Gynaecological Cancer Research
Nearly 1000 New Zealand women a year develop gynaecological cancer, unfortunately many will not survive their disease and for most the diagnosis and treatment will have a major impact on their lives. As health professionals we are witness to women's suffering and not only strive to provide the best available care, we are constantly asking how we can do better. The best way to provide these answers is by well conducted research. Gynaecological Cancer research can take a number of forms, the most directly related to improvements in patient care are large international randomised clinical trials. These trials normally compare internationally accepted best practice with a new treatment or compare two treatments where we are unsure which outcomes are best. The results of these trials quickly translate to changes in clinical practice. They however are major undertakings requiring detailed international collaboration and expensive trial management, to take part in such trials institutions require appropriate infrastructure and staff, currently this is not seen as a priority to our health providers.
Smaller clinical trials explore the outcome of new or currently used treatments and set the scene for larger international trials or assist in the optimal use of current treatments. An important theme of research is quality of life, it is not only important that cancers are cured and life prolonged but that women continue to live full and productive lives, that the side effects of treatment are minimised and that women and their families receive the support they need to help them through their difficult times.
The analysis of collected clinical information in the form of retrospective studies and clinical audits ensure that our patients have received the optimal treatments, that their outcomes are appropriate, provide hypotheses for future clinical studies and provide insights into the management of women with rare conditions.
Review of larger population based data in the form of epidemiological studies, provides insight into who gets gynaecological cancers, why and what factors influence outcome. The greatest gains are to be made from prevention and by ensuring that all women have appropriate access to effective treatment.
Many important medical developments begin with research in the laboratory, why do gynaecological cancers grow, what makes them spread and what can we do to slow or prevent this? How can we detect cancers at an early stage and can we detect the differences between individual cancers that will allow us to predict which treatment will be most effective for individual women? The number of questions is endless and while much important research comes from large well-funded laboratories there are many instances where important discoveries have been made by small marginally funded researchers in small laboratories.
Importance of research In New Zealand
There are very practical aspects to the undertaking of research in New Zealand. Firstly for a number of reasons women taking part in clinical research studies generally have a better outcome than those not taking part. Secondly taking part in international clinical trials ensures that standard treatments are delivered in a manner that is consistent with international best practice, and that experience of new treatments is gained in a carefully monitored and systematic and timely way. In some instances trials give New Zealand women access to new treatments that would not otherwise be available. New Zealand populations and health services are not identical to those in other countries so it is important international research can be interpreted in the light of local information. There is some research that can only be performed in New Zealand because it relates specifically to occurrences and outcomes from cancer and quality of life in New Zealand women. In the laboratory New Zealand has a proud tradition of punching above its weight on medical research, it is important that gynaecological cancers are not ignored and we allow young promising researchers to develop an interest in the field. In general terms an active research environment stimulates an atmosphere of collaboration and clinical excellence that attracts talented and committed professionals to the field ultimately to the benefit of patients and their families.
Research Goals
The goal of the trust is to support and promote gynaecological cancer research in New Zealand, as clinical research is most closely linked to improvements in patient care, it is considered that support of such research is a priority. The conduct of clinical research requires an infrastructure of research staff and support of this infrastructure is seen as a priority as these staff can currently only be funded by the conduct of commercially funded research or the acquisition of hotly contested grant funding. The conduct of research that may be of great benefit to patients but lacks significant commercial interest can frequently be difficult to fund, support of such reseach os therefore seen as a priority. In addition the encouraging of young and promising researchers to develop their expertise in the field of gynaecological cancer is also seen as important.
Our specific aims are to support funding of research staff in major New Zealand centres that commonly treat women with gynaecological cancer, to support non commercial clinical and epidemiological research projects and to support promising researchers in the field of gynaecological cancer.
Current Research
Pete Sykes and Bryony Simcock recently went to an international research meeting in Australia. Here researchers from many related disciplines can get together to share research and brainstorm new ideas.
New Zealand punches well above its weight for gynaecological cancer research, both in terms of number of patients we have enrolled in studies; but also in terms of new research proposals.
One study that Graci is helping to get of the ground in Auckland is the Femme trial. This is already recruiting in Christchurch. In this study from Brisbane we are looking to see whether a special hormone releasing IUD called a mirena, can succesfully reverse early cancerous or precancerous changes in the uterus. This might save some women from having to have a hysterectomy. At the same time we are looking to see whether changes such as weight loss can also make a difference.
It takes time and money to get such a study off the ground, hence we hope that Graci's contribution may allow women in Auckland to enrol into this study, possibly changing there future and that of other women too.
Smaller clinical trials explore the outcome of new or currently used treatments and set the scene for larger international trials or assist in the optimal use of current treatments. An important theme of research is quality of life, it is not only important that cancers are cured and life prolonged but that women continue to live full and productive lives, that the side effects of treatment are minimised and that women and their families receive the support they need to help them through their difficult times.
The analysis of collected clinical information in the form of retrospective studies and clinical audits ensure that our patients have received the optimal treatments, that their outcomes are appropriate, provide hypotheses for future clinical studies and provide insights into the management of women with rare conditions.
Review of larger population based data in the form of epidemiological studies, provides insight into who gets gynaecological cancers, why and what factors influence outcome. The greatest gains are to be made from prevention and by ensuring that all women have appropriate access to effective treatment.
Many important medical developments begin with research in the laboratory, why do gynaecological cancers grow, what makes them spread and what can we do to slow or prevent this? How can we detect cancers at an early stage and can we detect the differences between individual cancers that will allow us to predict which treatment will be most effective for individual women? The number of questions is endless and while much important research comes from large well-funded laboratories there are many instances where important discoveries have been made by small marginally funded researchers in small laboratories.
Importance of research In New Zealand
There are very practical aspects to the undertaking of research in New Zealand. Firstly for a number of reasons women taking part in clinical research studies generally have a better outcome than those not taking part. Secondly taking part in international clinical trials ensures that standard treatments are delivered in a manner that is consistent with international best practice, and that experience of new treatments is gained in a carefully monitored and systematic and timely way. In some instances trials give New Zealand women access to new treatments that would not otherwise be available. New Zealand populations and health services are not identical to those in other countries so it is important international research can be interpreted in the light of local information. There is some research that can only be performed in New Zealand because it relates specifically to occurrences and outcomes from cancer and quality of life in New Zealand women. In the laboratory New Zealand has a proud tradition of punching above its weight on medical research, it is important that gynaecological cancers are not ignored and we allow young promising researchers to develop an interest in the field. In general terms an active research environment stimulates an atmosphere of collaboration and clinical excellence that attracts talented and committed professionals to the field ultimately to the benefit of patients and their families.
Research Goals
The goal of the trust is to support and promote gynaecological cancer research in New Zealand, as clinical research is most closely linked to improvements in patient care, it is considered that support of such research is a priority. The conduct of clinical research requires an infrastructure of research staff and support of this infrastructure is seen as a priority as these staff can currently only be funded by the conduct of commercially funded research or the acquisition of hotly contested grant funding. The conduct of research that may be of great benefit to patients but lacks significant commercial interest can frequently be difficult to fund, support of such reseach os therefore seen as a priority. In addition the encouraging of young and promising researchers to develop their expertise in the field of gynaecological cancer is also seen as important.
Our specific aims are to support funding of research staff in major New Zealand centres that commonly treat women with gynaecological cancer, to support non commercial clinical and epidemiological research projects and to support promising researchers in the field of gynaecological cancer.
Current Research
Pete Sykes and Bryony Simcock recently went to an international research meeting in Australia. Here researchers from many related disciplines can get together to share research and brainstorm new ideas.
New Zealand punches well above its weight for gynaecological cancer research, both in terms of number of patients we have enrolled in studies; but also in terms of new research proposals.
One study that Graci is helping to get of the ground in Auckland is the Femme trial. This is already recruiting in Christchurch. In this study from Brisbane we are looking to see whether a special hormone releasing IUD called a mirena, can succesfully reverse early cancerous or precancerous changes in the uterus. This might save some women from having to have a hysterectomy. At the same time we are looking to see whether changes such as weight loss can also make a difference.
It takes time and money to get such a study off the ground, hence we hope that Graci's contribution may allow women in Auckland to enrol into this study, possibly changing there future and that of other women too.