A Randomized Trial Of Idarubicin Dose Escalation In Consolidation Therapy For Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$425,000.00
Summary
This project is a clinical trial to test the value of giving a higher than usual dose of one of the most important anti-cancer drugs, called idarubicin, in the initial treatment of adults with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This disease is the most serious form of leukemia in adults, and is usually treated with strong anti-cancer drugs, including idarubicin. Research in Australia and overseas has shown that increasing the doses of the other major drug (called cytarabine) used to t ....This project is a clinical trial to test the value of giving a higher than usual dose of one of the most important anti-cancer drugs, called idarubicin, in the initial treatment of adults with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This disease is the most serious form of leukemia in adults, and is usually treated with strong anti-cancer drugs, including idarubicin. Research in Australia and overseas has shown that increasing the doses of the other major drug (called cytarabine) used to treat AML in adults results in a doubling of the number of people cured of this disease, given that they have achieved a remission. This project will examine whether there is a similar benefit of increasing the idarubicin dose beyond that which has been conventionally used up to date. People who have AML diagnosed at one of the Australian hospitals participating in this study will receive initial treatment with an established drug combination. Those patients achieving a good response to the first treatment will then be randomly allocated to receive 2 further courses of treatment, one with a conventional dose of idarubicin, and the other with double the idarubicin dose. All patients will then be assesed for side effects of the treatment, and followed for at least 3 years for any signs of recurrence of their leukemia.Read moreRead less
A Clinical Trial Of Partially HLA-matched Unrelated Donor Microtransplantation For Prevention Of Relapse In Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukaemia Ineligible For Standard Haemopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$154,828.00
Summary
Acute myeloid leukaemia has a poor prognosis in patients unable to undergo bone marrow transplant, in particular in the elderly. No proven therapy improves their poor outcome. There is an urgent need to identify clinically applicable, non-toxic therapies for this group of patients. We will perform a clinical trial of "microtransplantation" using unrelated stem cell donors in combination with chemotherapy to try to reduce the relapse rate in these patients without the toxic effects of standard st ....Acute myeloid leukaemia has a poor prognosis in patients unable to undergo bone marrow transplant, in particular in the elderly. No proven therapy improves their poor outcome. There is an urgent need to identify clinically applicable, non-toxic therapies for this group of patients. We will perform a clinical trial of "microtransplantation" using unrelated stem cell donors in combination with chemotherapy to try to reduce the relapse rate in these patients without the toxic effects of standard stem cell transplantation.Read moreRead less
The Use Of Minimal Residual Disease Detection To Improve Treatment Outcome In Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$374,625.00
Summary
Leukaemia is the most common childhood cancer, representing approximately 35% of all cases. Despite intensive therapy, the disease frequently recurs in the bone marrow and although children are classified into good and poor prognosis groups at diagnosis based on a number of criteria, relapses nevertheless occur in both groups. Evidence obtained by ourselves and others, suggests that early detection of poor treatment response in the otherwise good prognosis group, and the implementation of altern ....Leukaemia is the most common childhood cancer, representing approximately 35% of all cases. Despite intensive therapy, the disease frequently recurs in the bone marrow and although children are classified into good and poor prognosis groups at diagnosis based on a number of criteria, relapses nevertheless occur in both groups. Evidence obtained by ourselves and others, suggests that early detection of poor treatment response in the otherwise good prognosis group, and the implementation of alternative therapy when the cancer burden is at a low level, has a high likelihood of improving patient survival. In this regard, we have recently developed a novel molecular genetic technique that can detect and quantitate very low levels of residual leukaemia with great sensitivity and specificity. This technique is ideally suited for use in the routine clinical setting, and as a result of this development, we have now established a clinical trial (ANZCCSG Study VIII) in which patients who have a bad result on this test, will be given more intensive treatment to see if this improves survival rates. A number of research questions will also be addressed in this trial including whether the level of residual leukaemia at the end of therapy is able to predict future relapse that would otherwise not be suspected. It is anticipated that the clinical trial will help define the most appropriate treatment strategies for children with leukaemia. This project, which is at the forefront of such studies worldwide, has major implications for the therapeutic management of children with leukaemia and has the potential of contributing directly to the improved survival of this most common of childhood cancers.Read moreRead less
Cellular And Molecular Determinants That Regulate Osteoblasts At The Endosteal Niche During HSC Mobilisation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$178,523.00
Summary
Treatments for leukaemia (e.g. chemotherapy) severely deplete immune and blood cells from patients. Transplantation of new blood forming cells (blood stem cells) into these patients is essential, but challenges are faced with isolating sufficient numbers in ways that preserve their ability to reconstitute the blood post transplant. My research aims to advance understanding of current methods used to isolate these cells and ultimately to improve the success of blood stem cell transplantation.