‘Liquid’ cancer test to replace invasive biopsies Posted on September 5, 2014February 25, 2018 by Carly du Toit A ‘liquid biopsy’ developed by Melbourne researchers has the potential to determine whether malignant tumours are shrinking, faster and more accurately than ever before. This simple new test would replace invasive tissue biopsies by analysing cancer tumour DNA in the blood. Clinician researcher Dr Sarah-Jane Dawson from ACRF-funded research institute Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre said looking for this circulating tumour DNA in blood had been like ‘looking for a needle in a haystack’. However new-generation genetic sequencing allows a complete snapshot of the cancer to be captured as it evolves. “As the cancer cells turn over they release their DNA into the bloodstream. While we’ve known this for some time, it’s only been recently with advances in genomic technologies that we now have sensitive techniques that allow us to very precisely identify this small fraction of tumour DNA in the blood.” “We think this is a really exciting development and it does hold a lot of promise for making a big difference to the management of cancer patients.” Dr Dawson said. A clinical trial testing the liquid biopsy in Victorian breast cancer patients is due to begin next year. Dr Dawson said in an ideal world, regular biopsies would be taken during someone’s treatment. But often that’s not feasible, and it’s invasive. “By repeating these blood tests regularly, they may give us a very accurate understanding of whether someone is responding to their treatment or not — which is very important for a woman to understand.” “She doesn’t want to be on a treatment that’s not working, or be exposed unnecessarily to side-effects, when she could be switched to a therapy that could be more effective,” Dr Dawson said.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Research news: spring 2013 Posted on September 16, 2013February 25, 2018 by Carly du Toit In the spring edition of the Research Review: Research advances building precision tools for diagnosis and cancer surgery. Breast cancer treatment could be enhanced with an existing anti-leukaemia compound. ‘Junk’ DNA and its role in cell growth and development
New childhood cancer research could help prevent 50% of cases Posted on August 22, 2012February 25, 2018 by Carly du Toit A new discovery could lead to preventative treatments for embryonal cancer cells which are responsible for more than half of all childhood cancers. Typically, only 20% of the embryonal cells created in the womb survive after birth to form nerve tissue in a baby’s body. The rest die off before the child is born. However, sometimes excess cells survive and develop into cancers. Under the leadership of Professor Glenn Marshall, Head of Translational Research and Molecular Carcinogenesis at the Children’s Cancer Institute Australia (CCIA), researchers have investigated this occurrence, focusing on the most common solid tumour cancer in early childhood – neuroblastoma. Continue reading “New childhood cancer research could help prevent 50% of cases”
An ever higher level of achievement Posted on January 11, 2010February 25, 2018 by Carly du Toit How good it feels when we hear that important research initiatives you’ve helped fund are achieving major results: Development of a molecule to target one type of pancreatic cancer tumour Discovery of a second protein receptor involved in certain types of leukaemia Australian-first ACRF Centre for Therapeutic Target Discovery Discovery of a “population of cancer cells’’ likely to be responsible for breast cancers that develop in women carrying mutations of a specific gene.
