Studies in cancer control. As life expectancy in Australia (and throughout the world) continues to rise, so will the burden of cancer escalate. Treating cancer after diagnosis is costly, and in many instances, unsuccessful. Preventive strategies promise to reduce the future cancer burden, yet our knowledge in this arena is limited by the lack of credible research as to what works and what does not. This application addresses this gap directly by conducting research into the control of two cancer ....Studies in cancer control. As life expectancy in Australia (and throughout the world) continues to rise, so will the burden of cancer escalate. Treating cancer after diagnosis is costly, and in many instances, unsuccessful. Preventive strategies promise to reduce the future cancer burden, yet our knowledge in this arena is limited by the lack of credible research as to what works and what does not. This application addresses this gap directly by conducting research into the control of two cancers which exact a growing toll in Australia and elsewhere. The work seeks to identify and understand the causal pathways to cancer, and then use this information to devise evidence-based strategies for cancer control.Read moreRead less
Patterns Of Care And Quality Of Life In Patients With Pancreatic Cancer.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$680,010.00
Summary
Available evidence suggests that care of patients with pancreatic cancer is variable and dependent on a variety of factors such as geographic location, socioeconomic status and hospital volume. Variability in care may influence survival and quality of life of patients. We propose to conduct a comprehensive study of the management of patients with pancreatic cancer in NSW and, in a substudy in QLD, to determine how variation in management affects patient quality of life.
Planning female and male vaccination and cervical screening strategies to achieve optimal prevention of HPV-related disease. The findings from this research will inform the development of public health policy on the most cost-effective utilisation of resources for preventing cervical, anogenital and head/neck cancers, and genital warts, in women and men, due to human papillomavirus (HPV). We will evaluate strategies for using emerging screening and vaccine technologies to prevent HPV-related dis ....Planning female and male vaccination and cervical screening strategies to achieve optimal prevention of HPV-related disease. The findings from this research will inform the development of public health policy on the most cost-effective utilisation of resources for preventing cervical, anogenital and head/neck cancers, and genital warts, in women and men, due to human papillomavirus (HPV). We will evaluate strategies for using emerging screening and vaccine technologies to prevent HPV-related disease, and assess potential adverse outcomes of vaccination. Men are currently not covered by routine vaccination or screening programs; this research will assess the benefit to men of vaccinating women only, and will consider the impact of vaccination and other interventions targeted towards men.Read moreRead less
Work life after a diagnosis of breast, prostate and colorectal cancer: Major disruption or work as usual. Each year, over 40,000 working-age individuals (as well as their families and workplaces) are affected by a diagnosis of cancer. This novel and important study will, for the first time in Australia, identify the extent and effects of loss of skilled workers from the workforce because of a diagnosis of breast, prostate or colorectal cancer and will lead to the development of new interventions ....Work life after a diagnosis of breast, prostate and colorectal cancer: Major disruption or work as usual. Each year, over 40,000 working-age individuals (as well as their families and workplaces) are affected by a diagnosis of cancer. This novel and important study will, for the first time in Australia, identify the extent and effects of loss of skilled workers from the workforce because of a diagnosis of breast, prostate or colorectal cancer and will lead to the development of new interventions that help people to recover from cancer. This project is critical to help advance health and labour policies in Australia which currently faces an ageing population, global economic unrest and rising unemployment.Read moreRead less
Survival mixture modelling with random effects in public health. This interdisciplinary research aims to develop innovative methods and deliver effective tools for analysing non-standard survival data. Significance of the work lies in its novelty and the breadth of its practical applications. Evaluation of health outcomes has important implications in cancer prevention and control, hospital strategic planning, and post-stroke care management. The unique opportunity to examine long-term predictor ....Survival mixture modelling with random effects in public health. This interdisciplinary research aims to develop innovative methods and deliver effective tools for analysing non-standard survival data. Significance of the work lies in its novelty and the breadth of its practical applications. Evaluation of health outcomes has important implications in cancer prevention and control, hospital strategic planning, and post-stroke care management. The unique opportunity to examine long-term predictors of morbidity and mortality in a well-documented Aboriginal population will enhance the understanding of existing inequities in Aboriginal health. Demographic and lifestyle information related to the outcomes is pertinent to the development of policy and health promotion appropriate to Aboriginal communities.Read moreRead less
I am an epidemiologist using record linkage to investigate the causes and consequences of developmental disabilities such as birth defects, intellectual disability and autism and to identify possibilities for their prevention and amelioration.
The Effect Of Exogenous Hormones, Smoking And HPV On The Incidence Of Screen Detected Pre-invasive Cervical Cancer.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,201,168.00
Summary
Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death in women internationally. About 15,000 women are detected in NSW annually as having pre-invasive cervical cancer (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grade I, II or III). Infection with certain high risk human papillomaviruses is known to be necessary for the development of cervical cancer. In addition, recent long term exposure to smoking and to hormonal contraception are two new factors considered as independent risk factors for ....Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death in women internationally. About 15,000 women are detected in NSW annually as having pre-invasive cervical cancer (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grade I, II or III). Infection with certain high risk human papillomaviruses is known to be necessary for the development of cervical cancer. In addition, recent long term exposure to smoking and to hormonal contraception are two new factors considered as independent risk factors for the disease. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) preparations taken around the menopause are a similar composition to hormonal contraceptives, (oestrogen and progestogen), therefore women on HRT may also be at increased risk. No comprehensive study exists internationally to measure the relative importance of these exogenous hormones on the development of pre-invasive cervical cancer in a way that is of public health relevance (e.g. recent long-term use of oral contraceptives and time since stopped, and among smokers and non-smokers). No Australian data are available on the proportion of women who are current users of hormonal contraceptives or HRT. No local prevalence data on the major high risk HPV subtypes (e.g. 16, 18, 33, 45) are available for Australia to describe its distribution and to inform the cervical screening program and future vaccine initiatives. The NSW Pap Test Register holds the screening history of all women on the cervical screening program, hence this is an ideal source for recruiting a representative sample into a study. We wish to conduct a large study of ~2600 NSW women using the NSW Pap Test Register to measure the relative importance of hormones, smoking and HPV infection on the development of CIN II or III.Read moreRead less
Integration Of Epidemiological, Biological, And Health Services Data In Cancer Research
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$290,032.00
Summary
Improved understanding of carcinogenic mechanisms, such as the importance of gene and environment interaction, has placed increased emphasis on the need for studies combining biological and epidemiological data. The proposed research program incorporates a number of cross-disciplinary studies which bridge classical epidemiology and basic science and strive to improve the clinical relevance and translational potential of research outcomes.
Endometrial cancer (uterine or womb cancer) is the most common invasive gynaecological cancer in Australia. Each year more than 1400 women are affected by the condition, and death is common amongst a subset with more aggressive disease. We plan to conduct a national study of endometrial cancer to identify options for prevention of the disease. No previous studies have looked at risk factors for endometrial cancer in Australian women. In particular, we hope to identify modifiable risk factors for ....Endometrial cancer (uterine or womb cancer) is the most common invasive gynaecological cancer in Australia. Each year more than 1400 women are affected by the condition, and death is common amongst a subset with more aggressive disease. We plan to conduct a national study of endometrial cancer to identify options for prevention of the disease. No previous studies have looked at risk factors for endometrial cancer in Australian women. In particular, we hope to identify modifiable risk factors for endometrial cancer, and identify genes that make some women particularly susceptible to the disease. There are at least two main types of endometrial cancer and limited evidence suggests that they may have different causes. Few studies have examined the two different types separately, and there is virtually no information regarding risk factors for the more aggressive forms. In addition, little is known about genetic factors that predispose women to endometrial cancer. In the present study, we will investigate which genes cause endometrial cancer in women who have a strong family history of the disease. We will also identify genes that are related to endometrial cancer in women with no obvious family history of cancer, and investigate how these genes interact with environmental factors (such as hormone replacement therapy and obesity) to cause disease. National epidemiological studies of other cancers are currently being conducted by our research groups within QIMR. In the present proposal, we will use our experience to build on the infrastructure and procedures already in place to conduct a new study on endometrial cancer. As one of the largest population-based studies of endometrial cancer ever conducted, it will be able to answer many of the questions that are currently unresolved. Moreover, answers will be relevant to Australian women and clinicians as well as to inform prevention strategies.Read moreRead less
Improving Cancer Outcomes In Under-studied Cancers By Understanding Their Risk Factors And Patterns Of Cancer Care.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$421,747.00
Summary
Cancer is the second leading cause of disease burden in Australia. Much can be done to reduce this burden through effective cancer prevention and ensuring all patients receive optimal evidence-based care. This research focuses on thyroid, kidney and ovarian cancer and aims to increase knowledge of these cancers’ causes and to investigate variation in patient care and its impact on outcomes. Ultimately the objective of the work is to decrease Australia’s cancer burden.