President’s Message Dear friends and colleagues As 2019 draws to a close I take time to reflect on the 15 years since the inception of the Australasian Lung Cancer Trial Group (ALTG). The membership has grown from 70 founding members to over 850 members, representing the full range of professional disciplines involved in caring for […]
ALTG Clinical trials We’re excited to announce that DREAM3R, an international multi-centre Phase III trial evaluating upfront immunotherapy (durvalumab) in mesothelioma, is in the startup phase, with the lead ethics submission planned for November. Expression Of Interests (EOIs) for site participation are expected to be sent to all ALTG members in December from the altg@lungfoundation.com.au […]
Clinical Trial Concept Development Working Groups In July 2019, the Management Advisory Committee (MAC) decided to move to 3 working groups for clinical trial concept development, with every concept undergoing review by the Consumer Advisory Panel (CAP), the supportive care panel, the Health economics technical service (CREST) and the Quality of Life Office. The 3 […]
Website Design Working Group Australasian Lung Cancer Trial Group (ALTG) members are invited to participate in the design of the ‘new look’ ALTG website and other promotional material. If you have a hidden artistic side, or, can simply tell the difference between green and blue, consider joining the website design working group. The website design […]
5th ALTG Lung Cancer Preceptorship 18-19 October 2019 RACV Club, Melbourne The Lung Cancer Preceptorship was again a highly successful educational event with its focus on critical appraisal of key practice-changing clinical trials across the spectrum of thoracic cancers and discussion of the latest advances in treatment of lung cancer. Anecdotal feedback was excellent, and […]
n July, the ALTG hosted the Annual Scientific Meeting, its fourth Lung Cancer symposium focusing on the theme of “Delivering Precision Medicine for Lung Cancer”. The two-day program featured local and international experts delivering presentations on patient-focused care, survivorship and host factors for immunotherapy and targeted therapy – with record-breaking attendance.
2018 has been another outstanding year for the Australasian Lung Cancer Trials Group (ALTG). One of the significant highlights for 2018 has been the renewed funding arrangement from Cancer Australia for the next three years. Not only does this provide financial sustainability for the program over this time, it also recognises the enormous contribution the […]
The Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Clinical Trials provides grants of financial assistance to support health and medical research and innovation. This competitive grant opportunity via the Biomedical Translation Bridge grant opportunity will support one or more organisations to fund and nurture early stage health and medical research ventures to reach proof-of-concept stage with potential […]
Recently presented at the American Society for Clinical Oncology Annual Scientific Meeting on June 1-5 in Chicago, the The DREAM study (ALTG 15/004) led by Professor Anna Nowak and her team, was again selected for oral presentation at the WCLC Annual Congress on September 23-26 in Toronto, Canada. DREAM is evaluating the activity, safety and […]
Dear ALTG Colleagues, Earlier this year I explained key targets for ALTG; to progress our clinical trial portfolio, extend the reach of our educational programs and grow our reputation within the lung cancer and Thoracic Oncology space. The ALTG trial portfolio is tracking well with the initiation of two new trials expected before the year’s […]
Established in 2014, the annual ALTG Preceptorship in Lung Cancer workshop continues to educate early career researchers to appraise and evaluate key evidence supporting the evolution of clinical practice of lung cancer diagnosis and management, and to appreciate the importance of multidisciplinary team care and clinical inquiry as the basis for clinical research and trial […]
Join us at The ALTG Lung Cancer Symposium; a one day forum for Australasian’s leading cancer health professionals to unite and connect in with medical scientists, healthcare professionals and consumers to understand the latest cutting-edge innovations in lung cancer research and therapeutics from those most prominent in the oncology field. The ALTG Lung Cancer Symposium […]
Register online for the upcoming ALTG Open Management Advisory Committee (MAC) and Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) Meetings on Friday, 23 November. This half day session will be held at a venue at Melbourne’s Domestic Airport. Where: TBA When: Friday 23 November 2018 Time: 1.00 – 5.00 pm • Management Advisory Committee: 1.00 pm – 2.30pm […]
After two years of temporary contract extensions from Cancer Australia for the Australasian Lung Cancer Trials Group (ALTG) funding, Cancer Australia recently called for applications for the Cancer Australia Support for Cancer Clinical Trials Program 2018-2021 Grant Funding for Multisite Collaborative Cancer Clinical Trials Groups. The ALTG is delighted to announce that our application to […]
The Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Low Survival Cancers and Diseases (LSCD) Grant Opportunity was announced in January 2018 in response to the Senate Select Committee into Funding for Research into Cancers with Low Survival Rates. Applications closed on 18 April 2018 and National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) is currently assembling a team […]
The Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Clinical Trials provides grants of financial assistance to support health and medical research and innovation. This competitive grant opportunity will provide support for publicly funded clinical trials that address areas of health burden and unmet need, such as rare cancers and rare diseases. Applications to this grant opportunity must […]
The 2017 Annual Report provides information about the organisation and its activities and achievements over the previous year. As a non-profit affiliated organization of COSA, the ALTG’s work is prominently featured in COSA’s annual report. ALTG President A/Prof Nick Pavlarkis is also the President-elect of COSA becoming the President next term.
ALTG study DREAM, led by Prof Anna Nowak was selected for oral presentation at the ASCO Annual Scientific Meeting on June 1-5 in Chicago. DREAM is evaluating the activity, safety and tolerability of the combination of durvalumab with chemotherapy in patients with mesothelioma. DREAM completed the enrolment phase of 54 patients ahead of schedule. Early […]
Feasibility is open for the ILLUMINATE Study (ALTG 16/009) which is a phase 2 trial of durvalumab and tremelimumab with chemotherapy in metastatic EGFR mutant non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) following progression on epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (TKIs). The purpose of the study is to test the effectiveness of […]
Dear ALTG Colleagues, It’s already May and we’re focused on key targets to progress our clinical trial portfolio, extending the reach of our educational programs, and growing our reputation within the lung and thoracic cancer space. 2017 was an exciting year of trial activity; BR.34 study (a randomized trial of durvalumab and tremelimumab +/- platinum-based […]
The DREAM study (ALTG 15/004) led by Professor Anna Nowak and her team, provided an opportunity for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) to receive immunotherapy combined with first-line chemotherapy, and quickly concluded patient enrolment. An abstract to present DREAM’s early data was submitted to the 2108 American Society Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Congress in Chicago […]
Register online for the upcoming ALTG Open Management Advisory Committee (MAC) and Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) Meetings on Friday, 18th This one day session will be held at Rydges Hotel at Sydney’s Domestic Airport. Where: Rydges Hotel, Domestic Airport Sydney When: Friday 18 May, 2018 Time: 10.00 – 4.00 Management Advisory Committee: 10.00am – 12.00pm […]
Over the last quarter the ALTG website, with the support of our consumer group, has undergone changes in an effort to make the ALTG website more consumer friendly, relevant and easier to navigate. Ongoing membership database cleaning has also been underway to enable us to better improve engagement with our craft groups and streamline communications. […]
Dear all It’s already April – time flies when you’re busy and we have continued to progress our trial and meeting programmes in the first three months of this year. The PEARL study (evaluating early referral to palliative care) will open to recruitment imminently; and study start-up activities are proceeding for OSCILLATE (alternating osimertinib and gefitinib). […]
Elections for the Management Advisory Committee (MAC) close on 12th May at the ALTG Members’ Meeting in Melbourne – we are seeking a MAC Secretary and representatives for Allied Health/Nursing, Medical Oncology and Palliative Care. Contact enquiries@altg.com.au for more information. The first patient has been enrolled into NIVORAD– congratulations to the team at Royal Brisbane […]
ALTG Events Register online for the next ALTG Members’ Meeting on Friday, 12th May at the Parkroyal Melbourne Airport. We are holding our first Translational Research Forum and working meetings of our new SAC Subgroups. Travel grants are available to attend and can be requested via the online registration form. The 3rd ALTG Preceptorship in […]
Emily Stone, Respiratory Medicine Representative – MAC Please tell us a little about yourself and how you came to be involved with the ALTG I’m a respiratory physician at St Vincents hospital in Sydney. I started our MDT in 2006 and have developed it since then. I became involved in the ALTG through colleagues in […]
Two reports presented at the 2017 Multidisciplinary Thoracic Cancers Symposium suggest that SBRT may be beneficial for older patients with inoperable early-stage non-small cell lung cancer. Read more in MedPage Today and Cancer Therapy Advisor. A pilot study suggesting that circulating tumour cells may detect lung cancer recurrence before detection by conventional imaging methods was […]
New lung cancer online live webinar series launched Lung Foundation Australia is excited to be launching a new online live webinar series, Lung Cancer Connect, which will provide information, advice and expertise that will help improve outcomes and self-management for people living with lung cancer. The first webinar, Looking at the Needs of Patients Newly […]
View the group’s Active Studies (recruiting or in study start-up) – click on the study title for more information. View the group’ s Concepts in Development. View updates on ALTG-endorsed trials (led by other groups or institutions) visit the Trials page and scroll down.
Since the last newsletter the Management Advisory Committee has approved applications from 21 new members. With ongoing membership database cleaning, there are currently 617 active members of the ALTG. Please help us to maintain current member details in our database and notify Ros of any changes to your contact details, membership and/or communication preferences. Note: […]
Happy New Year and welcome to the first 2017 issue of our newsletter. The last quarter of 2016 was a very busy one for the group which saw us achieve some significant milestones. In particular, we are delighted to have opened two new trials, DREAM in mesothelioma and NIVORAD in advanced NSCLC. In October we […]
Two new ALTG-led trials are now open to recruitment The ALTG has recently opened two trials that explore potential new treatments in mesothelioma and advanced NSCLC. In mesothelioma, DREAM (ALTG 15/004) is a phase 2 trial of durvalumab with first-line chemotherapy, led by Anna Nowak at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in WA. The NIVORAD (ALTG […]
Confirm your attendance at the next ALTG Members’ Meeting/Workshop on Friday, 12th May at the Parkroyal Melbourne Airport. The 3rd ALTG Preceptorship in Lung Cancer is on 6th (afternoon) and 7th (full day) October. The location for the Preceptorship is currently being finalised and the application process is expected to start mid-year. Contact Ros to register […]
This issue we welcome a new face to the Lung Foundation – Jane Kerr – who will be known to many of our members through her previous roles in both the pharmaceutical industry and clinical work. Jane Kerr Please tell us a little about yourself and how you came to be involved with the Lung […]
November PBAC meeting outcomes saw a positive recommendation for ceritinib, deferral for nivolumab and a “TBD” for pembrolizumab: Ceritinib received a positive recommendation for a written Authority Required General Schedule listing for the treatment of ALK-positive NSCLC. It will be listed from February. Nivolumab – a recommendation was deferred and a proposal for a Managed […]
A message from Heather Allan, CEO On behalf of the board and staff of Lung Foundation Australia, I wish you all a happy new year. I would also like to give a vote of thanks to the Lung Foundation Australia community for your generosity last year. Our fundraising efforts at the end of 2016, […]
Ongoing trials ALTG 14/001 BR.31: A phase III prospective double blind placebo controlled randomized study of adjuvant MEDI4736 in completely resected non-small cell lung cancer ALTG 15/003 DREAM: A phase II trial of durvalumab with first line chemotherapy in mesothelioma with a safety run in ALTG 14/002 NIVORAD: A randomised phase 2 trial of nivolumab […]
New Membership The MAC met in November and approved applications from 12 new members, bringing total membership at year end to 611. As part of our funding agreement with Cancer Australia we provide regular reports on the number and make-up of our membership. The membership database is in the process of being cleaned to ensure […]
Welcome to the October ALTG newsletter – and my first…it’s a pleasure and an honour to be the group’s new President and I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues on the Management Advisory Committee, Scientific Advisory Committee and our members to continue to deliver the high quality research and education for which we are […]
The 6th Australian Lung Cancer Conference was once again hosted by the Lung Foundation, attracting almost 400 delegates to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. The scientific programme presented topics across the spectrum of issues in current lung cancer management and was complemented by high quality sponsors’ symposia and the exhibition. A highlight was Dr […]
All Committee Meeting Dates and other Events are regularly updated on the website. New in this issue: 2016 ALTG Lung Cancer Symposium, November 11-12 Registrations are open! The inaugural 2016 Lung Cancer Symposium is being held on Saturday, November 12 at the Hilton Hotel, Sydney. Full travel and accommodation support are being provided for this exciting […]
In August we elected a new President, NZ Representative and Thoracic Surgery Representative to the Management Advisory Committee (MAC); and appointed a new Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) Chair. The MAC is responsible for overseeing the affairs of the ALTG, so we asked our new MAC members to tell us a little about themselves. Nick Pavlakis […]
There are four applications for lung cancer on the November PBAC meeting agenda. Download the full agenda here. The applications are: Ceritinib for ALK-positive NSCLC (locally advanced or metastatic) with progression after treatment with an ALK inhibitor Nivolumab for (1) squamous and (2) non-squamous NSCLC (locally advanced or metastatic) with progression on or after chemotherapy […]
In August at the 6th Australian Lung Cancer Conference the Lung Foundation launched its new report “Improving Outcomes for Australians with Lung Cancer – A Call to Action”. This is a key component of the Lung Foundation’s ongoing advocacy efforts on behalf of patients with lung cancer, their families and carers. On October 12 the […]
Concepts in development ALTG 14/001 BR.31: A phase III prospective double blind placebo controlled randomized study of adjuvant MEDI4736 in completely resected non-small cell lung cance ALTG 14/002 NIVORAD: A randomised phase 2 trial of nivolumab and stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer progressing after first or second line chemotherapy ALTG […]
The MAC met in August and approved applications from 15 new members, bringing total membership of the group 599. As part of our funding agreement with Cancer Australia we provide regular reports on the number and make-up of our membership. To increase the accuracy of these reports, we need to maintain current member details in […]
Welcome to our third newsletter for 2016. I hope to see as many members as possible at the 6th Australian Lung Cancer Conference in Melbourne on August 18-20. The programme continues the ALCC’s tradition of exploring the issues through a multidisciplinary lens and taking into account our Australian context. Places are limited so register now to avoid […]
Members’ Meeting and Elections The 6th ALCC is fast approaching, in Melbourne from August 18 to 20, and we hope to see as many of you there as possible. Please make time for one extra day and support the ALTG by attending the ALTG Members’ Meeting on August 17, commencing at 9.30 am. Log in to […]
All Committee Meeting Dates and other Events are regularly updated on the website. New in this issue: ALTG Member Meetings Dates for the next two ALTG Member Meetings have now been set, in the third quarter of 2016 (October 21) and first quarter of 2017 (February 10). Member Meetings are a fantastic opportunity to network […]
The Management Advisory Committee (MAC) is responsible for overseeing the affairs of the ALTG. MAC roles include President, Secretary, Treasurer and representatives of different ALTG craft groups. We asked some of our MAC members to tell us a little about themselves and their involvement with the ALTG. Cameron Hunter – Treasurer Please tell us a […]
International patient-driven ROS1+ research initiative The Bonnie J. Adario Lung Cancer Foundation (ALCF) is coordinating an international, patient-driven research project for ROS1+ cancer of all types. An initial survey has been designed in collaboration with experts at Stanford University to collect baseline data for any patients with ROS1+ tumours. This initiative and the ALCF are […]
Two new, complementary national resources for lung cancer have been launched as part of the National Lung Cancer Program – the first national directory of dedicated lung cancer MDTs and the Lung Cancer Patient Pathway. The Lung Cancer Multi-Disciplinary Teams (MDT) Directory The Lung Cancer MDT Directory is the first national directory of its kind […]
The first TACT General Assembly was held prior to the ASCO Annual Scientific Meeting on June 3 in Chicago. More than 40 representatives of TACT’s 13 Member Groups and 4 Industry Partner Program Members attended. Paul Mitchell gave an update on behalf of the Board on the collaboration’s progress since its launch in September 2015, […]
Concepts in development ALTG 15/001 SABR-OS: A randomised phase II trial to test the feasibility of randomising patients with peripheral stage I non-small cell lung cancer to either Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy (SABR) Or Surgery (previously ALTG 12/005 Surgery vs SABR) ALTG 14/002 NIVORAD: A randomised phase 2 trial of nivolumab and stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy […]
The MAC met in May and approved applications from 50 new members. Of these, 35 were from registrars/trainees/research fellows in preparation for this year’s 2nd ALTG Preceptorship in Lung Cancer. We also welcomed 2 new members from New Zealand. Total membership is 584, exceeding the 500-550 target we set in our application for Cancer Australia […]
Welcome to the April issue of our newsletter which brings news of some important changes as the ALTG continues to evolve. In February the MAC held a face-to-face meeting to discuss plans for the coming three to five years. A major theme of this meeting was how to ensure we maintain the group’s growth and […]
Reminder – 2nd ALTG Preceptorship in Lung Cancer applications close 24 May 2016. More details… 2016 MAC and SAC meeting dates 2016 Events
The Management Advisory Committee (MAC) met in Brisbane in February to discuss the group’s strategic priorities. With limited resources it’s important for the group to focus its efforts on activities that are central to achieving its mission: To reduce the incidence, morbidity and mortality of lung and other thoracic cancers and improve the quality of […]
We are actively seeking candidates for several roles on the Management Advisory Committee (MAC). The MAC oversees the affairs of the group, including review of expenditure and use of group resources as well as general operations and activities. No specific qualifications are required other than your time, input and enthusiasm to help the ALTG continue […]
The ALTG is growing and, as clinical research in lung and other thoracic cancers increases, the environment in which we operate is becoming more complex and competitive. To meet this challenge we need to be able to act quickly to generate ideas and develop them into sound trial concepts whilst maintaining academic standards. At its […]
Our Consumer Advisory Panel (CAP) plays a unique role in bridging the gap between the worlds of scientific research and the perspective of patients, their families and carers. We asked each of our CAP members to tell us a little about themselves and their involvement with the ALTG. Andrew Bowen Please tell us a little […]
TACT has welcomed its first five Member Groups and three Industry Partners. A number of other groups and organisations have submitted applications or are in the process of discussing the possibility of joining TACT and we expect to have at least ten Member Groups and five Industry Partners by the end of 2016. The first […]
Lung Foundation Australia announced the winners of several research awards at a ceremony at the TSANZ Annual Scientific Meeting on April 5th. These research awards are an excellent opportunity for universities, graduates, PhD students and health professionals interested in pursuing research in lung disease: Lung Foundation Australia / Boehringer Ingelheim COPD Research Fellowship 2016/2017 – […]
The QOL Office is pleased to announce the release of our “Checklist of instructions for the administration of Patient Reported Outcome (PRO) Measures”. This checklist has been developed over several years, with input from experts, literature reviews and Cancer Clinical Trials Group (CCTGs). The Checklist aims to assist CCTGs in developing instructions for site coordinators […]
Concepts in development ALTG 15/001 SABR-OS: A randomised phase II trial to test the feasibility of randomising patients with peripheral stage I non-small cell lung cancer to either Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy (SABR) Or Surgery (previously ALTG 12/005 Surgery vs SABR) ALTG 14/002 NIVORAD: A randomised phase 2 trial of nivolumab and stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy […]
At its first meeting for 2016 the Management Advisory Committee (MAC) approved applications for 33 new members, including two new members of our Consumer Advisory Panel, bringing total membership to 534. We have more than 30 new membership applications for review at the next MAC meeting and will easily exceed the target for increasing membership […]
Welcome to 2016 and a year that promises to be a busy one as we continue to grow our membership and activities. I would like to thank all our members and particularly the Office Bearers, Working Group Chairs and workshop convenors for your contributions in 2015. 2015 was an extremely productive year and we are clearly […]
Visit the Events page for the January update
The 6th Australian Lung Cancer Conference (ALCC) has been formally announced and will be held at the Melbourne Convention Centre on 18-20 August. Abstract submissions are now open and registrations will open soon – visit www.alcc.net.au for more details. On August 17 prior to the ALCC we will hold a members’ meeting and the Management […]
We want to know what you think about the ALTG – what do you see as the benefits of membership? How can we improve our services to members? We’ll be conducting an online survey in the first quarter of 2016 to ask for your feedback so please take a few minutes to tell us what […]
ALTG workshops are an important way for the group to review the pipeline of ALTG study ideas and a valuable opportunity for members to meet face-to-face. The “future clinical trial plans” workshop in November was no exception, with fifty-one participants contributing to Working Groups for Screening and Diagnosis, Early NSCLC, Advanced NSCLC, SCLC, Mesothelioma and […]
Congratulations to ALTG Past President Kwun Fong, Director of The University of Queensland Thoracic Research Centre which, along with The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane has been awarded $1 million funding from the Australian Cancer Research Foundation (ACRF) for the establishment of the ACRF Centre for Lung Cancer Early Detection. The Centre will concentrate on three […]
ALTG members Paul Mitchell, Ken O’Byrne and Nick Pavlakis are continuing their contribution to establishing TACT (the Thoracic Alliance for Cancer Trials), the new global collaboration for thoracic oncology clinical research. Paul Mitchell is Chair of the TACT Board while Ken O’Byrne and Nick Pavlakis are Board Members. Applications for membership are now open to […]
World Cancer Day is on 4th February and Lung Foundation Australia is inviting people to support a novel social media campaign, aimed at changing the face of lung cancer, by participating in an exciting announcement known as a thunderclap. Thunderclap is a crowd speaking platform that amplifies a single message by harnessing the “power of […]
In June 2015 the ALTG provided input into an NHRMC consultation on Clinical Trials Ready, a proposed initiative to recognise clinical trial sites that are “ready, willing and able” to carry out high quality clinical trials in a timely, transparent and efficient manner. NHMRC has released a report on the consultation that details the findings […]
Concepts in development ALTG 15/001 SABR-OS: A randomised phase II trial to test the feasibility of randomising patients with peripheral stage I non-small cell lung cancer to either Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy (SABR) Or Surgery (previously ALTG 12/005 Surgery vs SABR) ALTG 14/001 BR.31: A phase III prospective double blind placebo controlled randomized study of adjuvant […]
The ALTG is growing! We have 501 members with more than twenty new applications to be reviewed at the next MAC meeting.
A/Prof Martin Stockler Clinical Lead – Tel: 02 9562 5313 Ann Livingstone Associate Oncology Program Manager – Development – Tel: 02 9562 5332 Sarah Chinchen Associate Oncology Program Manager – Operations – Tel: 02 9562 5380 Hannora Jurkovic BR.31 Trial Coordinator – Tel: 02 9562 5306; Email: BR.31@ctc.usyd.edu.au Annie Yeung NIVORAD Trial Coordinator – Tel 02 9562 5346; Email: NIVORAD@ctc.usyd.edu.au Mark Donoghoe Statistician […]
Three months is not a long time, and it seems to be getting shorter for the ALTG, with a plethora of events and activities since the last issue of this newsletter. Seven sites in Australia are now active and screening patients for the BR31 study, with the remaining sites on track to be up and […]
Join us for a full-day ALTG workshop on November 13 in Melbourne to discuss future plans for clinical trials. Your clinical question could become the next ALTG trial with the collaborative effort and expertise of you and other members of the trials group. We are calling for expressions of interest for members to contribute to […]
Through its National Lung Cancer Program Lung Foundation Australia (LFA) has facilitated a partnership between Australian universities and the Bantoft family to establish four co-funded lung cancer PhD scholarships supporting lung cancer researchers throughout the period 2013-2016. The process began in 2011 when Mr John Bantoft contacted LFA to request a proposal for a bequest […]
The Thoracic Alliance for Cancer Trials was officially established on September 6th, 2015 during the World Conference on Lung Cancer in Denver, Colorado. Representatives of more than 20 national and trans-national thoracic oncology clinical research groups attended the meeting where the formation of TACT was announced by Paul Mitchell, ALTG President and inaugural Chair of […]
Concepts in development ALTG 15/001 SABR-OS: A randomised phase II trial to test the feasibility of randomising patients with peripheral stage I non-small cell lung cancer to either Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy (SABR) Or Surgery (previously ALTG 12/005 Surgery vs SABR) ALTG 14/001 BR.31: A phase III prospective double blind placebo controlled randomized study of adjuvant […]
Lung Foundation Australia has applied to the Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) for pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) programs and follow-up pulmonary maintenance exercise (PME) programs for patients with COPD and other chronic lung diseases to be subsidised on the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS). The Lung Foundation lodged its application with MSAC in December 2014. The draft […]
The Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) is a major initiative of the Federal Government to establish a publicly-owned perpetual endowment fund. The Fund will build to $20 billion in available funding to 2025, eventually delivering $1 billion in annual funding for health and medical research per annum. ACTA have been active in supporting the establishment […]
A utility measure based on the QLQ-C30 has been developed by an international team led by Professor Madeleine King (of Cancer Australia’s Quality of Life Technical Services) and Professor Rosalie Viney (of CREST). The EORTC QLQ-C30 is one of the most commonly used quality of life (QOL) measures in cancer clinical trials internationally, so will […]
The ALTG membership currently stands at 487. Prospective members can apply online to become an ALTG member at www.altg.com.au. Please encourage your colleagues to join the group and contact us with their trial ideas. The ALTG can assist in developing an idea into a protocol, seek available funding opportunities and recruiting patients. As a member travel […]
A/Prof Martin Stockler Clinical Lead – Tel: 02 9562 5313 Ann Livingstone Associate Oncology Program Manager – Development – Tel: 02 9562 5332 Sarah Chinchen Associate Oncology Program Manager – Operations – Tel: 02 9562 5380 Hannora Jurkovic Trial Coordinator – Tel: 02 9562 5306 Nick Muljadi Trial Coordinator – Tel: 02 9562 5079 Karen Miranda Trial Coordinator – Tel: 02 9562 5339 Mark Donoghoe Statistician […]
Welcome back after a bit of a break from the newsletter thanks to a busy twelve months, with several key events alongside the usual schedule of Australian and international scientific meetings, including completion of accrual to NITRO, the initiation of BR31, our first Preceptorship and two idea generation workshops. The next 6 to 12 months […]
Dr Rosalind Wilson has joined the ALTG team as our new full-time Executive Officer. Ros brings a mix of scientific and business skills to our group, as a graduate of Monash Medical School with an MBA from London Business School and a successful career in clinical development and commercialisation within the global pharmaceutical industry. With […]
Mr Andrew Churchill has been appointed Acting Chairperson of Lung Foundation Australia while the process to elect a new clinical Chairperson has commenced. The Board of Lung Foundation Australia met on 26 June 2015 to discuss Board succession following the tragic death of LFA Board Chairman, Dr David Serisier. The Board paid tribute to David’s […]
ALTG is filling its pipeline of new research concepts through a series of idea generation workshops that began mid-2014. The SAC is currently working with the lead researchers to develop five new concepts, with the aim of initiating two new trials by the end of this year. Looking ahead, we are keen to encourage as […]
At the ALTG’s inaugural Preceptorship in Lung Cancer, 49 advanced trainees and junior consultants were given the opportunity to review, present and discuss the latest developments in lung cancer treatment over a two day intensive learning course. In April 2015 the ALTG hosted the inaugural Preceptorship in Lung Cancer in Sydney, convened by Eva Segelov […]
ALTG has continued its leadership role in establishing a global lung cancer trials group to further international research efforts in thoracic cancer. Importantly, the group’s name has been agreed upon – the Thoracic Alliance for Cancer Trials (TACT) – and the upcoming WCLC 2016 is a key milestone in the group’s progress. ALTG is leading […]
A phase III prospective double blind placebo controlled randomized study of adjuvant MEDI4736 in completely resected non-small cell lung cancer. This multicentre, international trial is being coordinated by the NCIC Clinical Trials Group in collaboration with ALTG and NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre. The study has recently opened to recruitment in Australia, with a plan to […]
A phase III, multi-centre randomised trial of adding nitroglycerin to first line chemotherapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer. The trial opened in May 2009 with recruitment closing in April 2014, with 372 patients randomised from 29 active sites. Follow-up has been completed and all sites are to be closed by December. The study results […]
CHISEL is now closed to accrual. This phase III trial is a TROG study endorsed and co-badged by ALTG. Patients with T1 and T2A N0 non-small cell lung cancer are randomized to hypofractionated stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (either 54 Gy in 3 fractions or 48 Gy in 4 fractions) versus conventionally fractionated radiotherapy 66 Gy in […]
The PAL study is a randomised control trial which aims to evaluate the effects of a structured physical activity program on fatigue and quality of life for people with non-resectable lung cancer (NSCLC, SCLC). Participants are randomised to either the usual standard of care or a 2-month physical activity programme, which consists of a combination […]
A 2013 study by the Norwegian Lung Cancer Study Group showed some benefit of radiation therapy for patients not suitable for more radical treatment (Strom et al. British Journal of Cancer 2013). The PLUNG-GP trial is a randomized Phase III trial comparing high dose palliative radiotherapy (HDPRT) with concurrent chemotherapy + HDPRT (C-HDPRT) in patients […]
