Congress For Patients Congress4Patients

You might have heard the term integrative oncology and not understood what it actually means. Integrative oncology is where different medical professionals or specialists come together to offer patients a more holistic approach to health care. This could even include mind and body therapies such as yoga and mindfulness. Do you want to know more about holistic cancer care?

Join us in this episode as we talk to Dr Vanessa Brunelli, a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Wollongong. Vanessa has a long background in oncology nursing and talks about the holistic care of cancer patients and how this is of immense benefit to the patients themselves.

She discusses the benefits of using tools such as visualisation to control anxieties that might be common for patients who need to undergo scans and other types of medical procedures. She also talks about the importance of timing when it comes to exploring complementary therapies such as yoga, pilates, tai chi and acupuncture so that patients aren’t negatively affected.

Another important aspect that Vanessa discusses is the benefits that these complementary therapies can have for the primary carers of cancer patients.

So, if you like the concept of a more holistic approach to your cancer care or you’re a carer who could benefit from some self-care, make sure that you listen in.

 

Additional Resources:

Congress For Patients website:

https://congressforpatients.com.au/

ASCO abstract:

How to Make Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine a Part of Everyday Oncology Practice

Integrative Health - complementary therapies that enhance wellness for people affected by breast cancer.

Society of Integrative Oncology

SIO Practice Guidelines
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As a cancer patient, shared decision-making empowers you to take control of your diagnosis and how you want to be treated. Essentially, it involves collaboration with all the medical professionals you deal with to gain knowledge about your condition and the choices that you have. This puts you in control of your treatment so that you don’t feel vulnerable or powerless.

In this episode, we discuss shared decision-making from two entirely different perspectives. Caitlin Delany is a cancer patient herself and also an advocate for patients. She is the founder of CareFully, an organisation that empowers and trains healthcare professionals to deliver compassionate care. She gives us her unique insights into the importance of shared decision-making.

At the other end of the spectrum is Dr Yeh Chen Lee, a medical oncologist at the Prince of Wales Hospital, the Royal Hospital for Women and Chris O’Brien Lifehouse. She discusses both the difficulties and necessity of shared decision-making and how digital tools can make this easier.

So, if you’re a cancer patient yourself, make sure that you listen to this episode to learn more about the shared decision-making process and find out about the digital tools that are available to keep you better informed.

 

Additional Resources:

Congress For Patients website:

https://congressforpatients.com.au/

ASCO abstract:

Shared Decision-Making in the Care of Patients with Cancer

Article:

Shared decision-making as a method of cancer care

Global Community of Care Activists

The Patient Revolution

Article:

Digital health-enabled genomics: Opportunities and challenges
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Do you want to learn more about clinical trials, what they are and how you can take part in them? Maybe, you want to understand more about the benefits of clinical trials and whether there are any barriers to participating. Join us for an in-depth discussion on clinical trials and the current Australian initiatives.

In this episode, we talk to Dr Abhijit Pal, a staff specialist medical oncologist who works in the South Western Sydney Local Health District. Dr Pal is in the final stages of a PhD, looking at improving informed consent for early-phase clinical trials and improving the diversity of cancer clinical trials.

He discusses the importance of the relationship between patient and clinician to establish trust before considering a clinical trial. He then goes on to discuss what clinical trials are and the importance of these to develop better and more effective treatments.

This episode is a must-listen if you’re a cancer patient yourself and have been toying with the idea of taking part in a clinical trial. You’ll learn about the importance of these trials and how taking part might be as simple as having a discussion with your medical professional to see what’s available.

 

Additional Resources:

Congress For Patients website:

https://congressforpatients.com.au/

ASCO abstract:

ASCO: The Future of Equitable Access to Clinical Trials

Clinical Trials 101 - Where do I start?

https://cancer101.org/where-do-i-start/clinical-trials/

Clinical trials register for Australia and New Zealand

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR)

Clinical trials in the US and other countries including Australia

ClinicalTrials.gov

Precision Oncology Screening Platform Enabling Clinical Trials run by OMICO

Prospect

Australian Cancer Trials - an information service including trials that are currently recruiting

Cancer Trials Australia - a clinical trial network of 16 research organisations with patients participating in trials at Victorian hospitals

Register4 - an online community for breast cancer research participants with details of current projects allowing people to register for clinical trials
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Dr. Lee discusses key messages from the Top 5 patient chosen topics from ASCO 2023 and what it means for patients, in Chinese. 我们将一起讨论患者投票表决的五大热门议题，探索它的重要性以及对患者的意义，并为您提供相关的资源和指导。

 


Integrative Oncology综合肿瘤学
Improve Access to Clinical Trials临床试验
Shared Decision Making医患共同决策
DNA testing基因测试
Survivorship癌症倖存者

 

Dr Yeh Chen Lee, Medical Oncologist

Dr Yeh Chen Lee, medical oncologist and clinical trials investigator, subspecialising in gynaecological cancers and soft tissue sarcoma. She currently works at Prince of Wales Hospital, Royal Hospital for Women and Chris O’Brien Lifehouse. Her research focus is to improve patient care in cancer, through advancing and translating knowledge in cancer genetics, drug development and supportive care.

李业珍医生是妇科癌症和软组织肉瘤的专家，目前在Prince of Wales Hospital, Royal Hospital for Women和Chris O’Brien Lifehouse担任医生。

 

Kindly refer to the website and English podcast for topic-specific resources.

请访问网站获取更多资源

https://congressforpatients.com.au/


综合肿瘤学（Integrative Oncology）

辅助疗法与癌症

中药、西药或食疗？癌友该如何选择？

 

2. 临床试验 (Improve Access to Clinical Trials)

a. Cancer Institute NSW的临床试验信息

b. “我患有癌症, 我可以选择临床试验吗

c. 临床试验常用术语词汇表

 

3.医患共同决策(Shared Decision Making)



需要問醫生的問題
應對癌症診斷的過程
BCNA - My Journey Kit 乳癌信息 / 转移性乳癌
癌症常用术语词汇表 Multilingual Cancer Glossary


 

4. 基因测试 (DNA testing)


TOPOGRAPH肿瘤学研究目录可以提供在临床和试验环境中推荐精密癌症药物的信息。
PrOSPeCT通过对患有癌症且未满足临床需求的患者进行全面的基因组分析（CGP），来改善他们获得新型生物标志物依赖性治疗的机会。

 

5.癌症倖存者 (Survivorship)


ACSC墨尔本的Peter Mac癌症研究所建立了澳大利亚癌症生存中心，为我们提供了许多支持和资源。
康复之路资料
患癌后仍幸福地生活
患癌後仍幸福地生活 恩讯」期刊CanCare Centre Newsletter
更生会 癌症支援服务CanRevive (NSW) - https://www.canrevive.com/
維省新生會 CCCIS (VIC) - https://cccis.org.au/
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If you’ve been diagnosed with any type of cancer, it’s important to take note of any other symptoms that you might be experiencing elsewhere in the body. For example, having headaches, nausea or vomiting could indicate brain metastases or tumours in your brain.

In this episode, we talk to Dr. Fiona Hegi-Johnson who is a Radiation Oncologist at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. She’s also a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne and specialises in treating lung and breast cancer patients.

Fiona explains how patients are usually very aware of any changes in their bodies and how they’re feeling. She stresses that any symptoms should be discussed with your oncologist and other members of your medical team, so tests can be done to see if there is disease elsewhere in the body.

She also shares with us some exciting new treatment options using stereotactic radiotherapy that can treat very small lesions without affecting the rest of the brain. This means side effects can be avoided and the prognosis for patients is greatly improved. Plus, she alludes to a number of other treatment options that she’s excited about.

Note: Dr. Hegi-Johnson updated that the overall prevalence of brain metastases ranges from 30 to 40%, varying based on the patient cohort and tumour types. The prevalence is higher in mutation-driven patients.

 

Additional Resources:

Congress For Patients website

https://congressforpatients.com.au/

ASCO abstract about Brain Metastases Treatments

https://meetings.asco.org/2023-asco-annual-meeting/14941?presentation=214903#214903

What is Brain Metastases?

https://www.aimatmelanoma.org/stages-of-melanoma/brain-metastases/

Diagnosis, treatment, surgery, radiation therapy, medications and so on

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/brain-metastases/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20350140
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Learn about the latest research studies on different treatments for women with breast or cervical cancers from Associate Professor Dr. Yoland Antill. Some of the results of these research studies may offer you more choices when it comes to discussing treatment options with your medical professionals.

Dr. Yoland Antill is a Medical Oncologist and Cancer Genetics specialist from the Australia and New Zealand Gynaecological Oncology Group (ANZGOG) Research Advisory Committee. She has over 20 years of experience in oncology and cancer genetics within both the public and private sectors.

In this episode, Dr. Antill discusses in simple to understand language, the results of various research studies that were conducted into the varying treatments for both cervical and breast cancer patients. With this knowledge, you will be better equipped to discuss your own personal treatment with your medical team and ask about the various options available. 

Additional Resources:

Congress For Patients website:

https://congressforpatients.com.au/

SHAPE trial on cervical cancer surgery:

https://ascopost.com/news/june-2023/simple-hysterectomy-may-be-a-safe-option-for-patients-with-early-stage-low-risk-cervical-cancer/

https://ascopubs.org/doi/abs/10.1200/JCO.2023.41.17_suppl.LBA5511

Results from trials conducted on treatments for small node-negative HER2+ breast tumors:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/371296496_Outcomes_according_to_treatment_received_for_small_node-negative_HER2_breast_tumors_in_the_Surveillance_Epidemiology_and_End_Results_SEER_database_2010-2019

Information about CDK4/6 inhibitors:

https://www.breastcancertrials.org.au/cdk-4-6-inhibitors/

Outcomes from the phase 3 SONIA trial for patients with hormone receptor-positive or negative breast cancer:

https://ascopubs.org/doi/abs/10.1200/JCO.2023.41.17_suppl.LBA1000

Effects of ovarian ablation or suppression on breast cancer recurrence and survival:

https://meetings.asco.org/abstracts-presentations/218409

Evaluation of PAM50 intrinsic sub-types and risk of recurrence in premenopausal women with early-stage HR+ breast cancer:

https://ascopubs.org/doi/abs/10.1200/JCO.2023.41.16_suppl.504
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