Clinical Research - Radiation Oncology
Clinical Research - Radiation Oncology - Peter Mac Cancer Centre
| The primary purpose of research in Radiation Oncology, Diagnostic and Molecular Imaging, Physical Sciences and Radiation Therapy Services is to enhance the treatment of cancer patients, using radiotherapy, both as a single modality, and particularly, combined modality therapy using novel chemotherapy and targeted therapy agents. | ||||||
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| Division of Radiation Oncology Staff >> | ||||||
| Students >> | ||||||
| Division of Radiation Oncology >> | ||||||
| Funding >> | ||||||
Division of Radiation Oncology Research Staff | ||||||
| Radiation Oncology | ||||||
| Prof Gillian Duchesne - Director, Division of Radiation Oncology A/Prof Michael MacManus - Associate Director, Research A/Prof Boon Chua – Deputy Chair, Breast Service A/Prof Trevor Leong - Site Director, Moorabbin Dr Andrew Wirth - Site Director, Box Hill Dr Pat Bowden - Site Director, Epworth Dr Michael Lim-Joon - Site Director, Bendigo A/Prof David Ball - Deputy Director, DRO, Chair Lung Service Dr Farshad Foroudi – Chair, Urology Service Dr June Corry – Chair, Head and Neck Service A/Prof Kailash Narayan – Chair, Gynaecology Service Dr Gail Ryan - Consultant Radiation Oncologist Dr Scott Williams - Consultant Radiation Oncologist Dr Sam Ngan - Consultant Radiation Oncologist Dr Keen Hun Tai - Consultant Radiation Oncologist Dr Claire Phillips - Consultant Radiation Oncologist Dr Greg Wheeler – Chair Paeds and Late effects Dr Matthew Seel - Consultant Radiation Oncologist Ms Virginia Tuckwell - Division Research Manager Dr Kylie Hewitt – Study Co-ordinator, East Melbourne Dr Jessica Faggian - Study Co-ordinator, Moorabbin Ms Cathy Anderson - Study Co-ordinator, Bendigo | ||||||
| Physical Sciences | ||||||
| Prof Tomas Kron – Principal Research Physicist A/Prof Annette Haworth - Clinical Research Physicist | ||||||
| Radiation Therapy Services | ||||||
| Aldo Rolfo – Director Radiation Therapy Services Kellie Knight – VCA Research Fellow David Willis - Research Radiation Therapist Sarah Everitt - Research Radiation Therapist Rebecca Owen - Research Radiation Therapist Kate Wilkinson – Head RT Education | ||||||
Students | ||||||
| Radiation Therapy | ||||||
| Kate Wilkinson - PhD Sarah Everitt - PhD Rebecca Owen - PhD Richard Oates –MPhil | ||||||
| Physical Sciences | ||||||
| Ajit Mullen - MSc Mebratu Madebo - MSc May Whitaker - MSc Trevor Ackerly - PhD | ||||||
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| Division of Radiation Oncology | ||||||
| Our integrated research efforts range from basic science in cancer biology and physics, through translational research using molecular biological and imaging methods to clinical trials of innovative treatment strategies. The program has led the world in using PET/CT to define treatment target volumes in lung and oesophageal cancers and is Australia’s leader and ranked in the top 5-10% of academic radiation oncology programs internationally. Significant change and increase of complexity of radiotherapy treatment technology is enabling further refinement of brachytherapy and external beam radiotherapy methods, the development of image guided radiotherapy and patient motion management; use of novel ‘diagnostic imaging devices’ to assess the impact of organ motion on planning dosimetry; and target volume assessments. Increased integration of imaging into the radiotherapy process is a key focus. The successful program assessing the utility of molecular imaging in staging, biological characterisation and treatment and response assessment, together with the development of clinical dose escalation and body stereotactic irradiation approaches using PET/CT defined target volumes and gated acquisition of target volumes and with gated therapy delivery, are major areas of research. Some examples of recently initiated studies include evaluation of segmentation and deformable registration tools for adaptive radiotherapy based on datasets acquired on Siemens Primatom ™, adjuvant chest wall irradiation in intermediate-risk operable breast cancer following mastectomy; targeted intra-operative radiotherapy with conventional post-operative radiotherapy after conservative breast surgery for women with early stage breast cancer; MRI and bone marrow characterization. Research in the Division of Radiation Oncology is growing at a rapid rate. As well as clinician researchers we have a very active group of physicists and radiation therapists. Much of the research is investigator-initiated and multidisciplinary, and is increasingly attracting peer-reviewed funding. The Division is also actively involved in clinical trials; we have strong links with the Trans Tasman Radiation Oncology Group (TROG) and have recently become a member of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG), one of only three groups outside of North America. | ||||||
Funding | ||||||
| Current Competitive Research Grants | ||||||
| NHMRC Project Grant RAVES - Radiotherapy Adjuvant Versus Early Salvage following radical prostatectomy. A Kneebone, S Williams, M Frydenberg, G Duchesne, R Fisher, L Kenny, $775,000 (2009-2013) with University of Newcastle NHMRC Project Grant PORTEC-3 M Quinn, L Mileshkin, P Khaw, C Creutzberg, M Friedlander, M Gainford $443,125 ( 2009-2013) with University of Sydney NHMRC Project Grant High spatial resolution dosimetry for radioactive plaques used for radiotherapy of eye lesions A Rozenfeld, T Kron, P Metcalfe, M Lerch, M Carolan, M Conway $344,250 (2009-2011) with University of Wollongong. NHMRC Project Grant Molecular imaging of brain tumours B Moffat, E Lau, K Drummond. $396,375 (2009-2011) Cancer Australia & Cancer Council Australia Randomised Phase III study of preop-chemoradiotherapy versus preop-chemotherapy for resectable gastric cancer (TOP GEAR) T Leong & AGITG $596,625 (2009-2011) Cancer Australia Priority-driven Collaborative Cancer Research Scheme A randomised trial of stereotactic versus conventional radiotherapy for inoperable stage IA non-small cell lung cancer D Ball, T Kron, P Schofield, J Miller, M Mac Manus, B Solomon $260,000 (2009-2011) VCA Platform Technology Capacity Building Grant Victorian wide web-based electronic learning program for Image Guided Radiotherapy. Farshad Foroudi $445,328 (2009) VCA Clinical Research Fellowship Multi-site randomised study to investigate the optimal bladder filling instructions for prostate cancer patients undergoing radical radiation therapy. Kellie Knight $500,000 (2009-2012) VCA Link & Learn Grant Funding to travel to The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam and VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam. Julie Miller $5,000 (2009) VCA Link & Learn Grant Funding to travel to Stanford Cancer Centre, California Y Aarons $4,780 (2009) VCA Link & Learn Grant 2009 Funding to travel to Montreal, Canada for Course/Conference hosted by Paediatric Radiation Oncology Society Centre, France. DTongs $5,000 (2009) Varian Collaborative Research Grant Adaptive radiotherapy for bladder cancer G Duchesne, F Foroudi, T Kron, A Rolfo, D Willis US $93,750 (2009) Victorian Cancer Agency Clinical Trial Funding (Tumour Stream) A prospective study investigating the impact of serial PET/CT scans on the radiation therapy treatment of patients with lung cancer. S Everitt $250,000 (2008-2010) Victorian Cancer Agency Clinical Trial Funding (Pilot) A study of online adaptive radiation therapy for bladder cancer F Foroudi $65,100 (2008) NHMRC Project Grant Determination of unwanted radiation dose outside of the radiotherapy treatment field T Kron, B Chua, D Willis, A Wirth, P Johnston, R Franich. $320,522 (2008-2010) with RMIT NHMRC Project Grant Radiotherapy vs chemotherapy for low grade gliomas stratified for genetic 1p loss: efficacy and quality of life benefits. G Ryan, M Rosenthal, D Joseph, E Hovey, D Walker $385,000 (2008-2012) NHMRC Project Grant A prospective single arm trial of involved field radiotherapy alone for stage I-II low grade non-gastric marginal zone lymphoma M Mac Manus, A Wirth, J Seymour $342,250 (2007-2011) NHMRC Project Grant A randomised phase III study of radiation doses and fractionation schedules in non-low risk ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast B Chua, R Balleine, G Delaney, M McKay, P Schofield, I Campbell $1.65 million (2007-2011) NHMRC Project Grant A multicentre feasibility study of accelerated partial breast irradiation using three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy for early beast cancer B Chua, T Kron, G Morgan, P Schofield, D Willis $150,000 (2007-2009) NHMRC Project Grant Value of androgen deprivation and bisphosphonate therapy in patients treated by radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer J Denham, D Joseph, G Duchesne, J Ball $2.3 million (2007-2011) NHMRC Project Grant TARGIT, an international randomised controlled trial to compare targeted intra-operative radiotherapy with conventional post-operative radiotherapy after conservative breast surgery for women with early stage breast cancer. B Chua, D Joseph, C Saunders, M Bulsara, T Corica 738,250 (2006-2010) NHMRC Enabling Grant D Ball, P O'Brien, B Burmeister, G Duchesne, D Joseph $1.39million (2005-2009) |
