ANZCTR search results

This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a new approach to radiation therapy to the head and neck region at reducing the incidence of dry mouth toxicity. Who is it for? You may be eligible for this study if you are undergoing radical or high dose palliative intent primary radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy for primary carcinoma of the head and neck region with an intention to spare one or more major salivary glands. Study details An MRI scan will be used to plan an avoidance region within the parotid gland to be spared during radiation therapy. Participants will be asked to complete surveys assessing dry mouth toxicity and quality of life up to 5 years post-completion of radiation treatment. It is hoped that findings from this study will help inform dose optimisation of radiation therapy to the head and neck to address dry mouth, which still remains one of the most debilitating side effects of radiation in head and neck cancer patients.

Who is it for? You may be eligible for this trial is you are a female over the age of 50 who has been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer and will be undergoing radiotherapy following surgery for early-stage breast cancer. Study details All participants in this study will receive a type of breast cancer treatment called Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI) using a method called Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT). Only the part of the breast where the cancer has been surgically removed will receive radiotherapy (partial breast irradiation or “PBI”) rather than the whole breast (whole breast irradiation). This approach can reduce the toxic effects of radiotherapy. The treatment starts within 12 weeks after breast-conserving surgery and involves a planning session with a CT scan to help plan the treatment, which takes about an hour. After this, participants will take part in five daily 15-minute treatment sessions over one week. Participants in this study will be randomly allocated to receive one of two doses of treatment (26 Gy or 30 Gy). All participants will then be followed up for 3 years to assess quality of life and if there are any recurrences of cancer. It is hoped that this study will help determine if participant quality of life is the same with a higher dose compared to a slightly lower dose. This will then help decide the best dose for future patients with early breast cancer.

This RCT aims to assess the feasibility and efficacy of delivering an 8-week peer-led, individually tailored exercise program to university students experiencing mental health difficulties. Participants in the intervention group will complete one exercise session each week with their mentor. Subjective and objective data will be collected at baseline, middle and end of the project.

This study aims to investigate the effect of a single dose of guanfacine on cognition and brain function in people with Parkinson's disease. The purpose of the study is to determine the potential effectiveness of guanfacine in treating cognitive symptoms in Parkinson's disease. This study will involve 25 participants with Parkinson's disease, who will take part in 2 study visits at least one week apart. Each participant will receive either guanfacine (active treatment) or a placebo at one visit and the opposite at the other, in a randomised order, without knowing which one they are receiving. The effects of the medication will be measured using cognitive tests, brain scans and blood tests.

Staff education and training resources on how to address sexual function and wellbeing after Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) are being co-designed with clinicians, and will be launched at the Epworth ABI rehabilitation unit. The goal is to reduce the barriers that clinicians face in addressing this sensitive but important topic with patients, which is often neglected in healthcare. This trial will investigate the benefits and changes for both clinician and patient outcomes at the rehabilitation unit through the use of questionnaires and interviews.

The goal of this project to is explore the immediate response of sitting balance and trunk stability to electrical stimulation used to activate the abdominal muscles in people with chronic SCI. This type of electrical stimulation, called functional electrical stimulation, is used on the abdomen or other areas of the body to help people with SCI and other neurological conditions to perform tasks, cough, work out, or strengthen muscles. We plan to study whether functional electrical stimulation activating or turning on the abdominal muscles can alter the sitting balance response compared to having no functional electrical stimulation. We are targeting the abdominal muscles because they are part of the core musculature and play an important role in balance control. Improving balance and trunk stability is a high priority for people with SCI. Balance and trunk stability are crucial to independence in functional activities or activities that people perform every day like dressing, grooming, eating, toileting, and completing transfers. If there is a positive response to abdominal functional electrical stimulation during balance activities, it could be implemented into daily routines of people with SCI because it is a safe and relatively low-cost intervention.

The Embrace Collective (https://theembracecollective.org) is a not-for-profit health promotion charity that offers research translation of evidence-based body image resources to improve body appreciation and reduce judgement on the basis of appearance. As part of their mission to inspire and educate people around the globe to reframe how they think about their bodies, they have identified education, fitness and health settings as environments that require additional support. As part of their mission, they have developed a range of programs and initiatives to address these concerns. These programs have now also expanded to include psychoeducational interventions to support parents in supporting children to reframe thinking about their bodies. The Embrace for Parents micro-intervention, is a 5-minute educational video for parents, developed by Dr Zali Yager, this resource is based on key findings from a Delphi study focused on prevention guidelines for parents and researchers. The parent masterclass provides strategies for parents to prevent body dissatisfaction and unhealthy eating patterns in children. This project aims to evaluate the impact of the educational video on knowledge, attitudes and behaviour among parents. Parents will be invited to participate through Embrace collective channels and social media/advertising.

This study will assess the feasibility of administering acupuncture as a therapy for patients who have cancer pain. Who is it for? You may be eligible for this study if you are an adult aged 18 years or older, you have been diagnosed with advanced cancer (treatment is no longer being curative) and you have been experiencing pain related to your cancer. Study details All participants who choose to enrol in this study will be offered a short course of acupuncture treatments. Twice weekly 30 minute acupuncture sessions will be provided by a registered acupuncturist over a 4 week period. Participants will be asked to rate their pain after each treatment session and may be asked to complete an exit interview at the end of the study. It is hoped this research will demonstrate that a short course of acupuncture can be practically delivered to patients with advanced cancer. If this initial study indicates that acupuncture is able to decrease pain, a larger study enrolling a greater number of cancer patients may be undertaken in the future.

Inflammatory bowel disease, including Ulcerative Colitis (UC), causes chronic inflammation of the GI tract. UC primarily affects the large bowel and rectum, with a prevalence of ~334 per 100,000 Australians. It leads to severe symptoms, comprising of bloody diarrhoea and abdominal pain. Acute Severe Ulcerative Colitis (ASUC) is a life-threatening extension of UC, often unresponsive to corticosteroids. Exclusive Enteral Nutrition (EEN), a safe nutritionally complete liquid diet, shows promise as an alternative treatment. While EEN is well-researched and its safety well recognised, it’s effectiveness in large bowel disease (UC) is less well understood. Given the limited evidence in ASUC, this cohort study aims to investigate the impact of 1 week versus 3 weeks of EEN on disease activity, frequency of bowel motions, and quality of life in adults admitted to Logan Hospital (LGH) with ASUC. We will compare outcomes between a retrospective control group who did not receive EEN with prospective cohorts who received either 1 week or 3 weeks of EEN. All groups also received standard medical therapy. If the results show no significant difference in clinical outcomes or remission rates between the two durations of EEN, it suggests that clinical improvements can be achieved with a shorter duration of EEN. This finding would make EEN treatment more acceptable and feasible for adults with ASUC, potentially improving patient adherence and reducing the treatment burden.

Intravenous lidocaine infusions have demonstrated benefits for improving analgesia and recovery after laparoscopic abdominal surgery. However, there are inconsistencies regarding the dosing of lidocaine infusions with concerns for safety and efficacy, particularly when using a weight-based protocol in patients with obesity. It is likely that current dosing regimen result in sub-therapeutic levels in patients. This study aims to prospectively evaluate a proposed optimised regimen to determine if it achieves targeted concentrations. We will also assess the feasibility of administering a standardised anaesthesia protocol and collecting a range of patient-focused outcomes.