Circulating Tumour DNA (ctDNA) As A Diagnostic Tool In Colorectal Cancer: Role In Screening And Early Detection Of Metastatic Or Recurrent Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$500,478.00
Summary
These studies will be exploring the value of using a blood test to detect cancer DNA as a screening test for colorectal cancer. This test promises to be superior to faecal blood testing, which is currently performed as part of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program. It may also have advantages over colonoscopy as a screening tool. Given the likely acceptability of having a blood based screening test, it is expected that participation rates in bowel cancer screening, which has been shown to ....These studies will be exploring the value of using a blood test to detect cancer DNA as a screening test for colorectal cancer. This test promises to be superior to faecal blood testing, which is currently performed as part of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program. It may also have advantages over colonoscopy as a screening tool. Given the likely acceptability of having a blood based screening test, it is expected that participation rates in bowel cancer screening, which has been shown to save lives, will be greatly increased.Read moreRead less
Massively Parallel Sequencing And PCR Optimised For DNA-based Diagnostics And Discovery
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$201,664.00
Summary
The next generation of medical diagnostics and discovery in disease research will involve the marriage of PCR, a tool used to amplify large amounts of DNA from small starting quantities, and �next generation� sequencing, a way to sequence lots and lots of DNA on a single instrument run. This study aims to describe methods which allow scientists to screen hundreds of disease genes in hundreds of people simultaneously with high accuracy and high efficiency.
Identification And Erradication Of Pre-malignant B Cells In The Prevention Of Lymphoma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$607,771.00
Summary
B Cell Lymphoma is the most frequent type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in adults and despite improved treatment, 40-50% of patients succumb to their disease. T cells are critical in the in the prevention B cell lymphoma development. In this project we aim to identify the earliest stages of B cell lymphoma and mechanisms of escape from T cell control with the ultimate aim to translate these findings to human studies to improve disease diagnosis, treatment and prognosis.
Quantifying Breast Cancer Over-diagnosis In An Organized Mammography Screening Program
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$92,314.00
Summary
While breast screening reduces breast cancer deaths by finding cancers earlier, it may also find cancers that would never have required treatment. Currently there is no clear consensus about the level over-diagnosis. This study will examine the extent of over-diagnosis by comparing the breast screening histories of women diagnosed with breast cancer and women who have not had breast cancer. Findings will inform policy on breast screening in Australia.
Simultaneous Imaging And Drug Delivery For Prostate Cancer Theranostics
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$565,205.00
Summary
Prostate cancer (PC) is the most common cancer in men over 50. The answers to the key questions in advanced PC (Who to treat, and how to treat: loco-regionally or systemically?) rest with clinical staging – something that has hitherto been very imprecise. We have generated a highly-sensitive 19F-molecular imaging agent which could help resolve both questions and create a targeted therapy, diminishing the burden of harm of today’s therapies by using nanoparticles to diagnose and treat PC.
The CRE is a collaboration of researchers who have a national and strategic focus for research into asbestos related diseases and cancers. The National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases provides a platform to build on Australia’s existing research expertise and encourages strong organisational linkages to ensure our research is systematic and complementary to existing research efforts in the area of asbestos related diseases.
Investigating The Utility Of Primary Care Skin Cancer Clinics In Queensland
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$187,000.00
Summary
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Australia, with an estimated 375,000 people being treated for some skin cancer in Australia in 2002, and 1462 dying from the disease (mainly from melanoma) in 2001. Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer, both melanoma and non-melanoma is the world. However, if detected early, skin cancer is curable, and the focus of current treatment programs internationally is to detect the disease before it progresses to an advanced stage. A large proportion of ....Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Australia, with an estimated 375,000 people being treated for some skin cancer in Australia in 2002, and 1462 dying from the disease (mainly from melanoma) in 2001. Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer, both melanoma and non-melanoma is the world. However, if detected early, skin cancer is curable, and the focus of current treatment programs internationally is to detect the disease before it progresses to an advanced stage. A large proportion of skin cancers are first detected by the non-medical community. However, due to the two-tiered medical system in Australia, a person first seeks medical opinion from a general practitioner (GP), who acts as a gatekeeper for further treatment from a specialist. Therefore the ability of GPs to be able to discern which lesions require further treatment is crucial, both for the patient, and the financial burden on the health system. A recent development has been the establishment of dedicated primary skin care clinics, which offer open access consultations to the community for the diagnosis and treatment of skin cancers and pigmented lesions. The emergence of these clinics has created much debate in the medical media. Concern has been expressed about the skills of practitioners in these clinics, whilst others argue that sub-specialisation in primary care will lead to improvements in the management of patients. As there is currently no data on the volume, casemix and diagnostic accuracy of these clinics it is difficult to assess the diagnostic ability of skin cancer clinics. This will be the first project to quantify the role of skin clinics in the diagnosis of skin cancer in the community, and in particular their case volume, casemix and diagnostic accuracy, and assess these measures in relation to a comparable sample of general practitioners. Queensland is an ideal location for a study of this type due to its high incidence of both types of skin cancer.Read moreRead less
Improving Cancer Management By Direct Detection With Diffusion-weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$421,549.00
Summary
Despite reliable methods of prostate and breast cancer diagnosis there remains considerable uncertainty as to whether the detected disease will have a significant impact on a patient’s quality of life. This uncertainty is largely due to the inability of current detection methods to show the extent of disease. This project will address this problem by developing new MRI methods that directly measure the microscopic tissue properties that define cancer.
Lymphoedema can occur secondary to treatment for cancer. It is currently diagnosed using methods which do not allow for early diagnosis, allowing significant tissue damage to occur before treatment is commenced. The aim of this research proposal is to improve the detection and diagnosis of lymphoedema so that it can be treated as early as possible, preventing permanent tissue damage and potentially improving prognosis.