There have been enormous advances in science and medicine over the past few decades, but the key to translating this into positive patient care outcomes comes down to clinical trial research.
A celebrated medical oncologist, Professor Fran Boyle AM describes clinical trials as the “vital link” between basic science and real patient care.
“They allow us to personalise treatment for patients with different kinds of breast cancer”,” Professor Boyle tells Women’s Agenda.
“Initial trials identify what dose is best tolerated. Tailoring trials show us how long treatment should continue. And all of this information is critical for governments which choose which treatments to subsidise and make available to all Australians who need them.”
Research breakthroughs
An expert in metastatic breast cancer research, Professor Boyle says there are big breakthroughs happening, leading to a cure for more patients. These include understanding the three main types of disease and designing drugs to target them, which ultimately allows for treatment to continue for longer and side effects to be better managed.
When it comes to optimising treatment for patients, she explains that “emerging technologies with better scans and tumour profiling with DNA in the blood” will allow for more personalised treatment options, reducing “both cost and side effects”.
“Detecting dormant cells may also allow us to identify patients at risk of late recurrence, and further optimise therapy.”
A self-described “incurable optimist”, Professor Boyle says that in about five years time, we can expect to see more patients with metastatic breast cancer being cured.
“And for patients with early breast cancer, I hope we can give them the “All Clear” they yearn for, so that they can get on with their lives free of side effects from therapy and free from fear,” she says.
What’s behind these improved treatment options?
With so many breakthroughs providing hope for breast cancer patients, the backbone of this progress is the clinical trial research that experts and participants are doing.
A medical oncologist and medical advisor with Breast Cancer Trials (BCT), Dr Nick Zdenkowski leads clinical trial research, such as the OPTIMA and Cambria-2 trials.
Dr Zdenkowski says when he sees a patient who is potentially a good candidate for participating in a trial, he discusses their options with them in detail, as well as provides written information.
“There’s a standard patient information consent form that allows them to go home and have a read through, have a chat with their family, friends and other health professionals if they wish,” he says. “Then they come back and make a decision about whether they want to participate or not.”
Choosing to participate in a clinical trial is completely voluntary, and Dr Zdenkowski makes sure that patients understand all their options, but he says the amount of confidence that professionals hold in the research is extensive.
“Once a research project gets to the clinical trial stage, we’re very confident that we have a study that has gone through [enough] rigorous scientific process, where it’s been discussed in multiple different settings, and there’s a basis for it.”
Dr Zdenkowski says that by the point a study becomes a clinical trial, it’s been approved by many brilliant minds, including ethics committees, governance committees and the Scientific Advisory Committee at Breast Cancer Trials.
International research collaborations
As the chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee, Dr Zdenkowski sees experts from around the world coming together to cure breast cancer– a global issue.
Breast Cancer Trials has many global links, he says, where they’re able to work with key breast cancer researchers worldwide as a collaborative group “that are not-for-profit motivated”.
“Putting our heads together and coming up with the best ideas” is how Dr Zdenkowski describes these collaborations.
Having these discussions and meeting at conferences where ideas can be put through a “series of iterations” gives the research its greatest chance of improving patient outcomes, he says.
“It’s crucial to be able to work with other similar groups to Breast Cancer Trials. We know that we can’t do many of these practice-changing trials alone, and we don’t want to duplicate effort.”
“We want to have trials that have the greatest potential for improving outcomes in the future, and it takes quite a lot of foresight and a lot of discussion with people thinking about things in different ways.”
Join Breast Cancer Trials on Wednesday 19th March , from 5-6:30pm (AEDT), for a free online Q&A, where a panel of experts will discuss key research areas that are transforming the landscape of patient care. The session will be moderated by author and journalist Annabel Crabb. To register click here.