While, as has been the case for previous editions of this publication, most of the information is mainly relevant to readers from Oz, some items might be of interest to others.
Nuclear Medicine: The Next Generation of Care
For men generally with advanced prostate cancer, the future is theranostic, involving a combination of therapy and diagnostics to halt the spread of disease. Clinical trials co-funded by Prostate Cancer Foundation Australia have proven that PSMA imaging is more accurate at detecting cancerous prostate cells than conventional imaging such as CT and bone scans – a discovery which enabled the listing of PSMA PET/CT on the Medicare Benefits Schedule in July 2022.
Telix Pharmaceuticals, headquartered in Melbourne, has developed Australia’s first approved PSMA-PET imaging agent, known as Illuccix and is now working on a therapeutic compound for prostate cancer, also targeting PSMA. Telix Group CEO and Managing Director, Dr Christian Behrenbruch says “We are currently running two major clinical trials in prostate cancer therapy in Australia and will commence the ProstACT GLOBAL Phase III study in advanced metastatic disease later this year. Each of these will be underpinned by a new approach to patient engagement, promoting every man’s physical, mental and emotional health as well as treating the clinical disease.”
A New Day Dawns: Australian Experts Convene on Early Detection
A review of the Australia’s Clinical Guidelines for PSA testing was announced in November 2022 by the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. A 16-person Steering Committee has been formed to oversee Australia’s review of the guidelines for PSA testing, with an aim to modernise the way Prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment is managed. The Steering Committee will be co-Chaired by Professor Jeff Dunn AO, PCFA’s Chief of Mission, and Adjunct Professor Peter Heathcote, a Past President of the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand and one of Australia’s leading urological surgeons. Australia has among the highest rates of prostate cancer in the world Professor Dunn says. “We can save many lives if we simply detect the disease earlier, before it spreads outside the prostate. New guidelines will help us do that.”
Facing the Genetic Tiger: Expanding Access to gene Testing for Prostate Cancer
Since April 2022 AstraZeneca’s Lynparza (Olaparib) has been listed for eligible men with prostate cancer, responding to a length advocacy campaign by PCFA and others. This has ensured thousands of men have benefitted from no-cost genetic test to determining eligibility for Lynparza which has been found to lower men’s risk of death by 37% compared to other forms of treatment. In terms of treatment pathways, it is offered to men when their prostate cancer becomes resistant to other forms of treatment, which means it is important for men with advanced prostate cancer to undergo genetic testing early so that a decision can be made early whether to treat the tumour with Lynparza or other novel medicines.
A Son’s Promise: Ending the Pain of Prostate Cancer
This is Shannan Gove’s story story of how his father, Tony, died from an aggressive form of prostate cancer at 63 and his own endeavour to help change the way Australia manages the disease. While he agrees that a new set of Clinical Guidelines for PSA Testing will help address some issues, but in the full scheme of things he maintains that research offers the most viable prospect for finding ways to effectively prevent, detect, treat and eliminate prostate cancer. He argues for an equalisation of funding levels. Prostate cancer receives only around half the funding poured into other major cancers, related largely to how different cancers are socialised in the Australian context, with action on breast cancer setting the high bar. Shannan maintains that more funding would help accelerate new discoveries to resolve some of the puzzles and perhaps at a higher level, an even greater scale of investment could help defeat the disease altogether, delivering breakthroughs on a par with the creation of the cervical cancer vaccine for women.
New Research: Four Projects Making Prostate Cancer History
The four projects are:
Targeting epigenetic changes in advanced prostate cancer
Dr Joanna Achinger-Kawecka, Garvan Institute of Medical Research
This project will help identify new epigenetic drivers of treatment resistant neuroendocrine prostate cancers (NEPCs) using emerging technologies and preclinical models to try to restore men’s response to treatment. Hormone treatments targeting androgens are the current standard of care for men with metastatic prostate cancer, but many patients will experience the emergence of treatment resistant NEPCs over time. The aim of the research is to help solve this problem.
Manipulating the Immune Response for Prostate Cancer Treatment
Dr Laura Porter, Monash University
This project will help advance more effective and targeted treatments for men with metastatic prostate cancer, using the immune system to eradicate prostate cancer proliferation with CAR T-cell therapy, whereby T-cells bind to cancer cells and destroy them. To date, CAR T-cell has not proven effective against prostate cancer, but this research will seek to identify factors that strengthen the treatment response to slow the spread of prostate cancer and improve survival.
Developing a physiological prostate cancer model for rapid drug testing
Dr Kate Guan, University of New South Wales
This project will map the metabolic pathways involved in resistance to a specific type of hormone therapy and target identified pathways with metabolism inhibitors to restore treatment response in men with metastatic prostate cancer. The research aims to identify metabolism-targeted agents that can effectively block anti-androgen resistance or synergise with anti-androgen treatments to improve survival outcomes.
Inequalities in care and real-world outcomes for men with advanced prostate cancer
Dr Kerri Beckman, University of South Australia
This project will investigate therapies for men with metastatic prostate cancer to identify patterns of disadvantage. It will also seek to better understand any adverse events and the survival outcomes related to different types of therapies. The outcomes will inform best-practice care for men, advancing our work to overcome disparities such as 24% higher rate of death in regional areas.
Link to April 2023 Edition of Blue Sky News
pcfa.org.au/media/792431/pc...
Items in Previous Edition – January 2023
-Personal Care Planning – Survivorship Care Plan
-The Year of Alpha Therapy: Lead -212
-Prostate Cancer Cost Blow-Out – A Call to Arms on ResearchCancer,
-Sex and Side-Effects: Managing Erectile Dysfunction after Prostate Cancer
-Latest News: Progress in Prostate Cancer from Around the World
Consensus grows: Patient and cancer characteristics must be considered
Clinical Trials and Tribulations: Promoting survivorship care in research studies
Bypassing biopsies: combined imaging helps detect clinically significant cancers
Transperineal v transrectal: A comparison of detection accuracy
Link to January Edition of Blue Sky News
