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Research

Interactions between acute lymphoblastic leukemia and bone marrow stromal cells influence response to therapy

The cure rate for pediatric patients with B precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (pre-B ALL) is steadily improving, however relapses do occur despite...

Research

'Walking their walk': Reducing conflict between families of ill children and the medical profession

I review recent high-profile court cases to underscore the changing landscape of conflict and the central role that the media (and social media in particular) can play

Research

Malignant Melanoma in Children and Adolescents Treated in Pediatric Oncology Centers: An Australian and New Zealand Children’s Oncology Group (ANZCHOG) Study

Unlike adults, malignant melanoma in children and adolescents is rare. In adult melanoma, significant progress in understanding tumor biology and new treatments, including targeted therapies and immunotherapy have markedly improved overall survival. In sharp contrast, there is a paucity of data on the biology and clinical behavior of pediatric melanoma. We report a national case series of all pediatric and adolescent malignant melanoma presenting to ANZCHOG Childhood Cancer Centers in Australia and New Zealand.

Research

What matters for people with brain cancer? Selecting clinical quality indicators for an Australian Brain Cancer Registry

The goal of a clinical quality registry is to deliver immediate gains in survival and quality of life by delivering timely feedback to practitioners, thereby ensuring every patient receives the best existing treatment. We are developing an Australian Brain Cancer Registry (ABCR) to identify, describe, and measure the impact of the variation and gaps in brain cancer care from the time of diagnosis to the end of life.

Research

Boosting the influenza vaccine schedule in children with cancer: a prospective open-label study

Current immunization guidelines recommend one dose of influenza vaccine for children aged ≥9 years and two doses for younger or vaccine-naïve children. However, children receiving chemotherapy have an attenuated immune response. We performed a prospective open-label study in children undergoing treatment for cancer at Perth Children's Hospital, Western Australia, to examine the safety and efficacy of a boosted influenza schedule.

Research

Contemporary survival endpoints: An international diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma registry study

This study defines PFS and OS, and is the first describe post-progression survival in a large cohort of children with DIPG.

Research

A New Model to Investigate the Action of Radiation and Cigarette Smoke on Head and Neck Cancer Cells

Smokers are at an increased risk of developing mucosal head and neck squamous cell cancers (HNSCCs) and have a worse prognosis when treated. The cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the latter has not been established. We therefore developed an in vitro model to investigate the effects of radiation and smoking on mucosal HNSCCs. 

Research

Coupling of response biomarkers between tumor and peripheral blood in patients undergoing chemoimmunotherapy

Platinum-based chemotherapy in combination with anti-PD-L1 antibodies has shown promising results in mesothelioma. However, the immunological mechanisms underlying its efficacy are not well understood and there are no predictive biomarkers to guide treatment decisions.

Research

“I Don’t Get to Play With My Mum Anymore”: Experiences of Siblings Aged 8–12 of Children With Cancer: A Qualitative Study

Siblings of children with cancer have been shown to experience disruption in multiple domains including family, school, and friendships. Existing literature on siblings' experiences focuses on older children or on a broad range of ages.

Research

Population-level 5-year event-free survival for children with cancer in Australia

Event-free survival considers other adverse events in addition to mortality. It therefore provides a more complete understanding of the effectiveness and consequences of treatment than standard survival measures, but is rarely reported at the population level for childhood cancer.