New High-risk Variants For Colorectal Cancer: The Post-GWAS Era
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$710,105.00
Summary
Our aim is to discover new genes that greatly increase bowel cancer risk. If we can identify these carriers we may be able to prevent them getting cancer. By studying DNA related to bowel cancer, using a novel family design, we will identify families most likely to carry the new genes. We will focus genetic testing, using new techniques, to look for mutations in these prioritised families. Identified mutations will be tested in a 3,500 bowel cancer cases to see how important they are.
Chemoradiation And Adjuvant Chemotherapy Versus Radiation Alone In High Risk And Advanced Endometrial Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$460,832.00
Summary
This trial is evaluating whether adding chemotherapy during and after radiotherapy is better than giving radiotherapy alone in patients who have advanced or high risk endometrial cancer. One group of patients will be treated after surgery with both radiotherapy and chemotherapy, followed by additional cycles of chemotherapy and the other group will receive the standard treatment which is pelvic radiation alone. This study may result in a change in the management of these patients.
Follow-up Phase Of A Randomised Trial Of Tamoxifen Or Placebo For Breast Cancer Prevention In High Risk Women.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$459,900.00
Summary
Each year over 10,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in Australia and over 2500 women die. Tamoxifen, a non-toxic tablet used to control the growth of breast cancer, has safely been taken by over a million women long term . This project measures tamoxifen's role in preventing breast cancer in high risk women compared to placebo, in a randomised double blind clinical trial. The trial has the potential to benefit many millions of women worldwide. The study is called IBIS1 (International ....Each year over 10,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in Australia and over 2500 women die. Tamoxifen, a non-toxic tablet used to control the growth of breast cancer, has safely been taken by over a million women long term . This project measures tamoxifen's role in preventing breast cancer in high risk women compared to placebo, in a randomised double blind clinical trial. The trial has the potential to benefit many millions of women worldwide. The study is called IBIS1 (International Breast cancer Intervention Study) , and is conducted in Australia by the Australian New Zealand Breast Cancer Trials Group (ANZ BCTG), and internationally by the Imperial Cancer Research Fund (ICRF) in London. On the trial women have regular, annual mammography, 6 monthly clinical checks and take a tablet each day called TAMPLAC, which is either tamoxifen or placebo. The accrual phase has been funded by the NHMRC and by November 2000 the target number of women on the trial was reached ahead of schedule - over 7000 internationally including over 2500 from Australia. Follow-up is being completed with planned data analysis within the next three years. Funding for this phase in Australia is now being sought. The ANZ BCTG and over 2500 women at increased risk of breast cancer have demonstrated a remarkable commitment to complete accrual. It is now vitally important that the essential follow-up with careful monitoring is completed to facilitate anaysis of the data at the earliest opportunity. The only other large randomised trial testing tamoxifen (NSABP P-1) ceased and unblinded in 1998, with an average follow-up of less than 4 years. This trial has had to re-commence follow-up to determine longer term tamoxifen effects. The IBIS 1 study is now the only large, blinded trial remaining in the world, and it's follow-up is of very high international importance. The completion of follow-up and the publication of results will have substantial impact worldwide.Read moreRead less
Follow-up Of A Randomised Trial Of Tamoxifen Or Placebo For Breast Cancer Prevention In High Risk Women.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$893,483.00
Summary
Each year over 10,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in Australia and over 2500 women die. Tamoxifen, a non-toxic tablet used to control the growth of breast cancer, has safely been taken by more then a million women long term . This project measures tamoxifen's role in preventing breast cancer in high risk women compared to placebo, in a randomised double blind clinical trial. The trial has the potential to benefit many millions of women worldwide. The study, IBIS I (International Bre ....Each year over 10,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in Australia and over 2500 women die. Tamoxifen, a non-toxic tablet used to control the growth of breast cancer, has safely been taken by more then a million women long term . This project measures tamoxifen's role in preventing breast cancer in high risk women compared to placebo, in a randomised double blind clinical trial. The trial has the potential to benefit many millions of women worldwide. The study, IBIS I (International Breast Cancer Intervention Study), is conducted in Australia by the Australian New Zealand Breast Cancer Trials Group (ANZ BCTG), and internationally by Cancer Research UK (CRUK). On the trial women have regular, annual mammography, 6 monthly clinical checks and take a tablet each day called TAMPLAC, which is either tamoxifen or placebo. The accrual phase has been funded by the NHMRC and the target number of women on the trial was reached ahead of schedule - 7154 internationally including 2674 from Australia. By April 2006 all women will have completed the treatment phase. Funding is now being sought, in Australia, for continued follow-up and investigations of additional risk factors (breast density and types of tumors which occur-have occurred on IBIS I). The ANZ BCTG and all the women involved in IBIS I have demonstrated remarkable commitment. It is now vitally important that the essential follow-up is completed to facilitate analysis of the data, including the post-treatment phase, as well as related risk factors and types of tumors which develop. The only other large randomised trial testing tamoxifen (NSABP P-1) ceased and was unblinded in 1998, with an average follow-up of less than 4 years, the trial had to re-commence follow-up to determine longer term tamoxifen effects. The IBIS 1 study remains the only large, blinded trial in the world, and completion of it's follow-up and analysis is of very high international importance.Read moreRead less
The Population Impact Of Human Papillomavirus Vaccination On Circulating Genotypes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$249,259.00
Summary
Infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) is very common. Persistent infection can cause abnormal changes to cervical cells as found on Pap smears and if untreated, over time can develop into cervical cancer. Recently, a vaccine was introduced in Australia for women aged 12-26. To monitor the effectiveness of this vaccine, young women aged 18-22 will be asked to self-collect a sample for HPV detection which will determine if HPV types targeted by vaccine are reducing in prevalence.
Improving Treatment Outcome In Paediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia By Minimal Residual Disease Detection And Pharmacokinetics
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$609,759.00
Summary
The main objective of this project is to make substantial improvements in the treatment of patients with childhood leukaemia by greater use of molecular diagnostics to measure minimal residual disease (MRD) and pharmacokinetic testing to determine the effectiveness of a key chemotherapy drug (PEG-L-Asparaginase) in Australian patients enrolled on an international clinical trial which has been designed to reduce the incidence of both relapses and long term side-effects.
Risk Factors Associated With The Expansion Of CGG Repeat Sequences In The FMR1 (fragile X) Gene: A Study In Tasmania
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$246,020.00
Summary
This study will identify the risk factors that lie in an individual's DNA profile for a disease called fragile X syndrome. This disease is the most common form of intellectual disability that runs in families caused by an unusual form of change in a particular gene called FMR1, whereby a very short sequence of DNA in a gene expands by repeating itself to such an extent that once it reaches a certain size the whole gene stops working and the disease occurs. The expansion in the gene is not unifor ....This study will identify the risk factors that lie in an individual's DNA profile for a disease called fragile X syndrome. This disease is the most common form of intellectual disability that runs in families caused by an unusual form of change in a particular gene called FMR1, whereby a very short sequence of DNA in a gene expands by repeating itself to such an extent that once it reaches a certain size the whole gene stops working and the disease occurs. The expansion in the gene is not uniform across the generations, and only occurs when passed on from the mother to her offspring. However, many females carrying only a short sequence may pass on, for unknown reasons, either a large expanded sequence leading to disease, or one similar in size to her own. This complexity in the progression of the number of CGG repeats means that there is a relatively large number of mothers, ~1 in 300, who are quite normal but at risk of having an affected offspring. The factors that trigger this expansion in the DNA are presently not well understood, but a number of genetic markers in the FMR1 gene have been implicated. This study will assess the contribution of an array of these genetic markers in determining the risk of expansion of the short repeat from mother to offspring and hence the risk of fragile X. Conducting this study in Tasmania has two advantages. First, by having access to genealogical records that permit the linking of fragile X families we shall be able to identify common predisposing factors of fragile X more accurately. Second, by testing the whole population with intellectual disability in one State of manageable size we shall obtain an unbiased estimate of the prevalence of fragile X.Read moreRead less