A world-first cancer research project that uses AI-powered technology for pinpoint accuracy to reduce the toxic side-effects of radiotherapy and a project to replace invasive tissue biopsies with a simple blood test are recipients of $7.5 million in Minns Labor Government research grants.
Professor Paul Keall and his University of Sydney team have been awarded one of two $3.75 million Translational Program Grants from Cancer Institute NSW to take research from the lab into real-world patient care.
The five-year grant will enable Professor Keall to continue his innovative work developing low-cost radiotherapy treatment - that better targets cancer and reduces damage to the healthy tissue that surrounds it - in patients with prostate, spine and brain cancer and making these treatments more accessible for marginalised communities.
The funding boost will support Professor Keall's goal to deliver the new technology to 10 per cent of NSW radiotherapy patients, including Aboriginal, rural, regional and culturally diverse communities, by 2030, before securing industry partnerships to scale it globally, with the aim of reaching 90 per cent of patients worldwide by 2040.
The second $3.75 million Translational Grant has been awarded to Professor Anthony Gill and his University of Sydney research team for a project to integrate a less invasive approach to cancer diagnosis and monitoring.
Professor Gill is replacing the scalpel and sutures required for invasive tissue biopsies - currently part of routine practice for many cancer patients - with a new and exciting technique that involves a simple blood test, called a liquid biopsie.
Liquid biopsies detect small amounts of DNA shed by cancer in the blood to give a highly accurate cancer diagnosis in addition to a wealth of other information such as detection of any cancer remaining post-surgery.
The five-year Translational Program Grants support novel research that will lead to rapid improvements in cancer prevention, treatment, survival and quality of life.
Minister for Medical Research David Harris said:
"The NSW Government is committed to supporting these amazing researchers and their work at the cutting edge of medical research that is bridging the gap between lab discoveries and improved patient outcomes.
"Our researchers strive every day to save the lives of people with cancer across NSW and beyond and we're proud to invest in them to continue their vital work."
NSW Chief Cancer Officer and CEO Cancer Institute NSW, Professor Tracey O'Brien AM said:
"Our cancer researchers are truly inspiring and work tirelessly to better understand a disease that affects too many of us, with one in two people in NSW diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime.
"While significant progress has been made in understanding and treating cancer there is far more to be done and these grants aim to offer options and hope, accelerating improvements in cancer prevention, treatment and survival across NSW."
Professor Paul Keall said:
"Radiotherapy is indicated for half of people with cancer worldwide. However, most patients experience side effects that reduce quality of life.
"Emerging technologies have shown a 50 per cent reduction of side effects and our program bridges this divide by developing scalable low-cost radiotherapy innovations that are more targeted, reducing toxicity and improving equity for Aboriginal, rural and regional and culturally and linguistically diverse communities."
Professor Anthony Gill said:
"Liquid biopsy - a simple blood test - is a very new and exciting technique that our team is working to implement into clinical practice. This new technology can pick up small amounts of DNA shed by cancer in the blood, replacing current practice of biopsies or operations.
"Liquid biopsies are not only used in the diagnosis of cancer, but to assess whether any cancer has been left behind following surgery, if cancer has returned and if a tumour is resistant to chemotherapy liquid biopsies can tell us why."
Person with lived experience of cancer and using liquid biopsies Stephen Marks said:
"I have Lynch syndrome which means I am more likely to be diagnosed with cancer and have been diagnosed with bowel cancer four times in the past 25 years.
"I was fortunate to be able to access liquid biopsies through the private system, which has been a valuable surveillance tool and given me additional comfort around my cancer remaining in remission.
"I think it would be wonderful if as a result of this research, these tests were more readily available to other cancer patients so we could detect and stop this disease before it spreads and requires surgery or further therapy.
