ANZCTR search results

The outcome in patients with Multiple myeloma (MM) who fail to respond to treatment or relapse after treatment is extremely poor. This study plans to treat approximately 80 patients in a number of sites throughout Australia and aims to investigate the effect of pomalidomide (a type of chemotherapy drug) on the immune system, and in turn, whether the outcomes of treatment with pomalidomide as single agent therapy for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (a blood cancer) are different to that achieved by patients treated with pomalidomide and dexamethasone (a steroid treatment commonly used in this disease) combination therapy. Who is it for? This study is open to male or female patients aged 18 or above with a diagnosis of MM and failing previous therapy, either refractory or relapsed after at least 2 previous lines of chemotherapy (including lenalidomide). The full details of the inclusion and exclusion criteria can be found in the relevant sections within this record. Trial details Initially, all patients will receive induction therapy consisting of four 28 day cycles of pomalidomide and dexamethasone. Patients then randomised to the pomalidomide arm for maintenance treatment will receive 4mg oral pomalidomide daily on a cyclic 21-day out of 28-day schedule for approximately 12 cycles. Patients randomised to the control arm for maintenance treatment will receive 4mg oral pomalidomide daily on a cyclic 21-day out of 28-day schedule along with 40mg oral dexamethasone on days 1, 8, 15, & 22 of 28 day cycle for approximately 12 cycles. For each arm of the study, the actual cycle number will be determined by the patient's treating clinician and based on response to and tolerability of treatment.

The Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group (ALLG) National Blood Cancer Registry (NBCR) is an ongoing collection of information and patient samples for patients with suspected, or known, or diagnosed blood cancer. Who is it for? You may be eligible to contribute to this registry if you are aged 15 years or above and have suspected, or known, or diagnosed blood cancer. Study details Patients will be enrolled when blood cancer is suspected, or known, or diagnosed. The following information will be collected: * clinical information prior to diagnosis * induction treatment summary and response to treatment * consolidation treatment summary and response to treatment * 6 months post diagnosis summary and response to treatment * annual treatment summary and response to treatment * clinical information at relapse Patients that are subsequently found not to have blood cancer will have no further follow up. Patients that are identified as potential candidates for ALLG clinical trials will be consented separately for these trials. Patients will also be offered the opportunity to donate blood and bone marrow samples to the Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group (ALLG) Bio Bank, which stores samples and approves formal research applications to use these samples in further research into haematological malignancies. The registry is expected to enhance recruitment to ALLG clinical trials by increasing cross referrals to sites which are running particular studies, to ensure appropriate screening procedures are conducted prior to the commencement of treatment, to facilitate the implementation of central review and central testing of factors critical to the successful treatment of blood cancer, to enhance consistency in clinical trial populations to ensure trial results are meaningful, to ensure that appropriate samples are collected to minimise repeat procedures to satisfy trial entry requirements (e.g repeat bone marrows), and to store tissue to enable future additional analyses as new biomarkers and molecular subtypes of blood cancers are identified, thus enhancing treatment and ensuring that clinical trial results remain relevant in the current landscape of blood cancer treatment.

‘Isofurans’ are a group of compounds that are produced by the body when it is exposed to high levels of oxygen. It is a relatively new discovery (2002) and reflects the amount of stress to the body caused by exposure to oxygen. There is still a good deal we do not know about this subject, however it could be linked to a number of illnesses, including Parkinson’s and certain types of lung and eye injuries. We aim to study the production of Isofurans under high oxygen pressures (hyperbaric), which has not been done before. The study will involve taking blood samples from patients who require hyperbaric treatment to improve bone production after radiotherapy, and monitoring the effect this has on Isofurans levels.

Preterm birth can be associated with long-term neurodevelopment abnormalities. This is at least partly explained by the detrimental effects of a highly stressful environment and the lack of tactile stimulation normally experienced in the womb. Infant massage has been shown to accelerate brain development, resulting in a pattern more similar to that observed in term-born infants. We will teach mothers to directly perform massage as part of the intervention program, and the short term effects of infant massage on brain structure will be examined through advanced neuroimaging techniques. We will recruit 40 preterm infants, and we will randomly allocate them to one of two groups (intervention or control group). 10 healthy newborns will also be recruited to serve as a typically developing comparison group. Short term effects on mother's mood and anxiety and on mother-infant bonding will also be explored by structured scales and questionnaires. Long term outcome measures will assess child development, parent child interaction and parental pyshological, social and emotional problems.

The use of complementary and alternative medicines is on the rise, with many people opting to supplement their diet in order to ‘top-up’ nutrients lacking from their diet. Recently, research has associated poor nutrition with cognitive decline, and it has also been suggested that aspects of nutrient intake may be associated with mood. Research has found associations between depressive symptoms and a number of key micronutrients, however little research has investigated the role of multivitamin supplementation on symptoms of anxiety and stress. This study will investigate the effect of supplementation with 50+ Ultivite on mood, stress and brain function in healthy, community-dwelling, older participants. Specifically, the study will aim to investigate the role of supplementation on measures of depression, anxiety and stress, as well as measures of brain function.

Antibody mediated rejection post kidney transplant has become a significant clinical problem given that over 25% of kidney transplant candidates have antibodies (are sensitized) to potential organ donors. Currently there are no approved treatments for AMR and options to treat are limited. It is hoped that eculizumab will reduce the incidence of AMR post kidney transplant from deceased donors to whom the recipient is sensitized.

The main purpose of this study is to determine if claimed improvements in a new version of a common medical device are reasonable and if it is appropriate to use these devices instead of the current devices in use (at the Royal Adelaide Hospital)

Circulating Tumour DNA as a marker of complete athological response and long term outcome for locally advanced rectal cancer treated with pre-operative chemoradiotherapy. The aim of the study is to demonstrate that the eradication of ctDNA in peripheral blood following completion of pre-operative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is a sensitive and specific predictor of complete pathological response (pCR) in locally advanced rectal cancer

The purpose of this study is to measure cancer specific gene changes in the blood as a biomarker in monitoring disease status in stage II and IV colorectal cancer. Biomarkers are substances that can be found in blood and/or tumour tissue and may be used to measure the effects or progress of a disease or condition. Genes are substances in the body which contain information about characteristics us as individuals. Previous studies have found that the majority of colorectal cancers contain mutations in several genes (the gene is changed or different from the common form) and that these cancerrelated mutations can be detected in the blood. Identifying biomarkers are important because: they may be linked with disease progression, they may help to identify people who are most likely to benefit from a certain treatment such as chemotherapy, or they may be used to track the status of cancer without the need for invasive procedures, such as biopsies.

The effectiveness of treatment to reduce heart disease risk can vary a great deal between individuals. this is partly due to an individuals genetic makeup. Fatty acid metabolites called CYP450metabolites of arachidonic acid can act on blood vessels and the kidney to regulate blood pressure. one of these metabolites known as 20-HETE is known to be affected by dietary salt intake. we will study volunteers with two different genetic make-ups that affect 20-HETE levels differently to see if they affect blood pressure and heart disease risk. We will asses whether having either genetic make up causes a blood pressure and plasma and urinary 20-HETE when participants have different intakes of dietary salt.