Breast Cancer Trials: Recent Episodes
Breast Cancer Trials
Breast Cancer Trials is a group of world-leading breast cancer doctors and researchers based in Australia and New Zealand, with a commitment to exploring and finding better treatments for people affected by breast cancer through clinical trials research. The Breast Cancer Trials Podcast is a platform to share the latest in breast cancer research, to share stories and experiences of those who have had breast cancer, and to help explain topics around breast cancer and clinical trials research. www.breastcancertrials.org.au
Naomi Richards is a wife and mum of three daughters, Mila, Lottie, and Eden, living in Wagga Wagga, Australia.
In 2023, Naomi felt a lump in her left breast, and after undergoing days of testing, including a mammogram and an ultrasound, she was diagnosed with breast cancer on March 8th, 2023, which also happens to be International Women's Day.
We spoke with Naomi about her shock diagnosis, navigating breast cancer with a young family, and the importance of supporting breast cancer clinical trials research.
Jenna Dean is a Radiation Therapist at the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre, with an interest in patient-centered care, research, breast planning, and particle therapy.
This is the third year of the Breast Cancer Trials Clinical Fellowship Program, and Jenna has been successful in receiving a fellowship in 2024.
Her project is called OPRAH MRL and will investigate the benefits and limitations of lying on your stomach versus lying on your back during treatment with the MR Linac (a magnetic imaging machine), to see which patients will benefit more from either treatment position.
Find out more in this episode!
Naveena Nekkalapudi is a member of the Breast Cancer Trials Consumer Advisory Panel, where members provide a patient's perspective in the development of trials and the conduct of our research program.
Naveena was diagnosed with Stage 3, Grade 3, Triple Negative breast cancer on Christmas Eve in 2014, after finding a lump in her breast during a self-examination. Due to the long-term side effects of her treatment, Naveena is unable to return to full-time work.
However, she is still working part-time and trying to make a difference in the lives of other people who have been diagnosed with breast cancer
Dr Tivya Kulasegaran is a Medical Oncologist at the University of Queensland's Centre for Clinical Research.
This is the third year of the Breast Cancer Trials Clinical Fellowship Program and Dr Kulasegaran has been successful in receiving a fellowship in 2024. Her project involves establishing tools for the early detection of Invasive Lobular Carcinoma, that aims to improve clinical practice and treatments for patients.
We spoke with Dr Kulasegaran about her project and what she is hoping to achieve through this research.
Dr Kylie Snook is a Breast Surgeon based in Sydney, Australia, and the Vice-President of BreastSurgANZ, with an interest in implant reconstruction.
We spoke with Dr Snook about the treatment changes that have occurred over recent years in breast reconstruction and radiotherapy, and the importance of giving patients a choice when it comes to their treatment.
East's Leisure and Golf Club is one of the longest-supporting golf clubs in Australia of Breast Cancer Trials. The club held its first fundraising event in 1997, the inaugural year of the Tee Off fundraising program, initially referred to as ‘Chip-In’.
We spoke to their Lady President, Caroline Norrie, about the event, and why they continue to support breast cancer clinical trials research.
Ann-Maree is an Aqua Aerobics Instructor who runs a class known as Aquafit, and has hosted a number of events to support the research of Breast Cancer Trials.
This year, the event raised an incredible $3,700, and we spoke with Ann-Maree about the Aquafit community, her inspiration behind the event, and the importance of breast cancer clinical trials research.
Dr Belinda Kiely is a Medical Oncologist working at both Campbelltown and Concord Hospitals in Sydney, specialising in breast cancer treatment.
We spoke with Dr Kiely about Multigene Assays, which look at tumour samples and genes that can predict the risk of recurrence in patients.
Dr Holly Keane is a Breast Surgeon at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne, with an interest in the areas of pain management and tailored screening for breast cancer patients.
We spoke with Dr Keane about pain after breast cancer therapy, its implications on day-to-day life for breast cancer patients, and some ways to reduce pain during recovery.
Dr Cristin Print is a Professor of Pathology and Molecular Medicine in Auckland, New Zealand.
Dr Print has an interest in bioinformatics in breast cancer, which involves taking large amounts of data and distilling clinically useful information from that data.
We spoke to him about the opportunities for research in this area, and how it can be used to generate better care for future patients.
For many young women with a breast cancer diagnosis, starting a family following their treatment can be a primary point of concern.
The POSITIVE clinical trial was looking to investigate if it was safe to temporarily stop endocrine therapy in young women with estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer, who wanted to become pregnant after their breast cancer diagnosis.
We spoke with Professor Christobel Saunders about the outcomes of this clinical trial.
Ms Karen Alexander has been a member of the Breast Cancer Trials Consumer Advisory Panel since 2017. She was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer in 2011 and carries a BRCA1 gene mutation.
We spoke with Karen about the importance of consumer-led research.
Dr Ben Green is a Breast Surgeon in Brisbane, Australia, with an interest in the current oncoplastic and reconstruction capabilities in 2023 and beyond.
We spoke with Dr Green about breast reconstruction, techniques to preserve the breast, and the importance of using the breast shape to your advantage during reconstruction to achieve the best outcome for patients.
Dr Cindy Tan is a dietician working in a cancer survivorship clinic at the University of Sydney, who is researching lifestyle interventions to improve diet and exercise for cancer survivors, as well as the psychosocial aspects of cancer recovery.
We spoke with Dr Tan about the importance of dietary considerations for patients with early-stage breast cancer.
Dr Richard Isaacs is a Medical Oncologist at Palmerston North Hospital in New Zealand, with an interest in delayed nausea after chemotherapy. His interest in this area began when he was involved in the administration of chemotherapy to his wife, who suffered from extreme nausea during her treatment.
We spoke to Dr Isaacs about the PantoCIN clinical trial, which is looking to prevent delayed nausea and vomiting in patients who have received chemotherapy.
Professor Sibylle Loibl is the Chair of the German Breast Group and a Professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Goethe University of Frankfurt.
Professor Loibl was an International Guest Speaker at Breast Cancer Trials 44th Annual Scientific Meeting in Auckland, New Zealand and we asked her about her research in the area of Neoadjuvant Treatment for Triple Negative Breast Cancer.
Alastair Thompson is a Professor of Surgery and Associate Director of the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Centre, at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston Texas.
Professor Thompson was an International Guest Speaker at Breast Cancer Trials 44th Annual Scientific Meeting in Auckland, New Zealand and we asked him about his research in the areas of DCIS, Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy, and postoperative recovery.
Professor Philip Poortmans is a Radiation Oncologist at Iridium Netwerk and the University of Antwerp in Belgium.He completed his medical studies at the University of Antwerp and was trained as a Radiation Oncologist at the Middelheim and Vincentius Hospitals in Antwerp.Professor Poortmans was an International Guest Speaker at the Breast Cancer Trials Annual Scientific Meeting in Auckland, New Zealand and we asked him about his research in the area of axillary management.
Professor Fran Boyle is a highly experienced Medical Oncologist who specialises in the areas of breast cancer and melanoma. She is passionate about making advances in this field and her practice focuses on researching new treatments as well as developing care and communication.
We spoke with Professor Boyle about the importance of using respectful and inclusive language in breast cancer care, so that patients can understand and make informed decisions about their treatment.
Associate Professor Andrew Redfern is a Medical Oncologist and Translational Researcher from Western Australia, with a particular interest in understanding why breast cancer treatments may or may not work in certain population groups.
Part of his focus is working with Aboriginal Australians to try and answer this question.
Jenni Scarlet is a Research Nurse and Clinical Trial Coordinator at Waikato Hospital in Auckland, New Zealand. Her role involves coordinating clinical trials from their set-up stage, obtaining ethics approvals, enrolling and following up with patients, and reporting and analysis of trial information.
During her career of more than 25 years, she has seen vast improvements in patient care and outcomes due to breast cancer trials research. We spoke to Jenni about her experiences in cancer care and why she supports breast cancer trials.
Jan White is a 75-year-old retired Nurse living in Auckland, who used to work in health, disability, and aged care. Since she can remember, Jan has been having 2-yearly mammograms, and like any other appointment, she went in asymptomatic, and expecting the ‘all clear’.
However, the mammogram displayed a lump in her breast,and she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Jan is a participant in the EXPERT clinical trial, which aims to improve personalized use of radiation therapy in early breast cancer patients.
We spoke with Jan about her diagnosis and her decision to participate in a clinical trial.
Despite CALD Australians representing almost a third of the population, they are often excluded from clinical trials research within Australia. Barriers can include a mistrust and lack of comfort around the clinical trials process, lack of information and resources, time constraints, financial burden, and geographic location.
Dr Rob McNeill is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Auckland, and we spoke to him about his research into the challenges of recruiting Indigenous and CALD patients to clinical trials.
OLIO is an immunotherapy clinical trial which is examining whether the addition of olaparib to standard chemotherapy, with or without durvalumab, will improve outcomes for young, pre-menopausal women with high-risk, early breast cancer. Dr Stephen Luen is the Study Chair of the OLIO clinical trial, and we spoke to him about the aim of this research, how it might improve patient outcomes, and his hopes for the future of breast cancer research.
Maria Bodnar is a retired nurse, living in Victoria Australia with her husband. In 2013 Maria went in for her routine Breast Screen test and the following day she received a call from one of the nurses asking her to come in so they could review her results, and Maria knew it was breast cancer.
Maria is a participant in the TUGETHER clinical trial, which aims to find out if adding tucatinib and pembrolizumab to the usual treatment given to people with advanced (metastatic) HER2-positive breast cancer, slows down the growth of the cancer. We spoke to Maria about her diagnosis and her decision to participate in a clinical trial.
As part of Breast Cancer Trials Clinical Fellowship Program, Dr. Julia Matheson is working on a project that will continue research on the existing clinical trial called the Breast MRI Evaluation Study, which aims to establish when breast MRIs improve patient outcomes.
The focus of this Clinical Fellowship project will be assessing the participant experience of undergoing Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) using patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). The hypothesis is that having a breast MRI will influence patient preferences for surgery, satisfaction with decision-making, and confidence in treatment.
Find out more about the aim of this research and some of the barriers to accessing breast MRIs in this episode.
Breast Cancer Trials International Clinical Fellowship Support aims to financially assist promising junior researchers to gain international experience and connections. Dr. Julia Dixon-Douglas has been awarded support in the first year of the program and is heading to France to study novel therapies for breast cancer. Her research may help improve our understanding of which patients will have the greatest benefit from these treatments and how they are best administered to patients. We asked Dr Dixon-Douglas to give an overview of her project and explain the importance of this research.
Sham was born in Iraq in the middle east but has lived in Melbourne with her parents and 2 children for the last 7 years. In 2019 Sham was diagnosed with breast cancer, after noticing some pain in her right breast while at work. She is a participant in the CAPTURE clinical trial, which aims to identify women and men with hormone-receptor positive, metastatic breast cancer, who may benefit from a novel combination of drugs that may improve progression-free survival and offer a new treatment option.
We spoke to Sham about her diagnosis and her decision to participate in a clinical trial.
As part of Breast Cancer Trials clinical fellowship program, Dr Adam Ofri is working on two research projects focusing on de-escalation of treatment. His first study, called the ‘Targeted Axillary Dissection Based Study’, is aiming to evaluate the armpit nodes after chemotherapy, in the hopes that fewer nodes will need to be removed during surgery, whilst still providing the same control of cancer in the armpit area. His second study, called the ‘Decision RT Based Study’ is focusing on Decision RT which is a test that is being developed to examine breast tissue from patients with DCIS to measure the benefit they would receive from radiotherapy, in the hopes to potentially avoid patients receiving unnecessary radiotherapy. Find out more in our latest podcast episode.
Diane Barker lives in Sydney with her husband Mike, their daughter Eva, and their dog Boston. In December 2020, at just 44 years of age, Diane was diagnosed with locally advanced triple negative breast cancer.
We spoke with Diane about her diagnosis, her decision to participate in a clinical trial and the importance of supporting breast cancer clinical trials research.
Since 1978, Breast Cancer Trials has conducted a number of clinical trials which have changed the way we treat breast cancer, saved lives and improved patient quality of life. We spoke with one of our founders, Professor Alan Coates AM, about the ANZ8101 and BIG 1-98 clinical trials, which were practice changing research and still have relevance today.
Professor Coates discusses the changes he has seen to breast cancer treatments as a result of these trials and his excitement about the future of breast cancer research.
Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (ILC) is the second most common subtype of breast cancer, with 2,400 new cases each year in Australia.
Patients with ILC may have a poorer outcome over time and the cancer has a tendency to metastasize to atypical sites such as the gastrointestinal tract, gynaecological organs or orbit (eye).
We spoke with Dr Sokolova about her research project, which will examine a new treatment approach directed at ILC.
Approximately 70% of women experience moderate to high levels of fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) and up to 15% experience severe, disabling FCR characterised by constant, intrusive thoughts about cancer; interpretation of mild, unrelated symptoms as a sign of recurrence; a belief that cancer will return regardless of actual prognosis; and an inability to plan for the future due to cancer worry. FCR is a routine reason for seeking professional clinical support and is associated with psychological distress, poorer social and occupational functioning, and increased health care costs.
This study will provide useful exploratory data from the PROSPECT clinical trial, about the association between therapy de-escalation by omitting radiation therapy and FCR. It will also examine FCR and quality of life in women with DCIS.
Endocrine Therapy or hormone therapy is treatment that tries to block or reduce circulating estrogens, which is what drives majority of breast cancers. Dr Belinda Yeo is a Medical Oncologist at the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre in Melbourne, who is researching the level of therapy that breast cancer patients require, to minimise toxicity in treatment. She was a guest speaker at the 2022 Breast Cancer Trials Annual Scientific Meeting, and we asked Dr Yeo to explain her research project on Endocrine Therapy.
Dr David Okonji is a Medical Oncologist at Wellington Hospital in New Zealand, who is researching into metastatic breast cancer, asking the question: Are we curing HER+ Metastatic Breast Cancer? He was a guest speaker at the 2022 Breast Cancer Trials Annual Scientific Meeting, and we asked Dr Okonji to explain his research on this topic.
Associate Professor Lesley Stafford is a clinical psychologist in psycho-oncology and women’s health, with a specific interest in women with or at risk of breast cancer. She consults in the Breast Service and Familial Cancer Centre at the Royal Melbourne Hospital as well as in private practice, and is an Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne.
Dr Shom Goel is a clinician-scientist at the University of Melbourne and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, with a strong interest in Translational Breast Cancer Research. He was a guest speaker at the 2022 Breast Cancer Trials Annual Scientific Meeting and we asked Dr Goel to explain his research in CDK4/6 inhibitors and where research is going in the future.
Finding My Way is an online coping program for individuals who have been diagnosed with cancer. The program is designed to support people through their cancer diagnosis, as well as help to provide strategies to live well despite this diagnosis. We talk with Associate Professor Lisa Beatty as she explains what 'Finding My Way' is and how it was initiated.
As part of a Clinical Fellowship project with Breast Cancer Trials, Dr Christine Muttiah is aiming to assist in the clinical conduct of the BRCA-P study in the hopes to increase recruitment across all 14 Breast Cancer Trials BRCA-P sites. We asked Dr Muttiah to provide an overview of this project and its aims.
As part of a Clinical Fellowship project with Breast Cancer Trials, Dr Elizabeth Blackley is working on a study that involves the collection of data and the development of a registry on breast cancer incidents, treatment outcomes and quality of life metrics in young Australian women. The aim is to help form a streamlined model of care for young women and offer various support services to help them through their diagnosis.
As part of a Clinical Fellowship project with Breast Cancer Trials, Dr Elizabeth Blackley is working on a study that involves the collection of data and the development of a registry on breast cancer incidents, treatment outcomes and quality of life metrics in young Australian women. The aim is to help form a streamlined model of care for young women and offer various support services to help them through their diagnosis.
Dr Elizabeth Blackley is working on a study that involves the collection of data and the development of a registry on breast cancer incidence, treatment, outcomes, and quality of life metrics in young Australian women. The aim is to help form a streamlined model of care for young women and support services, such as genetic counselling, psychosocial support, fertility specialist consultation, survivorship, premature menopause, and sexual health clinics.
Dr Christine Muttiah is aiming to assist in the clinical conduct of the BRCA-P study and is focusing on strategic communication and leadership to enable sites to develop and establish recruitment pathways through familial cancer and risk management clinics; in the hopes to increase recruitment across all 14 Breast Cancer Trials BRCA-P sites.
While there is no way to prevent breast cancer, there are steps that can be taken to lower one’s risk of being diagnosed, particularly for women with a strong family history or those who carry a gene mutation. Dr Wanda Cui is a Medical Oncologist at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and is researching into breast cancer prevention within the risk management clinic. We asked Dr Cui to explain her research on Breast Cancer Prevention.
Professor Prue Francis is a Medical Oncologist and the Clinical Head of Breast Medical Oncology at the Perter McCallum Cancer Centre. Professor Francis is researching into Metastatic breast cancer, asking the question: Does Detecting Metastatic Disease Early Make a Difference? We asked Professor Francis to explain her research on this topic.
Dr Hope Rugo is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr Rugo is a Principal Investigator of multiple clinical trials focusing on combining novel targeted therapeutics with standard treatment. We asked Dr Rugo to explain her research topic: New Options in HR+ Breast Cancer – TROPICS-02 and beyond.
Health economics is used in clinical trials to ensure information is being collected in the right way, so that it can be provided to the minister or committees such as the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee, so that they can compare new treatments with existing treatments to decide what drugs should be funded in the public system. We asked Associate Professor De Abreu Lorenco to explain what health economics is, and how it is currently used in clinical trials.
Radiation therapy after breast conserving surgery plays an important role in the management of early breast cancer, decreasing the risk of breast cancer returning and improving mortality rates. Dr Janice Yeh is evaluating the technical feasibility and clinical performance of the novel NASHA gel compared to standard surgical clips as a fiducial marker.
Madelaine Atkins was 50 when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer, in 2008, after finding a small lump in her right breast. Despite receiving chemotherapy, radiation and having surgery to remove her right breast, unfortunately in 2011 Madelaine was diagnosed with Advanced Breast Cancer in her shoulder, neck, and lymph nodes. After discussing further treatment options with her oncologist, Madelaine decided to participate in the FINER clinical trial. We spoke with Madelaine about her diagnoses, her decision to participate in the FINER clinical trial, and advice to other women who have received a diagnosis.
Katharine and Skye had never met each other, but they shared something in common. Both women carry the BRCA-1 gene mutation. This is an inherited gene which increases their chance of developing breast cancer by 70% and ovarian cancer by 40% throughout their lifetime. Until now, life-changing invasive surgery and regular breast screening have been the only options available for women like Katharine and Skye. However, the BRCA-P clinical trial aims to open up a new treatment opportunity for women with this gene mutation. BRCA-P is a preventative trial, which is testing the effectiveness of a drug called Denosumab in preventing breast cancer for these women.
Ben and Michael Kavich are brothers and race car drivers, who are asking you to support lifesaving breast cancer trials research by donating to Race for a Cure. Race for a Cure was founded by Ben’s wife, Toula, after she was diagnosed with breast cancer following the Bathurst 6 Hour in 2016. Toula’s disease shocked the Kavich family who had already lived through the harrowing impact of breast cancer after Ben and Michael’s grandmother and mother were diagnosed. The brothers are using their passion for motorsport to help spare as many families as possible from the heartache and loss caused by breast cancer.
At 31, Laura found a lump in her breast and was shortly after diagnosed with breast cancer. We spoke with Laura about her shock diagnosis, her decision to participate in the Breast MRI Evaluation Study and her advice to other young women who have also received a diagnosis.
A side effect of some chemotherapy, and targeted therapy treatments, is Hand and Foot syndrome, also known as hand-foot syndrome, Palmar-Plantar Erythrodysesthesia or PPE. We speak with Senior Podiatrist Rebecca Angus about the symptoms of the side effect and how it's treated.
Dimity Paul knew she carried an 80% risk of developing breast cancer since she was 21 years old, although it still came as a huge shock when she was diagnosed with breast cancer at 31. She spoke with us about her experience with the BRCA1 gene mutation, her participation on the OlympiA clinical trial and how being a part of a supportive workplace helped her through her treatment.
Samantha was 21 years old when she found out she had the BRCA1 gene mutation. This means she has a 70% risk of developing breast cancer and a 40% risk of developing ovarian cancer. She speaks with us about her decision to be proactive in managing her risk by joining the BRCA-P Clinical Trial.
We spoke with Professor Julia White, a tenured Professor of Radiation Oncology and Koltz Sisters Chair for Cancer Research at the Ohio State University, about partial breast irradiation. We speak about the different types of this treatment, who it is best suited for and the continuing research in this area.
The CAPTURE clinical trial aims to improve survival rates for women and men with ER+, HER2- breast cancer. This study will investigate the effectiveness of treatment with a targeted cancer therapy (alpelisib) and chemotherapy (fulvestrant), compared to a chemotherapy (capecitabine) alone in men and women with ER+, HER2- breast cancer with a PIKC3A mutation.We spoke with the CAPTURE study chair, Professor Sarah-Jane Dawson, about this important clinical trial.
Being able to access support services after a breast cancer diagnosis is an important part of the recovery process for some patients, as having access meet and relate with others in a similar situation can aid in alleviating some feelings of anxiety and isolation. Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) helps to connect those with breast cancer with support services in-person and online. We caught up with BCNA's CEO Kirsten Pilatti about the importance of these groups, and how to access them.
The CHEK2 gene mutation is a genetic abnormality that can increase your risk of developing breast cancer. We spoke with Cancer Geneticist Associate Professor Judy Kirk about this genetic abnormality, why testing for the gene is not common, and what preventative measures can be taken for those who have the mutation.
It can be hard to know what to say or do when a loved one is diagnosed with cancer. It can be a very traumatic experience, so we spoke with clinical psychologist and Cancer Council SA Senior Research Fellow Lisa Beatty about how you can best support someone close to you during their diagnosis.
If you have had a mastectomy, either because you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer or are at high risk of developing breast cancer, you may decide to have a breast reconstruction. This is a very personal decision to make and it’s best to know all your options before choosing what is best for you. We spoke with specialist breast surgeon at Belfast City Hospital, Ireland, Dr Stuart McIntosh about these options, what you need to consider before making a decision and what are the best questions to ask your doctor during your decision making process.
Jessica's family has a strong history of breast cancer. Her uncle, cousin and sister were all diagnosed with breast cancer before her. In this podcast, she tells us what it was like to receive her diagnosis just weeks after her sister, what it was like to participate in the Breast Cancer Trials OlympiA clinical trial, how her art was therapeutic for her and her advice for other young women who have been diagnosed.
Cousin's Raylee and Lisa are the first Australian participants in the ground-breaking BRCA-P clinical trial. The BRCA-P trial is a prevention trial which is testing the effectiveness of a drug called Denosumab in preventing breast cancer in women with a BRCA1 gene mutation, like Lisa and Raylee. This treatment has been fast tracked from the lab to a stage three clinical trial due to it's impressive pre-clinical results. Listen in as Lisa and Raylee tell us what it's like to know you have a 70% risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer due to the BRCA1 gene mutation, what it's been like participating in the BRCA-P clinical trial and what their children think about their 50/50 chance of having the BRCA1 gene mutation. To find out more about the BRCA-P clinical trial visit www.breastolution.com.auTo find out more about our life-saving research, or to support our research visit www.breastcancertrials.org.au
We speak with exercise scientist and behavioural epidemiologist at the University of Newcastle and Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI), Professor Erica James, about the benefit of exercise for the prevention of breast cancer, how lifestyle changes can help to reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence, and the best ways to get active after a diagnosis.
Breast Cancer Trials researcher Dr Ross Jennens is a Medical Oncologist at Epworth Hospital in Melbourne and one of 4,000 Australian health professionals participating in the BRACE clinical trial. This study aims to test the BCG vaccine, which was developed to prevent tuberculosis and is commonly used as a treatment for people with bladder cancer, to see if it can provide an immune system boost to protect people from COVID-19 symptoms.
Professor Fran Boyle and Associate Professor Nicholas Wilcken discuss how their institutions and teams have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. They discuss how some changes have been positive, how their patients have reacted to this new environment, and give a BCT research update.
Cancer Geneticist Associate Professor Judy Kirk explains the role of genetics in breast cancer research and how this information will help inform future treatments.
Early breast cancer is cancer which is confined to the breast or the axillary (armpit) lymph nodes. It’s a research focus for Dr Stuart McIntosh who explains what the standard treatment is for early breast cancer, what clinical trials are currently investigating early breast cancer treatments and how treatments differ to advanced breast cancer.
Hormone sensitive breast tumors make up around 70% of all breast cancers. Associate Professor Aleix Prat explains what research is being conducted into this metastatic disease and how before we can find a cure, researchers are working in the short term to find a way to make it a chronic disease.
Sydney based advocate and politician Dai Le speaks with us about the impact her diagnosis has had on her life, how she explained her diagnosis to her son and the importance of spreading breast cancer awareness in non-English speaking communities.
Women who carry BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations have a high risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. Associate Professor Judy Kirk explains what the BRCA mutation is & measures women with the mutation can take.
Michelle and Maxine are both participants in the Breast Cancer Trials CHARIOT clinical trial. They are receiving the same treatment, at the same hospital and formed a friendship through their shared experience. They discuss their experience on the trial & how helpful it has been to have a friend by their side.
Clinical psychologist Dr Lisa Beatty explains what impact a diagnosis can have, how to can get help & what impact poor mental health can have on your recovery.
Heidi started getting mammograms at 42 after a close friend was diagnosed in her early 40s. She was thankful she did, after she was diagnosed with breast cancer at 43. Heidi speaks with us about being diagnosed as a young woman with a young family, having to put your career on hold and not being afraid to ask for help when you need it.
Professor Julia White explains that de-escalation is right-sizing treatments for patients. She explains how we can find out who needs more or less surgery as part of their breast cancer treatment.
After being diagnosed with breast cancer, Sarah’s oncologist told her to walk around the block to keep fit during treatment. Sarah took this a step further and skipped the drive into her second chemo treatment and instead ran to the hospital. It sparked a love of running and Sarahcontinued running throughout her whole treatment, even running 12km in the week before her last chemo treatment. Sarah is a supporter of Breast Cancer Trials.
Patients with breast cancer have higher rates of cardiovascular disease. Professor Bogda Koczwara explains why & what patients & doctors should be aware of to protect heart health.
Malea Parker was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year. She speaks with us about how her family support has been essential during treatment and why she believes breast cancer clinical trials research is so important.
Associate Professor Aleix Prat discusses how continuing research into breast cancer biology is helping improve treatments & how tumour biopsies can help patients in the future.
Professor Wayne Tilley explains what the androgen receptor gene is & why it is important in breast cancer.
Rebecca was diagnosed at 33 years oldwhen her son was just 11 months old. She found a lump one day but assumed it was related to mastitis from breast feeding and was shocked to find out it was cancer. Rebecca discusses what it’s like to be diagnosed as a young woman and how grateful she is for breast cancer research.
Clinical Psychologist Dr Lisa Beatty explains what online help is available & what the benefits are of using psychological breast cancer online tools.
Cancer Geneticist Associate Professor Judy Kirk explains who should get genetic testing, what exactly a ‘strong family history’ means and how you can get tested.
Gowri Sivalingam was diagnosed in 2015 with invasive ductal carcinoma after finding a lump in her breast on Christmas day. She spoke with us about being diagnosed with breast cancer as a young woman, working throughout treatment, participating in a clinical trial and what it’s like to be diagnosed with cancer when you are a doctor.
Breast Surgeon at Belfast City Hospital, Dr Stuart McIntosh, discusses clinical trials open in the UK & explains it’s hoped these trials will open in Australia & NZ.
Radiation therapy uses doses of radiation to kill cancer cells & shrink tumors. In this Breast Cancer Trials Podcast, Professor Julia White explains why it is an important part of breast cancer treatment.
Marie Pandeloglou was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer 4 and a half years after her early breast cancer diagnosis. She shares what it is like to live with metastatic disease, what she wants people to know about metastatic breast cancer, and her advice for those living with breast cancer.
One of the best ways to diagnose breast cancer early, aid in treatment decisions or predict treatment response is to use cancer biomarkers. HER2 positive early breast cancer molecular biomarkers are a research area for Associate Professor Aleix Prat. He explains that investigating HER2 positive early breast cancer is important as it can become an aggressive disease if left untreated.
Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) surveyed 2,000 of its members who have received a breast cancer diagnosis about the out-of-pocket costs of their breast cancer treatment and care, and other associated costs faced in the first five years after a breast cancer diagnosis. We sat down with BCNA's CEO Kirsten Pilatti to find out more about their findings.
Most cancer researchers spend their careers focusing on one disease type. Professor Wayne Tilley has instead specalised in two; breast and prostate cancer. He is renowned for leveraging the commonalities of both to advance knowledge and treatments for both treatment types. He sat down with us to discuss his research.
The BIG 1-98 breast cancer clinical trial was a pivotal clinical trial which helped to stop breast cancer returning and improved survival rates for some women.
It’s a common misconception that men can’t get breast cancer, however just under 1% of all breast cancers will occur in men. To help explain how breast cancer occurs and is treated in men - we sat down with Rik Thompson, Professor of Breast Cancer Research and a Breast Cancer Trials Board Member.
A liquid biopsy is a simple and non-invasive alternative to surgical biopsies, which enables doctors to discover a range of information about a tumour through a simple blood sample. We speak with Professor Rik Thompson about how liquid biopsy relates to breast cancer treatment and why it's important in metastatic breast cancer.
How kind were you to yourself during and after your breast cancer treatment? On this episode of the Breast Cancer Trials podcast we speak with two women who have experienced a breast cancer diagnosis and find out about their experiences with mental health, body image and breast cancer.
Breast Cancer Trials was the first clinical trials group to invite people with a lived experience with cancer to comment and guide the planning and conduct of clinical trials research. These women make up our Consumer Advisory Panel. Listen to former chair of the panel, Leonie Young, discuss the importance of this perspective in the clinical trials research process.
Immunotherapy allows cancer to become more visible to the immune system so it can then attack it. The PANACEA trial was Breast Cancer Trials first immunotherapy trial, and it has lead to further research into this area. Listen in to Associate Professor Prue Francis discuss the benefits of this trial, and the future of Immunotherapy in breast cancer care.
A breast cancer diagnosis can come as a huge shock to a young women and the challenges that come with their diagnosis can be different to women at a later stage in life. We speak with Breast Cancer Trials Associate Professor Prue Francis about how common it is for young women to be diagnosed with breast cancer, what challenges come with this diagnosis and how Breast Cancer Trials is working to improve the treatments for those in this age group.
The SOLACE clinical trial was for women or men who had been diagnosed with advanced BRCA-associated breast cancer, triple negative breast cancer or serious ovarian cancer. Listen in to see how these results are informing current research into ovarian and breast cancer.
Did you know women with dense breasts can be five times more likely to develop breast cancer. In this podcast episode, we talk with breast cancer researcher Professor Rik Thompson about mammographic density - who has it, what causes it, and why aren't we more aware of it.
Breast cancer clinical trials have played a significant role in improvements to breast cancer survival rates and treatments over the last 30 years. Breast Cancer Trials Deputy Director of Research, Professor Kelly-Anne Phillips explains that a clinical trial is research in action.
Leslie was a participant in the TEXT clinical trial, a practice changing trial for young women with breast cancer. In this episode, Leslie talks about her experience participating in a breast cancer clinical trial, and why she encourages others to do the same.
Do you know the symptoms of breast cancer? Do you know what you should do after finding a symptom of breast cancer? In this podcast, Breast Cancer Trials Board Member and Medical Oncologist Associate Professor Nicholas Wilcken discusses the symptoms of breast cancer, and why it's important not to panic if you find a breast abnormality.
In Australia and New Zealand, the number of people of people being diagnosed with breast cancer is increasing. However, the breast cancer mortality rate is in decline, which means less people are dying from this disease. To help make sense of why this is, we sat down with Associate Professor Nicholas Wilcken, a Medical Oncologist and Breast Cancer Trials Board Member.
When we experience a breast cancer diagnosis, or know someone experiencing a diagnosis, we want to say the right thing. But sometimes words like 'fighter', 'warrior' and 'hero' are often not well received. We sat down with two women who have experienced a breast cancer diagnosis to ask what words they like, and dislike, to describe their breast cancer experience.
What would you say to the person whose participation in a clinical trial helped you to start a family? Because of Natasha’s participation in the POEMS clinical trial, women like Catherine have been able to start a family after their breast cancer diagnosis. In this podcast, Natasha and Catherine share their journey from diagnosis to having a child. Learn more: www.breastcancertrials.org.au
Dawn was a participant in the HERA clinical trial after being diagnosed with HER2 positive breast cancer. It’s because of trial participants like Dawn, that women like Nic were given a renewed chance at life. In this podcast, Dawn and Nic reflect on their experiences and how they have benefited from clinical trials research.
Immunotherapy has had incredible success in treating other cancer types, such as melanoma and lung cancer, but is not yet in routine use in the clinic as a treatment option for breast cancer. Learn how immunotherapy works and how the CHARIOT and DIAmOND clinical trials use different combinations of immunotherapy in patients with breast cancer subtypes that are more likely to respond to immune manipulation. Learn more: www.breastcancertrials.org.au
Metastatic breast cancer – also known as advanced, secondary or stage 4 breast cancer – is breast cancer that has spread beyond the breast to other organs in the body. In this podcast, Professor Rik Thompson discusses why and how cancer metastasises and why it’s so difficult to treat. Learn more: www.breastcancertrials.org.au
The symptoms of menopause can significantly affect a woman’s quality of life. Hormone replacement therapy or menopausal hormone therapy (HRT or MHT) is the name for a number of hormone therapies that can be used to treat the symptoms of menopause. In this podcast, Associate Professor Nicholas Wilcken discusses some of the risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy and why it’s important that women also discuss their symptoms with their doctor. Learn more:
Approximately 5-10% of breast cancers are due to a strong family history or a genetic mutation such as BRCA1 or BRCA2. So, if you have a strong family history of breast cancer, you may be questioning whether you should have genetic testing. In this podcast, Associate Professor Nicholas Wilcken talks about genetic testing: who should have it, who shouldn’t, and why genetic counselling is important for those who do. Find out more: www.breastcancertrials.org.au
New research breakthroughs are always in the news, but it can take years before these treatments are used in the clinic. So why does it take so long? Breast Cancer Trials Board Member Professor Christobel Saunders explains why the process is a long one and the different phases of clinical trials. Learn more: www.breastcancertrials.org.au
Breast cancer clinical trials research has played an important role in the improvements to treatments and survival rates, particularly over the last 30 years. In this podcast, Professor Christobel Saunders explains what some of the key achievements of this research, which have led to advances in the treatment of breast cancer. Find out more: www.breastcancertrials.org.au
Associate Professor Nicholas Wilcken was the Study Chair of the HERA clinical trial which tested the drug Herceptin and delivered a major breakthrough for women with HER2 positive breast cancer. In this podcast, Associate Professor Wilcken discusses what happens when a drug is proven effective in a clinical trial. Find out more: www.breastcancertrials.org.au
Finding a clinical trial that is right for you, or for a family member or friend, has never been easier. In this podcast Professor Bruce Mann explains the two main paths to participating in a clinical trial and what’s involved once you’re on a trial. Find our more: www.breastcancertrials.org.au
Breast cancer treatments are constantly evolving and improving because of clinical trials research. Each clinical trial builds on the knowledge gained from past research. In this podcast, Breast Cancer Trials Board Chair Professor Bruce Mann explains how breast cancer surgery is a good example of the benefits that come from clinical trials. Find out more: www.breastcancertrials.org.au
Tameeka Jones was only in her 20s and had a three-year-old daughter when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Tameeka is a participant in the ELIMINATE clinical trial, which is investigating whether combining two breast cancer treatments before surgery is more effective than one alone, in women diagnosed with large oestrogen receptor positive breast cancer. In this podcast, she tells us her experience participating in a clinical trial. Find out more: www.breastcancertrials.org.au
A diagnosis of breast cancer at the age of 32 was a big shock for Natasha Eaton who initially thought it would mean she wouldn't be able to have children. Natasha was a participant on the POEMS clinical trial which was a breakthrough study for women with breast cancer and was aimed at preserving a woman's fertility during her cancer treatment. In this podcast she discusses her experience participating in a clinical trial. Find out more: www.breastcancertrials.org.au
Women have played an important role in the development and conduct of the Breast Cancer Trials research program for many years. Not only was the Consumer Advisory Panel the first committee of its type in Australia, but it has become a model for other research groups to involve consumers. In this podcast, Chair of the Breast Cancer Trials Consumer Advisory Panel Leonie Young, explains the role that CAP plays, to ensure a consumer perspective is provided from the very early planning stages of a breast cancer clinical trial. Find out more: www.breastcancertrials.org.au
We are hearing more and more about 'personalised medicine' in the treatment of disease. But what is it and how can it be used in the treatment of breast cancer? In this podcast, the Chair of the Breast Cancer Trials Scientific Advisory Committee Associate Professor Prue Francis, explains how personalised medicine is changing the way we treat breast cancer. Find out more: www.breastcancertrials.org.au
There are many different types of clinical trials, such as prevention trials, treatment trials, or trials that are aimed at improving a patient’s quality of life. In this podcast, Professor Kelly-Anne Phillips explains the different types of breast cancer clinical trials, the different phases of trials, and also explains the roles of the different members of a clinical trials team. Find out more: www.breastcancertrials.org.au
Neoadjuvant therapy refers to treatment before surgery and it aims to shrink the breast cancer in size to increase the chance of breast conserving surgery and to monitor the effect of treatment on the tumour. In this podcast, Associate Professor Prue Francis, the Chair of the Breast Cancer Trials Scientific Advisory Committee, explains the potential benefits of neoadjuvant therapy and why it’s been increasingly used in breast cancer research. Find out more: www.breastcancertrials.org.au