Clinical Research Directory

HOPE Against Cancer Recurrence in HCC

Liver transplantation is often performed to treat liver cancer, or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), in patients with impaired liver function due to cirrhosis. A shortcoming, however, is tumor recurrence after transplantation. Approximately 15 % of patients receiving livers develop recurrence and this depends on the quality of the liver received. Machine liver perfusion, for example, hypothermic oxygenated liver perfusion (HOPE), which means that the organ is perfused with an oxygen-rich fluid in a cold environment before transplantation, is a novel method to improve the quality of livers before implantation. The standard of care is cold storage without perfusion. The objective of this study is to compare the survival after tumor recurrence of patients after liver transplantation for HCC between perfused and not perfused livers. This study's hypothesis is that survival without tumor recurrence is improved when the liver is perfused before implantation. The study involves transplant centers worldwide, and adults with HCC waiting for liver transplantation are included. 220 Patients will be recruited within 12 months and then observed for at least 2 years after transplantation. To provide the most valid results, the patients will be randomly allocated to either the organ perfusion group or a control group with standard-of-care cold storage of the organ.

Fertility Protection for Children, Adolescents and Young Adults

This study focuses on improving fertility preservation and long-term care for children, adolescents, and young adults (CAYA) undergoing cancer treatments or stem cell transplantation. These treatments can harm fertility, and ensuring that patients receive the right support and follow-up care is critical. The main study goals are: 1. Understanding Fertility Risks: Researchers aim to identify factors that predict fertility problems after cancer treatments, such as the type of therapy, hormone levels, body composition, or genetic predispositions. 2. Addressing Patient and Family Needs: The program will explore the concerns, needs, and challenges faced by young patients and their parents regarding fertility. It will also examine how these issues affect their quality of life. 3. Improving Clinical Care: Current practices in fertility preservation and counseling will be studied to identify gaps and improve care structures. To achieve these goals, the program will: * Create a database to collect and analyze medical data from patients before, during, and after cancer treatments. * Study the prevalence and long-term effects of fertility problems in young patients. * Document medical interventions like fertility preservation methods (e.g., freezing eggs or sperm) and treatments for late effects. * Assess patients' and families' fertility-related quality of life and their informational needs. Ultimately, the project aims to establish an interdisciplinary center to support fertility preservation and improve the quality of care for young patients facing cancer and its treatments.

National Robotics-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy Database

In Australia, nearly 70 men are diagnosed with Prostate cancer every day. Prostate removal (Radical Prostatectomy) is the proven treatment option to control cancer spread. Most of the prostate removal surgeries are done using robots. Robotic assisted prostate removal surgeries have been invented to minimise the risk of side effects post-surgery. Doctors prefer the robots over open surgery as there are benefits to patients (shorter hospital stays, lesser blood loss and better quality of life) and surgeons (better dexterity, improved field of vision and less pain). However, the cost of the robot outweighs the benefits at present and there is very less information concerning the long-term outcomes for patients. Studies conducted so far are small scale studies and the results from these studies cannot be generalized to the population at large in Australia. So, there is need for a largescale study that will look at the long-term outcomes and the factors that impact robotic surgeries across the metropolitan and rural hospital sectors. Hence, this comprehensive database has been setup to collaborate with major hospitals, across metropolitan and rural areas in Australia. Through this database, researchers will be able to explore the diagnostic pathway for Prostate cancer and understand the long-term benefits of robotic surgery through patient reported questionnaires. Outcomes from this database will also help compare the quality of care against other powerhouses of robotic surgery. Eventually, the database aims to standardize diagnostic pathways and clinical notes that are the same across different hospitals conducting robotic-assisted surgeries for Prostatectomy and improve care for prostate cancer patients across the country.