Molecular Classification Of Carcinoma Of Unknown Primary
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$418,250.00
Summary
Carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) is the fourth largest cause of cancer death. The condition has a particularly poor outlook, with a median survival of less than one year. Current methods for diagnosis of CUP include histopathology and sophisticated imaging. These are successful in approximately 40% of cases. Frequently the reason for the poor outcome in this disease is that the 60% of patients with CUP for whom no diagnosis is made do not benefit from chemotherapy specifically designed for a p ....Carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) is the fourth largest cause of cancer death. The condition has a particularly poor outlook, with a median survival of less than one year. Current methods for diagnosis of CUP include histopathology and sophisticated imaging. These are successful in approximately 40% of cases. Frequently the reason for the poor outcome in this disease is that the 60% of patients with CUP for whom no diagnosis is made do not benefit from chemotherapy specifically designed for a particular tumour origin. These patients receive a less effective, generic, chemotherapy. The aim of this project is to use microarrays to identify the gene expression profile in many known tumours to create a molecular fingerprint of the various tumour types. By comparing the fingerprint from a CUP with the database we should be able to identify the true tumour type in CUP, and allow patients to benefit from more specific chemotherapy.Read moreRead less
Case-control Study Of Reasons For Presentation Of Nonmelanocytic Skin Cancers At An Advanced Stage.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$250,614.00
Summary
There are about four times as many skin cancers treated in Australia each year as all other cancers combined and the vast majority of these are the nonmelanocytic skin cancers (NMSC). While most of these cancers are easily treatable, a proportion of these cancers are not given potentially effective treatment until the cancer has reached an advanced stage. Preliminary results from our pilot studies indicate that at least 50% of patients with NMSC who are treated with radiotherapy and 92% of NMSC ....There are about four times as many skin cancers treated in Australia each year as all other cancers combined and the vast majority of these are the nonmelanocytic skin cancers (NMSC). While most of these cancers are easily treatable, a proportion of these cancers are not given potentially effective treatment until the cancer has reached an advanced stage. Preliminary results from our pilot studies indicate that at least 50% of patients with NMSC who are treated with radiotherapy and 92% of NMSC patients treated with a graft or flap surgical procedure by the dermatologists in Newcastle are so treated because of the extent of disease at the primary site. These advanced stage cancers make an important contribution to the 70,000 admissions to hospital for the treatment of NMSC each year in Australia. The total direct health services cost of treatment of these skin cancers was estimated to be $232,000,000 in 1993-94, which was more than for any other type of cancer. Some 379 people died from nonmelanocytic skin cancer in Australia in 1993 and these were all potentially preventable deaths. The study aims are therefore to: 1. Measure the contributions of delay in seeking treatment and inadequate inital treatment to the need for treatment of skin cancer at an advanced stage. 2. Ascertain the factors that are associated with delay in seeking treatment for skin cancer until it has reached an advanced stage. This study will be the first substantial and population-based study of advanced skin cancer and the factors that underlie it. It will give the first empirical guidance to the design of initiatives to prevent the development of advanced skin cancer, a major area of cost to Australian health services. The study will increase understanding of why some skin cancers are not treated definitively until they reach an advanced stage and guide the development of interventions to reduce the frequency of patients who present with advanced stage skin cancer.Read moreRead less
A Novel Tumour Suppressor Function Of E2F7 In Squamous Cell Carcinoma Formation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$524,124.00
Summary
squamous cell carcinomas of the skin are the second most common skin cancer. In this proposal we present data showing that a new gene, E2F7, may play an important role in the development of squamous cell carcinoma. If true, these studies will identify a new therapeutic target that could be exploited in developing novel anticancer therapies.
Skin cancer affects 60% of Australians. Nicotinamide (vitamin B3) prevents many of sunlight’s damaging effects and reduces premalignant keratoses by 35% compared to placebo in sun-damaged individuals. We now need to test whether nicotinamide can prevent skin cancer. Skin cancer patients will receive nicotinamide or placebo for 12 months and new cancers will be counted in each group. Nicotinamide is safe, widely available and an exciting opportunity for cost-effective skin cancer prevention.
Development Of Novel EGFR Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors For The Management Of Glioma, Head And Neck And Other Cancers
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$196,527.00
Summary
Abnormalities in EGF-EGFR family signalling pathways have been implicated in many human cancers including glioma, squamous cell carcinome of the head and neck, colon, ovary and prostate, and are associated with poor clinical prognosis, non-responsiveness to chemotherapy, and decreased survival. Inhibitors of these pathways would therefore be useful anti-cancer pharmaceuticals. This proposal outlines experiments aimed at understanding the role of the individual EGFR family members in controlling ....Abnormalities in EGF-EGFR family signalling pathways have been implicated in many human cancers including glioma, squamous cell carcinome of the head and neck, colon, ovary and prostate, and are associated with poor clinical prognosis, non-responsiveness to chemotherapy, and decreased survival. Inhibitors of these pathways would therefore be useful anti-cancer pharmaceuticals. This proposal outlines experiments aimed at understanding the role of the individual EGFR family members in controlling a complex signalling network, and the development of novel small molecule inhibitors of these pathways which are specific for individual EGFR family members and which should prove effective in the management of many forms of cancer. Additionally, the potential synergy of these inhibitors in combination therapy with other anti-cancer drugs and reagents which induce cell death will be investigated. These small molecule pharmaceuticals could easily be produced commercially, and taken into clinical trials, in Australia.Read moreRead less
Rob Ramsay has had a long standing research commitment to understanding bowel and breast cancer using mouse models with defined genetic defects. These sophisticated models replicate various stages of cancer development and some have profound effects on normal tissue biology. He also uses molecular tools to investigate how genes are controlled. These approaches are providing direct input into the development of therapeutic agents for cancer treatment.
Cancers of the skin are the most common tumours in humans, and their diagnosis and treatment impose the largest costs on Australia’s cancer budget. While much has been learned about the roles of sunlight and skin type as risk factors for skin cancer, relatively little is known about the genes conferring risk. This study will compare the genetic profiles of over 6000 patients with skin cancer to 3000 people without skin cancer to pinpoint the genes responsible for skin cancer.