Hope this works. Cheers.
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Associate Professor Jim Coward has had success in targeting chemo-resistant stem cells to prevent cancer recurrence and has begun a follow up to his Phase 1 trials with the aim of identifying biomarkers on these stem cells so more patients, including those newly diagnosed, can be identified for alternative treatment.
“We are extremely encouraged by the findings from this Phase I study, however, at this moment there is no approved screening to identify if patients are living with these hidden stem cells,” the leading ovarian cancer expert said.
“The next stage of our clinical research aims to address this and advance the development of new therapies. It is important for patients to understand the significance of Phase I trials which for the first-time are new medications administered to a small group of people. For many cancer patients who have exhausted traditional treatments, these trials offer hope and the potential to prolong their lives and to also play a significant role in future drug development,” the oncologist said.
The trials are being carried out at Icon Group, the largest provider of cancer clinical trials in the private sector.
The Phase I trial was held at three Australian sites as well as centres in the US and the findings have been published in the journal Cancers.
Each year in Australia 1500 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer, which has the lowest five-year survival rate of all gynaecological cancers. Despite significant investment in early detection programs and therapeutic research, 80 per cent of Australians diagnosed with ovarian cancer still face up to a 75 per cent chance of their cancer relapsing after initial chemotherapy and becoming resistant to existing treatments.
Queensland’s Dawn Norris, was diagnosed with Stage 3C ovarian cancer in 2014. After several surgeries and rounds of chemotherapy Dawn went into remission but the cancer returned and ongoing chemotherapy slowly became less effective. Dawn was running out of options and was told her odds were not good until Assoc Prof Coward offered her the trial.
“I knew there was no cure but I always said that I wanted to live long enough to see my grandchildren grow up. I’m now 70, still here, and happily watching my five grandchildren live their lives. Without this trial I simply wouldn’t be here,” Dawn said.
