Lisdexamfetamine in the treatment of methamphetamine dependence: A randomised, placebo-controlled trial.

Aims: This study tested the efficacy and safety of a 12-week course of lisdexamfetamine in reducing methamphetamine use, an outcome which is associated with improvements in health and wellbeing, in people dependent on methamphetamine.

Design, Setting And Participants: This study was a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial conducted in six specialist outpatient clinics in Adelaide, Melbourne, Newcastle and Sydney, Australia (2018-2021). Participants were164 adults with methamphetamine dependence, reporting at least 14 use days out of the previous 28 days (62% male, 38% female, < 1% other; mean age 39 years).

When genetics and pediatric cancer collide: Understanding and optimizing families' experiences.

Background: Advances in our understanding of the genetic basis of childhood cancer, including primary central nervous system cancers, are improving the diagnosis, treatment, and clinical management of pediatric patients. To effectively translate scientific breakthroughs into enhanced clinical care, it is essential we understand and learn from the experiences of patients, families, and health professionals.

Methods: This report summarizes findings from 4 Australian psychosocial substudies exploring the perspectives of patients, parents, clinicians, and scientists participating in research related to childhood cancer genetics.

The feasibility and acceptability of collecting psychosocial outcome measures embedded within a precision medicine trial for childhood cancer.

Background: Patient-reported outcomes measures (PROMs) are increasingly being collected within cancer clinical trials, yet limited literature on the feasibility and acceptability of doing so.

Methods: We collected parent-proxy and adolescent (≥12 years old) PROMs through a longitudinal, psychosocial sub-study ('PRISM-Impact') embedded in a precision medicine trial for children with poor prognosis cancer ('PRISM'). We report on feasibility (response, participation, and attrition rates; follow-up and responding to elevated distress) and acceptability (parents' perceived benefit/burden of participation; and impact on decision to participate in PRISM) of PRISM-Impact.

The lived experience of people affected by cancer: A global cross-sectional survey protocol.

A diagnosis of cancer impacts the person's physical and mental health and the psychosocial and financial health of their caregivers. While data on the experience of living with cancer is available, there is a dearth of data from persons in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The perspectives of other impacted individuals also remain understudied (e.

Hopes, concerns, satisfaction and regret in a precision medicine trial for childhood cancer: a mixed-methods study of parent and patient perspectives.

Background: Paediatric precision oncology aims to match therapeutic agents to driver gene targets. We investigated whether parents and patients regret participation in precision medicine trials, particularly when their hopes are unfulfilled.

Methods: Parents and adolescent patients completed questionnaires at trial enrolment (T0) and after receiving results (T1).

Comparison of statistical methods for the early detection of disease outbreaks in small population settings.

Objectives: This study examines the performance of 6 aberration detection algorithms for the early detection of disease outbreaks in small population settings using syndrome-based early warning surveillance data collected by the Pacific Syndromic Surveillance System (PSSS). Although previous studies have proposed statistical methods for detecting aberrations in larger datasets, there is limited knowledge about how these perform in the presence of small numbers of background cases.

Methods: To address this gap a simulation model was developed to test and compare the performance of the 6 algorithms in detecting outbreaks of different magnitudes, durations, and case distributions.

Parents' expectations, preferences, and recall of germline findings in a childhood cancer precision medicine trial.

Background: Germline genome sequencing in childhood cancer precision medicine trials may reveal pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in cancer predisposition genes in more than 10% of children. These findings can have implications for diagnosis, treatment, and the child's and family's future cancer risk. Understanding parents' perspectives of germline genome sequencing is critical to successful clinical implementation.

Parents' and adolescents' perspectives and understanding of information about childhood cancer precision medicine.

Background: Precision medicine is projected to become integral to childhood cancer care. As such, it is essential to support families to understand what precision medicine entails.

Methods: A total of 182 parents and 23 adolescent patients participating in Precision Medicine for Children with Cancer (PRISM), an Australian precision medicine clinical trial for high-risk childhood cancer, completed questionnaires after study enrollment (time 0 [T0]).

Learning consistent subcellular landmarks to quantify changes in multiplexed protein maps.

Highly multiplexed imaging holds enormous promise for understanding how spatial context shapes the activity of the genome and its products at multiple length scales. Here, we introduce a deep learning framework called CAMPA (Conditional Autoencoder for Multiplexed Pixel Analysis), which uses a conditional variational autoencoder to learn representations of molecular pixel profiles that are consistent across heterogeneous cell populations and experimental perturbations. Clustering these pixel-level representations identifies consistent subcellular landmarks, which can be quantitatively compared in terms of their size, shape, molecular composition and relative spatial organization.

Oocyte-Secreted Serum Biomarkers GDF9 and BMP15 in Women with Endometriosis.

Oocyte-secreted growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) and bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) are critical paracrine regulators of female fertility. Recent studies demonstrated that serum concentrations are associated with the number of oocytes retrieved during IVF, and therefore potential clinical use as biomarkers. However, it is unknown if the presence of endometriosis affects serum GDF9 or BMP15.

Serum GDF9 and BMP15 as potential markers of ovarian function in women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome.

Objective: Growth differentiation factor-9 (GDF9) and bone morphogenetic protein-15 (BMP15) are critical paracrine regulators of female fertility and are predominantly expressed by oocytes. However, it is unknown if serum concentrations reflect changes in ovarian function and/or reproductive endocrine disorders. This study aimed to determine if serum GDF9/BMP15 are associated with ovarian, pituitary, oestrogenic, androgenic and metabolic characteristics and the ovarian pathologies, polycystic ovarian morphology (PCOM) and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Quality of Life (QoL) of Children and Adolescents Participating in a Precision Medicine Trial for High-Risk Childhood Cancer.

Precision medicine is changing the treatment of childhood cancer globally, however little is known about quality of life (QoL) in children and adolescents participating in precision medicine trials. We examined QoL among patients enrolled in PRISM, the Zero Childhood Cancer Program's precision medicine trial for high-risk childhood cancer. We assessed patient QoL via self-report (aged 12-17 years) and parent-proxy (aged 4-17 years) completion of the EQ-5D-Y.

Prospective longitudinal evaluation of treatment-related toxicity and health-related quality of life during the first year of treatment for pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Background: Pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) therapy is accompanied by treatment-related toxicities (TRTs) and impaired quality of life. In Australia and New Zealand, children with ALL are treated with either Children's Oncology Group (COG) or international Berlin-Frankfurt-Munster (iBFM) Study Group-based therapy. We conducted a prospective registry study to document symptomatic TRTs (venous thrombosis, neurotoxicity, pancreatitis and bone toxicity), compare TRT outcomes to retrospective TRT data, and measure the impact of TRTs on children's general and cancer-related health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and parents' emotional well-being.

Providing Psychological Support to Parents of Childhood Cancer Survivors: '' Intervention Trial Results and Lessons for the Future.

We conducted a three-armed trial to assess Cascade, a four-module group videoconferencing cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) intervention for parents of childhood cancer survivors currently aged <18 years. We allocated parents to Cascade, an attention control (peer-support group), or a waitlist. The primary outcome was parents' health-related quality of life () six months post-intervention.

Patterns and Predictors of Healthcare Use among Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors versus a Community Comparison Group.

Healthcare use (HCU) during survivorship can mitigate adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors' (aged 15-39 years) risk of medical and psychosocial late effects, but this is understudied. We surveyed 93 Australian AYA post-treatment cancer survivors ( = 22.0 years, SD = 3.

Health service and medication use of parents of childhood cancer survivors: a controlled comparison study.

Background: Parents of childhood cancer survivors may be vulnerable to experiencing poor health outcomes, but little is known about how these parents use healthcare. This study investigated the nature and extent of survivors' parents' healthcare and medication use relative to a comparison group. We also examined whether demographic or cancer-related factors were related to healthcare use and whether healthcare use was associated with parents' general functioning.

Online, Group-Based Psychological Support for Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors: Results from the Recapture Life Randomized Trial.

Telehealth interventions offer a practical platform to support adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors' mental health needs after treatment, yet efficacy data are lacking. We evaluated an online, group-based, videoconferencing-delivered cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention ('Recapture Life') in a 3-arm randomized-controlled trial comparing Recapture Life with an online peer-support group, and a waitlist control, with the aim of testing its impact on quality of life, emotional distress and healthcare service use. Forty AYAs (M = 20.

How Are Families Faring? Perceived Family Functioning Among Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors in Comparison to Their Peers.

Adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors' families can face ongoing challenges into survivorship. Families' adjustment and functioning as a unit can subsequently impact AYAs' mental health and quality of life. This study examined AYA cancer survivors' perceived family functioning, compared with their peers, and investigated factors associated with family functioning.

Exploratory analysis of serum concentrations of oocyte biomarkers growth differentiation factor 9 and bone morphogenetic protein 15 in ovulatory women across the menstrual cycle.

Objective: To characterize and evaluate the variation in serum concentrations of oocyte-secreted growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) and bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) throughout the menstrual cycle in women from young to advanced reproductive ages.

Design: Cross-sectional, observational, and exploratory study.

Setting: Multicenter university-based clinical practices and laboratories.

The Clinical Relevance of p16 and p53 Status in Patients with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Vulva.

Objective: To investigate the prognostic significance of HPV status in vulvar squamous cell carcinomas (VSCC) and to determine whether preoperative determination of p16 or p53 status would have clinical relevance.

Methods: Patients treated for VSCC at a tertiary hospital in Sydney, Australia, from 2002 to 2014, were retrospectively evaluated ( = 119). Histological specimens were stained for p53 and p16 expression, and HPV status was determined by PCR detection of HPV DNA.

The AGITG GAP Study: A Phase II Study of Perioperative Gemcitabine and Nab-Paclitaxel for Resectable Pancreas Cancer.

Background: While combination therapy with nab-paclitaxel/gemcitabine (nab-gem) is effective in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), its efficacy as perioperative chemotherapy is unknown. The primary objective of this multicenter, prospective, single-arm, phase II study was to determine whether neoadjuvant therapy with nab-gem was associated with higher complete resection rates (R0) in resectable PDAC, while the secondary objectives were to determine the utility of radiological assessment of response to preoperative chemotherapy and the safety and efficacy of nab-gem as perioperative therapy.

Methods: Patients were recruited from eight Australian sites, and 42 patients with radiologically defined resectable PDAC and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-2 were enrolled.

Perceived cancer-related pain and fatigue, information needs, and fear of cancer recurrence among adult survivors of childhood cancer.

Objective: Pain and fatigue are under-researched late effects of childhood cancer and its treatment, and may be interpreted by survivors as indicating cancer recurrence. Moreover, unmet information needs for managing pain and fatigue may be related to fear of cancer recurrence. We investigated the complex relationships between perceived cancer-related pain and fatigue, unmet information needs for managing pain and fatigue, and fear of cancer recurrence.

Piloting a parent and patient decision aid to support clinical trial decision making in childhood cancer.

Objective: Families of a child with cancer can find the decision to enrol in a clinical trial challenging and often misunderstand key concepts that underpin trials. We pilot tested "Delta," an online and booklet decision aid for parents with a child with cancer, and adolescents with cancer, deciding whether or not to enrol in a clinical trial.

Methods: We developed Delta in accordance with the International Patient Decision Aid Standards.

Epidemic surveillance in a low resource setting: lessons from an evaluation of the Solomon Islands syndromic surveillance system, 2017.

Background: Solomon Islands is one of the least developed countries in the world. Recognising that timely detection of outbreaks is needed to enable early and effective response to disease outbreaks, the Solomon Islands government introduced a simple syndromic surveillance system in 2011. We conducted the first evaluation of the system and the first exploration of a national experience within the broader multi-country Pacific Syndromic Surveillance System to determine if it is meeting its objectives and to identify opportunities for improvement.