible due to the advanced stage of disease at diagnosis, and chemotherapy i ....Pancreatic carcinoma is the fourth most common cause of cancer death in developed countries, and is approximately sixty percent more common in men than in women. In Australia approximately 1800 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year and there are a similar number of deaths. The five-year survival is less than five percent, and the majority of patients die within the first year. Surgery is frequently not possible due to the advanced stage of disease at diagnosis, and chemotherapy is largely ineffective. A better understanding of the causes of pancreatic cancer is essential in order to develop strategies to prevent this lethal cancer. Currently the causes of pancreatic cancer are poorly understood. Family history and smoking probably account for approximately 30% of cases, but for the remainder the cause is unknown. This study will assess a new hypothesis, namely that too much acid in the stomach possibly caused by infection with a bacterial organism, could increase the risk of pancreatic cancer. We will include people who are diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas (cases), and match these to people selected from the electoral roll who have not ever been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer (controls). Participants will be asked a series of detailed questions about their diet, smoking, occupation and medical history. We will collect blood to look for antibodies to the bacteria and to examine specific genes, and we will compare all these factors in cases and controls. This is one of the first large studies of pancreatic cancer in Australia and we will take an integrated approach to examining interactions between genetics and exposure to environmental factors.Read moreRead less
Risks And Benefits Of Breast Cancer Screening: BreastScreen WA Cohort Study Of Overdiagnosis And Breast Cancer Mortality
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$201,524.00
Summary
Overdiagnosis is the major downside of screening for breast cancer. This occurs when screening detects cancers that would not have caused symptoms in the woman's lifetime. This study aims to quantify the amount of overdiagnosis that occurs in the Australian breast cancer screening program (BreastScreen)
IMPROVE - Investigating Medication Re-Purposing To Reduce Risk Of OVarian Cancer And Extend Survival
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$430,196.00
Summary
Ovarian cancer is the 6th most common cause of cancer death in women and the proportion of women who die from their disease has not improved substantially over time. This large-scale study will use de-identified data from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, the Australian Cancer Database and the National Death Index to investigate whether medications commonly used for other conditions can help decrease the risk of ovarian cancer developing or improve survival from ovarian cancer after diagnosis.
Cancer Risks From Low-dose Ionising Radiation Following Diagnostic Medical Procedures
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$750,579.00
Summary
Our study investigates cancer risk following exposure to low doses of ionising radiation from medical procedures. Our first major paper linked over 800,000 CT exposures to cancer outcomes in a cohort of almost 11 million young Australians, and found that CT exposure predicted an increased incidence of leukaemia and most solid cancers. In our ongoing work we will incorporate nuclear medicine and other diagnostic x-rays, and estimate radiation dose for individual procedures and to specific organs.
Collaborative Australian Renal Cell Carcinoma Epidemiology Study (CARES)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,677,048.00
Summary
The objective of this project is to increase our knowledge of the causes of renal cell carcinoma, a relatively common, yet understudied, cancer and use this new knowledge to develop a risk prediction tool to provide a rational basis for risk counselling. The proposed project will establish a biobank and generate a research platform that, beyond the duration of the project, will allow us to identify diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, and therapeutic targets.