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Dear colleague,
Welcome to the summer edition of CancerMatters
In this, our last newsletter for 2020, Dr Jason Waithman shares his research projects on cancer immunotherapy treatments,and we hear from our successful conference grant recipient, Dr Piyush Grover who discusses his recent conference presentation. We provide a report on the neutropenic diet which was reviewed for its effectiveness for oncology patients as well as keep you up to date with WACOG's other activities.
On behalf of the team we would like to thank you so much for your ongoing support during what has been an incredibly challenging year for us all. We would like to congratulate you all on your continued efforts to reduce the impact of cancer in our community especially in light of the additional stresses that this year has brought. Finally and with great sincerity we wish you a happy, healthy and joyful Christmas and New Year.
Best wishes,
WACOG - Cancer Council WA
UPCOMING EVENTS
WACOG events will be commencing in February 2021. The scheduled events include:
- Thursday 4 February: Annual Audit of Lung Cancer Care Delivery, 6pm-8.30pm
- Thursday 11 February: Haematology Tumour Collaborative - Update, 5.30pm-7.15pm
- Thursday 18 February: February WACE Meeting: Post SABCS, 6.30pm-8.30pm
- Tuesday 23 February: Year in review: Radiation oncology, 6.30pm-8.30pm
- Thursday 25 February: Gynaecologic Collaborative Strategic Meeting, 12.30pm-4.30pm
For EOI to attend the above events, email your interest here, registrations are essential and invitations will be sent in the new year.
SPOTLIGHT ON CANCER RESEARCH
Empowering the immune system to attack melanoma and other advanced cancers
Dr. Jason Waithman is currently supported by a Cancer Council WA Fellowship (2018-2021).
Dr Waithman's research objective is to design and develop novel and effective treatments based in cancer immunotherapy for melanoma and hard-to-treat solid cancers. This fellowship has provided him the opportunity to lead a high calibre team pursuing multiple projects aimed at improving cancer control.
It is anticipated that many of these important findings will result in the development of new therapeutic options for people afflicted by cancer within our community. Currently, he is working on improving the effectiveness of adoptive cell therapy, where T cells are modified in such a way that they can target and destroy cancer cells, and to expand its utility across multiple paediatric cancers, such as melanoma, brain cancer and sarcoma.
Publications for this research include the following:
- An enhanced understanding of the immune factors that can drive aggressive cancers into a dormant state (Park et al., Nature, 2019; Park et al, Cell Stress 2019;Hochheiser, Clin Trans Immunol, 2019);
- Strategies that deliver improved cellular therapies for the treatment of both soft and solid tumours (Wylie et al., Front Immunol, 2019; Lai et al., Nature Immunol,2020; Weide et al., EMBO J, 2020; Chee et al., Epigenetics, 2020; Foley et al., Clin Transl Immunol, 2020); and
- Harnessing the body’s natural defences to eradicate cancer (Buzzai et al., Front Immunol, 2020; Lai et al., Nature Immunol, 2020; Audsley et al., Manuscript submitted to Nature Comms; Wylie et al., Manuscript in preparation).
Dr Lisa Nilsson & Professor Jonas Nilsson
New Chair of Melanoma Discovery at Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research
Professor Jonas Nilsson has been appointed the Inaugural Chair of Melanoma Discovery at the Perkins Institute of Medical Research and at the University of Western Australia. He will work with the WA Kirbride Melanoma Advisory Service (WAKMAS) to identify new treatment options for melanoma patients based on translational and clinical research. The Focus of Professor Nilsson’s research lies on furthering the understanding of the immunology and genetics of melanoma and creating humanized animal models of metastatic skin and uveal melanoma (PDX) for use in translational
research. A major interest is also to see the discoveries translated into investigator-initiated clinical trials, especially of cell therapy.
Professor Nilsson moved to Perth with his wife, senior scientist Dr Lisa Nilsson, and his two daughters from Gothenburg, Sweden, where he was Director of the Sahlgrenska Cancer Center. He will present his research at an upcoming WACOG meeting in early 2021.
2020 Inaugural WACOG Conference grant recipient – ACORD Workshop and COSA Conference recount
Medical Oncology Advanced Trainee Dr Piyush Grover, was the successful applicant for the inaugural WACOG Conference Grant Scheme. Dr Grover attended the virtual ACORD Workshop and COSA Conferences and was able to present his work on the importance of the influenza vaccination for cancer patients, and present a poster on long term haematological toxicity associated with lutetium-177-DOTA-octreotate peptide receptor radionuclide therapy in patients with gastreoenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (GEPNET).
The WACOG Conference Grants provide financial support for Advanced Medical Trainees and Oncology/Haematology Nurses to attend a medical/health related conference.
Does it even work? Reviewing the neutropenic diet for oncology patients
Authors: Kahlea Horton-French and Emma Kwok (student dieticians)
A “neutropenic”, “low microbial” or “low bacteria” diet is commonly prescribed to people undergoing cancer treatment. The diet aims to reduce the pathogenic load entering the gastrointestinal tract and reduce the risk of contracting a food-borne illness.
Cancer Council WA Masters of Dietetic students investigated the effectiveness of the diet in reducing infection rates.
POLICY & ADVOCACY
Dust disease submission
The Australian Department of Health, established a National Dust Disease Taskforce to develop a national approach to the prevention, early identification, control and management of occupational dust diseases in Australia. Recently they conducted a phase two consultation to further refine the national approach and invited public submissions. WACOG collaborated with Cancer Council Australia's KNOW Workplace Cancer Project to contribute to the consultation.
WACOG treatment refusal project
WACOG has engaged with the WA Cancer Prevention Unit (WACPRU) as part of a collaborative group (including other researchers and clinicians) to undertake a research project investigating the phenomenon of the refusal or delay of conventional cancer treatment in favour of non-conventional, alternative therapies. The project will examine issues such as:
- Clinicians' approach to addressing treatment refusal
- Whether conventional cancer treatment refusal is of concern amongst WA cancer clinicians;
- How frequently conventional treatment is refused and;
- The timing of treatment refusal (at diagnosis or part way through treatment).
WACOG- Cancer clinical trials landscape in WA
WACOG is working to understand the clinical trial space in WA. In particular we need to understand what role (if any) WACOG can play in helping to improve accessibility to clinical trials for WA cancer patients.
As a subscriber to CancerMatters you should have received an invitation to provide feedback to our anonymous survey. Please provide this vital information by 31 December 2020.
Newsletter of the Western Australian
Clinical Oncology Group
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