The Border’s cancer centre will become the hub of a network connecting cancer clinical trial sites across regional Victoria, the first of its kind.
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Cancer Council Victoria chief executive Todd Harper announced on Wednesday funding for the project, one of four successful applicants out of 15 submissions.
“We were looking to allocate $2.5 million to four cancer clinical trial centres across the state,” he said.
“We received high-quality applicants, and an exceptionally strong application from this centre about a regional model for cancer clinical trials.
“I think it says a lot about the leadership of this centre.”
Over three years, $630,000 will be committed to the project.
Border Medical oncologist Craig Underhill said a contribution from Australian Clinical Trials brought the investment up to almost $900,000.
“The clinical trials office here will act as a hub to support the other centres in regional Victoria,” he said.
“Sponsors of the trials will be able to submit to the clearing house here, who can disseminate the trial feasibility to the partner organisations deciding if they want to participate.
“There has been a tendency in the past where access was limited to capital cities, so we hope through this network we will be able to pick and choose and give our patients access to trials earlier.
“We have no doubt one of the reasons we’ve seen significant improvement in survival rates in this region is through access to clinical trials.”
Wodonga woman Aileen Hack is among those Border residents whose chances of surviving cancer have been strengthened by trials, in her case, one known as BR.31.
“I was diagnosed with lung cancer in July 2015,” she said.
“I had surgery first and then chemotherapy in Melbourne for nine months, and now here for three months.
“When I had the operation, I asked the surgeon if there was any chance on getting on a trial, and that’s where it started.”
Mrs Hack’s immune system has so far been successfully boosted by the drug in a bid to prevent recurrence and she will continue to be monitored after her final treatment next month.
Dr Underhill said Border cancer patients would be the major winners in streamlining cancer trials across regional Victoria.
“There’s a plethora of trials coming through … it’s a very exciting time for oncology at the moment,” he said.