- WA Cancer Fellowships support research and training for medical practitioners
- Funds awarded for two projects to improve care for people with cancer
- Fellowships will cover salaries for 12 months for recipients to complete research projects
A Perth doctor trialling technology to monitor cancer patients at home after treatment has won one of this year's WA Cancer Fellowships.
Announcing the 2025 WA Cancer Fellows Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said the program was designed to help medical practitioners expand their research and training skills improving health outcomes for cancer patients in Western Australia.
This year two projects will share almost $500,000 in funding.
Fiona Stanley Hospital's Dr Thomas Buss is looking at the feasibility and safety of implementing a remote monitoring program for Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell patients in WA.
CAR T-cell therapy is an innovative treatment that uses the body's own immune system to attack cancer cells.
While shown to be effective in treating blood cancers like lymphoma and leukemia, CAR T-cell patients need to be monitored in hospital for seven days after treatment.
Dr Buss' new monitoring program will assess patients remotely giving patients the opportunity to receive their cancer care closer to home with the added benefit of freeing up in-hospital beds.
Dr Trisha Khoo also from Fiona Stanley Hospital is looking at better ways to identify breast cancer patients who will benefit from a new type of cancer treatment.
Antibodydrug conjugates (ADCs) are a class ofbiopharmaceuticaldrugs designed as atargeted therapyfor treating cancer.
Unlikechemotherapy, which exposes patients to damaging, often long-term side effects, ADCs are intended to target and kill tumour cells while sparing healthy cells.
Further information about the 2025 WA Cancer Fellowships is available on the Healthy WA website .
As stated by Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson:
"Congratulations to the winners of this year's WA Cancer Fellowships.
"These exciting research projects have the potential to reduce the impacts of treatment on cancer patients.
"The fellowships make a significant contribution to our health system and improve the way we care for Western Australians affected by cancer."
