SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence in a Cohort of International Travellers Returning to Rural Australia: Enablers and Barriers to Containment of COVID-19.

Objective: To describe the effectiveness of the public health response to COVID-19 in our local region by documenting detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection by nucleic acid testing (NAT) positivity and seroprevalence.

Methods: In this prospective study (ACTRN12620000487910), symptomatic adult international travellers returning to regional Australia in March 2020 underwent SARS-CoV-2 NAT and SARS-CoV-2-specific serology.

Results: Ninety-nine eligible participants were included.

Workforce challenges across Victorian medical oncology services.

Background: Cancer incidence is growing, with increasing treatment options and durations. This has led to an increase workload on the current oncology workforce. The global pandemic has increased this pressure further.

Real-world clinical outcomes and cost estimates of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer treatment: does sequencing of taxanes and androgen receptor-targeted agents matter?

Introduction: Health economic outcomes of real-world treatment sequencing of androgen receptor-targeted agents (ARTA) and docetaxel (DOC) remain unclear.

Material And Methods: Data from the electronic Castration-resistant Prostate cancer Australian Database (ePAD) were analyzed including median overall survival (mOS) and median time-to-treatment failure (mTTF). Mean total costs (mTC) and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER) of treatment sequences were estimated using the average sample method and Zhao and Tian estimator.

Real-World Outcomes of Ribociclib and Aromatase Inhibitor Use in First Line Hormone Receptor Positive, HER2-Negative Metastatic Breast Cancer.

Background: International guidelines recommend combining a CDK4/6 inhibitor and endocrine therapy (ET) as first line treatment for hormone receptor (HR) positive, HER2 negative metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Results from MONALEESA-2 demonstrate superior progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) with ribociclib (CDK4/6 inhibitor) and ET compared to ET alone. Real world outcomes have yet to be reported.

Uncertainty and the unmet informational needs of patients with cancer of unknown primary (CUP): a cross-sectional multi-site study.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the healthcare experiences, quality of life, and psychosocial needs of patients with cancer of unknown primary (CUP) early after diagnosis; comparing their experiences to patients with advanced cancer of a known primary (non-CUP control patients) and published general population reference data where available.

Methods: This study was a cross-sectional, multi-site study comparing CUP patients (n = 139) compared to non-CUP controls (n = 45). Demographic, clinical information and patient-reported outcome questionnaire data were collected at baseline.

Prostate cancer survival in South West Victoria.

Objective: To explore reasons for survival disparities for patients with prostate cancer in the Barwon South West area of Victoria.

Design, Setting And Participants: We have described incidence, diagnostics, treatment pathways, and survival for four regions of the Barwon South Western Victoria. Analysis included all newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients from 2009 to 2015 in the Evaluation of Cancer Outcomes Barwon South West Registry.

Nitrogen-based Bisphosphonate Use and Ovarian Cancer Risk in Women Aged 50 Years and Older.

Background: There are few readily modifiable risk factors for epithelial ovarian cancer; preclinical studies suggest bisphosphonates could have chemopreventive actions. Our study aimed to assess the association between use of nitrogen-based bisphosphonate medicine and risk of epithelial ovarian cancer, overall and by histotype.

Methods: We conducted a case-control study nested within a large, linked administrative dataset including all Australian women enrolled for Medicare, Australia's universal health insurance scheme, between July 2002 and December 2013.

Penpulimab, an anti-PD1 IgG1 antibody in the treatment of advanced or metastatic upper gastrointestinal cancers.

Background: The safety and anti-tumor activity of penpulimab in patients with advanced upper gastrointestinal (UGI) cancers were evaluated in this study.

Methods: Patients with advanced UGI cancers naive to immune checkpoint inhibitors were enrolled in two trials of penpulimab. In the Phase Ia/Ib trial in Australia, patients received penpulimab intravenous infusion of 1, 3 and 10 mg/kg every 2 weeks in dose-escalation phase and 200 mg every 2 weeks in dose-expansion phase.

Teletrials, the new norm? Expert recommendations for teletrials into the future: Findings from the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Clinical Trial Research Professionals Group Workshop.

Introduction: The Australasian Teletrial Model was piloted in co-funded sites across Australia. The purpose was to extend the reach of clinical trials using telemedicine to improve equity and access to this treatment pathway for oncology patients. Experts across Australia gathered to share the learnings of implementation so that future directions can be effective and sustainable.

CCTG BR34: A Randomized Phase 2 Trial of Durvalumab and Tremelimumab With or Without Platinum-Based Chemotherapy in Patients With Metastatic NSCLC.

Introduction: First-line therapy for patients with metastatic NSCLC includes checkpoint inhibitor monotherapy, dual checkpoint inhibition, or combination with chemotherapy. We compared outcomes with combination chemoimmunotherapy versus dual checkpoint inhibition as first-line treatment for patients with metastatic NSCLC.

Methods: This open-label, randomized clinical trial was conducted at 44 sites in Canada and Australia.

Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma: representative cases and approach to diagnosis.

Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (ILBCL) is a subtype of non-Hodgkin's large B-cell lymphoma that is characterised by neoplastic lymphocyte proliferation within the lumen of small blood vessels, which may occur without an extracellular tumour mass or peripheral blood involvement. This report highlights some of the diagnostic issues for ILBCL, and how it can be approached. The two cases described below highlight two significantly different presentations, one with predominately neurological phenomena, and the other with fever of unknown origin for investigation.

Exercise as a supportive care strategy in men with prostate cancer receiving androgen deprivation therapy at a regional cancer centre: a survey of patients and clinicians.

Purpose: To understand how frequently exercise is discussed and/or prescribed as a supportive care measure and the barriers and facilitators to exercise uptake for men with prostate cancer receiving androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) at a regional cancer centre.

Methods: An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted at a regional cancer centre in three stages: (1) Retrospective chart review of men with prostate cancer undergoing ADT to identify the frequency of discussion and/or prescription of supportive care measures; (2) prospective patient survey exploring barriers and facilitators to exercise; and (3) prospective clinician survey exploring barriers, facilitators and awareness of exercise guidelines in men with prostate cancer.

Results: Files of 100 men receiving ADT (mean age 73 years; mean ADT duration =12 months) in the medical oncology (n = 50) and radiation oncology (n = 50) clinics were reviewed.

Phase 2 study of anastrozole in patients with estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor positive recurrent low-grade endometrial stromal sarcomas: The PARAGON trial (ANZGOG 0903).

Background: Aromatase inhibitors are standard of care for low-grade endometrial stromal sarcomas (LGESS), based on very high response rates reported in retrospective studies. We evaluated the activity of anastrozole in recurrent/metastatic LGESS patients enrolled in PARAGON, a basket trial of anastrozole in estrogen receptor (ER±)/progesterone receptor (PR+) gynecological cancers.

Method: An investigator-initiated, single-arm, prospective open-label trial of anastrozole 1 mg/day in patients with ER ± PR + ve LGESS with measurable disease, treated until progressive disease or unacceptable toxicity.

Priorities for the global advancement of care for older adults with cancer: an update of the International Society of Geriatric Oncology Priorities Initiative.

In 2011, the International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG) published the SIOG 10 Priorities Initiative, which defined top priorities for the improvement of the care of older adults with cancer worldwide. Substantial scientific, clinical, and educational progress has been made in line with these priorities and international health policy developments have occurred, such as the shift of emphasis by WHO from communicable to non-communicable diseases and the adoption by the UN of its Sustainable Development Goals 2030. Therefore, SIOG has updated its priority list.

The Elderly Functional Index (ELFI), a patient-reported outcome measure of functional status in patients with cancer: a multicentre, prospective validation study.

Background: Functional assessment of patients with cancer can be challenging and is often undertaken by the clinician with minimal direct input from the patient. We developed and aimed to validate the Elderly Functional Index (ELFI), a composite measure of self-reported functioning in older patients with cancer.

Methods: In this multicentre, prospective validation study, we validated ELFI in adult patients attending five oncology practices in Australia.

Towards new models of cancer care in Australia: lessons from Victoria's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Health and Human Services Victoria (DHHS), the Monash Partners Comprehensive Cancer Consortium (MPCCC) and Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC) pooled their combined infrastructure to establish the Victorian COVID-19 Cancer Network (VCCN) backed by a Taskforce of expert members. In a few short months, this state-wide clinical network implemented a number of new models of care including clinics to manage acutely presenting cancer patients away from emergency departments, chemotherapy in the home, telehealth models and addressing sustainability of clinical trials.