ANZCTR search results

This study aims to determine whether the artificial intelligence smartphone applications for skin screening are effective at providing an accurate diagnosis of melanoma. Who is it for? You may be eligible to join this study if you are aged 18 years or above and have a suspected melanoma and/or clinically benign skin lesion. Study details. The accuracy of smartphone applications will be tested by taking photos of the skin lesions and comparing the smartphone applications evaluation against the histological gold standard diagnosis by a dermatologist. If the study shows that these applications are accurate, this will allow greater acceptance of them for medical use. If inaccurate, it will raise concerns about the need for more regulation of these applications due to the health risk posed.

This study aims to provide comprehensive insights into the clinical course, relapse rate, treatment outcomes, and potential adverse events experienced during immunosuppressive therapy for participants presenting with neuropsychiatric symptoms related to autoimmune or inflammatory processes. The information obtained through this project is intended to provide information to guide clinicians' decision-making process, particularly in relation to selecting appropriate therapeutic approaches for managing these varied and complex neuropsychiatric syndromes. By elucidating the effectiveness and potential risks associated with immunosuppressive therapy in our cohort, we aspire to make a substantial contribution to the enhancement of participant care and the optimization of treatment strategies for this challenging and multifaceted medical condition. Adult participants over the age of 18 with a diagnosis of autoimmune encephalitis made by the treating neurologist/immunologist and who received a trial of immunosuppressive therapy (e.g. corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulins, plasmapheresis, cyclophosphamide, rituximab, mycophenolate) will be included in an analysis of clinical data collected from eMR records. Research samples and data will be collected only after participant consent is obtained, up to November 30, 2030. Data will be collected from the Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD) eMR and will include information readily available in the clinical notes and letters, discharge and admission summaries, pathology results, or any other forms of documentation available on eMR. Data will be re-identifiable at time of collection but will be de-identified at time of analysis. Blood samples for biobanking for future research will be collected after receiving participant consent, by drawing additional tubes for research purposes during routine blood draws in clinic at Westmead Hospital. This study will be storing participant blood and tissue samples via the SWIFT Biobank: Sydney West Immunology Forum for Translational Research: Clinical Database and Biobank (2019/ETH02568) study, which has ethics approval to establish biobanks for various immunological conditions.

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) affects 1 in 10 adults in Australia and, if unmanaged, can lead to heart disease and kidney failure. This clinical trial aims to compare the effectiveness of a structured, group-based multidisciplinary education program for people with CKD Stage 3a and 3b against usual care. The program includes five group sessions focused on managing blood pressure, diabetes, weight, smoking, diet, exercise, medications, and personal health planning. Key outcomes include changes in kidney function, lifestyle behaviours, quality of life, and cost-effectiveness, with additional evaluation of patient and carer experiences and feasibility for routine implementation. The study also seeks to determine the cost utility of the revised model from the perspective of the Australian healthcare system.

The primary purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of two evidenced based psychological treatments in the treatment of psychological birth trauma. It is hypothesised that both treatments will be effective at reducing symptoms of birth trauma, psychological wellbeing, and dissociation symptoms.

Extremely premature infants are at high risk of developing chronic pulmonary hypertension (cPHT), which can cause serious health problems such as heart failure, other organ failure, poor growth, neurodevelopmental impairment, increased length of hospitalisation and even death. Current gold-standard diagnostic methods are invasive and not suitable for this fragile population. This project will be the first in Australia to use clinician-performed bedside cardiac ultrasound to detect cPHT early. It aims to create local evidence, develop clear standardised guidelines, and find reliable ultrasound markers. The goal is to improve how cPHT is diagnosed and treated, leading to better health outcomes for these vulnerable babies.

The purpose of this study is to find out how blood flow to tumours changes during exercise in humans with breast cancer. Who is it for? You may be eligible for this study if you are a female aged 30-65 years who either does or does not have breast cancer. Study details All participants in this study will be asked to attend one clinic day where they will be asked to complete exercise on a bike for approximately 30 minutes. During this exercise, participants will undergo ultrasound assessment of blood flow in different parts of the body. It is hoped that this study will help determine if exercise can increase blood flow to tumours, which may in future indicate that exercise has the potential to enhance delivery of chemotherapy.

This pilot randomised controlled trial will evaluate whether intraperitoneal administration of 4% Icodextrin (Adept®) at the completion of laparoscopic excision of advanced endometriosis can reduce postoperative ovarian adhesions. Forty women with intra-operative evidence of fixed or immobile ovaries will be randomised 1:1 to receive either Icodextrin or no adhesion-reduction solution. The primary outcome is ovarian mobility at 3 months, assessed by transvaginal ultrasound using a standardised sliding-sign protocol. Secondary outcomes include pain improvement (VAS), operative and recovery parameters, and safety events. Findings will inform the feasibility and design of a larger multicentre trial aimed at improving fertility and pain outcomes in endometriosis surgery.

Study purpose: This study aims to find out whether tumour signals in blood and saliva such as tumour-related DNA and cells, can give early information about how well treatment is working and whether the cancer is returning. Who is it for: People aged between 18 and 100 years who have recently been diagnosed with p16-positive oropharyngeal cancer and are about to start curative radiotherapy, with or without chemotherapy. Study details: Participants will give blood and saliva samples at several time points — before treatment, during treatment (around 4 weeks), and after treatment (at 13 weeks, 1 year, and 2 years). The samples will be tested for three types of “liquid biopsy” markers: • Human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA found in saliva • Circulating tumour cells (CTCs) found in the blood • Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA), small pieces of cancer DNA in the blood The study will track how these markers change over time and compare them with scan results and clinical outcomes. The goal is to find an easier, less invasive way to monitor patients and detect cancer returning earlier than with standard methods. Contribution to the field: It is hoped that the findings will support the development of minimally invasive tools for personalised disease monitoring and earlier detection of recurrence in oropharyngeal cancer.

The aims of this study are to investigate the effects of FUS on depression symptomology and associated EEG markers. Specifically, we will apply FUS to modulate activity of particular brain structures that are implicated in depression and emotional regulation. We aim to investigate the effects of FUS on depression symptoms using self-report questionnaires and computerised tasks that assess behaviours and cognitions associated with depression. We aim to investigate the effects of FUS on neural markers using EEG.

The PaCNOD Pilot study aims to test the feasibility of conducting a large-scale trial of CT scans in some people with recently diagnosed diabetes to determine if it leads to diagnosis of pancreatic cancer at an earlier stage. Who is it for? You may be eligible for this study if you are aged 55 years or older with a recent diagnosis of diabetes, and no self-reported history of pancreatic cancer or pancreatic resection. Study details All participants will be asked to complete a survey about their health history. A subset of participants who are deemed to be at higher than average risk of pancreatic cancer will be invited to have a CT scan of their pancreas. Data will be collected on the feasibility of this investigative workflow, including the involvement of primary care doctors and private radiology providers. It is hoped that findings from this study will help researchers understand the utility of CT scans in early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in this population.