Determining Patients And Doctors Preferences For Chemotherapy And Incorporating Them Into Clinical Decision-making
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$87,234.00
Summary
Chemotherapy improves survival in early lung cancer and advanced ovarian cancer but has significant side effects. Recent advances in chemotherapy have not been widely adopted because of differing opinions about whether the benefits of these treatments outweigh their harms. This research program will determine the benefits that patients and their doctors judge necessary to make these treatments worthwhile, and how best to incorporate this information into clinical discussions and decision-making.
The Role Of The Acute Phase Response In Docetaxel Resistance In Hormone-refractory Prostate Cancer.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$74,365.00
Summary
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in Australian men. Chemotherapy is used in advanced disease, but is only effective in ~50% of patients. In the first year of my PhD, I identified 8 plasma biomarkers that predict chemotherapy resistance. I plan to characterise how these immune molecules cause chemotherapy resistance using a mouse model of advanced prostate cancer. These markers may allow us to personalise prostate cancer treatment in the future and identify more effective therapies.
Molecular Determinants Of Therapeutic Response In Colorectal Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$87,646.00
Summary
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cause of cancer death. We will examine whether treatments of advanced CRC can be optimized by (1) selection based on the patient's expression of biomarkers (ie. cancer proteins) and-or (2) appropriate combinations of chemotherapy and-or immunotherapy. Using samples from patients we aim to determine predictors of response to a single therapy (bevacizumab) or a novel combination of therapies (erlotonib and cetuximab) to enhance future treatments.
Studies On New Mononuclear And Polynuclear Platinum Compounds With Trans-geometry
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$68,617.00
Summary
Even in post-genomic age cisplatin continues to be widely used as a highly successful anticancer drug. However, the drug has a number of side effects and does not show activity against many types of cancer. in some cases, resistant form of cancer develops for which the drug does not function. An example is ovarian cancer. This project aims to arrive at new platinum-based anticancer drugs targeted to ovarian cancer.
Genetic And Epigenetic Mechanisms Determining Responses To Therapies In Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$22,677.00
Summary
Lung cancer results in more cancer related deaths than any other cancer. The aim of this study is to identify prognostic and predictive markers for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with chemotherapy, palliative radiotherapy and also novel targeted agents. This will help to better utilise these treatments and hopefully improve outcomes in patients with NSCLC.
Clinicopathological Characterisation Of Male Breast Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$113,322.00
Summary
Male Breast Cancer is an uncommon and poorly understood disease. Due to its low frequency, there is a paucity of studies with large numbers of patients. Our aim will be to establish one of the largest worldwide databases of Male Breast Cancer. This will allow us to more thoroughly investigate clinical, pathological and molecular characteristics of male breast cancer, improve treatment of these patients and potentially develop novel and innovative strategies for treatment of female breast cancer.