A $3.75 million clinical trial will offer hope to hundreds of people with Acute Myeloid Leukemia who are unable to receive life-saving treatment due to old age or ill health.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard announced the world-first trial as part of the NSW Government’s $11.75 million boost for cancer research, which was awarded through the Cancer Institute NSW.
“NSW has cancer survival rates on par with the best in the world, but even one cancer death is one too many,” Mr Hazzard said.
“Acute Myeloid Leukemia is a devastating blood cancer with an incredibly poor life expectancy in older people, as the risks associated with treatment far outweigh the benefits.
Chief Cancer Officer and CEO of the Cancer Institute NSW, Professor Tracey O’Brien, says the program has the potential to bring relief to hundreds of people in Australia and around the world.
“More than 1100 Australians are diagnosed with this type of blood cancer each year, with about half unable to receive standard therapy,” Professor O’Brien said.
“Through targeted research and clinical trials, we hope to develop less toxic and more effective cancer treatments, giving people more time with their loved ones.”
Professor Pimanda was awarded the Institute’s five-year $3.75 million Translational Program Grant. Professor Pimada, from UNSW, is undertaking his research together with national and international co-investigators at UNSW, ANU, Children’s Cancer Institute, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and the Cleveland Clinic.
Professor John Pimanda said while Acute Myeloid Leukemia is most common in people over 65, there are currently limited treatment options available for them.
“We aim to identify and test new drug combinations in the laboratory which can then be offered to patients who are unfit for aggressive chemotherapy. Without treatment, older Australians will typically succumb to the disease within two to eight months from diagnosis,” Professor Pimanda said.
Other grants awarded under the $11.75 million include $8 million for 15 Fellowships to support the work of early and mid-career cancer researchers in areas such as lung, prostate, pancreatic and paediatric brain cancer. Cancer prevention was also a focus, with an early career fellowship awarded towards the development and implementation of the SunWatch, a wearable UV sensor to alert users of over-exposure to UV radiation.
The Cancer Institute NSW has invested more than $313 million into cancer research since 2011, including $139 million invested into the Translational Research Program.
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