Formed in 2010, Snowdome seeks to improve outcomes for Australians with blood cancers (myeloma, lymphoma, leukaemia). The charity’s aim is to ‘unlock new treatments’ by channelling government and philanthropic investment into early phase human clinical trials of next-generation drugs and therapies.

So how is pathology involved?

Molecular pathology techniques are used to diagnose all blood cancers including myeloma, leukaemia and lymphoma.

Pathology testing also shows how a person is responding to a novel treatment during clinical trials, and for patients who may have exhausted other options, access to these treatments can be lifesaving.

Snowdome funds projects based at several different institutions including the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Epworth HealthCare.

Nicole Brooks, Research Program Manager, Molecular Oncology and Cancer Immunology Department (MOCI) Epworth HealthCare said;

“As researchers, we want to ask more questions and as a result of the efforts of the Snowdome Foundation, Epworth Medical Foundation and other philanthropic organisations we are in a fortunate position to continue our research efforts.

“Our research is not just tinkering in the lab in the way many people might think. Rather, a group effort to provide desperate patients an alternative option and when we can prove that something is actually working, we can then make a case to get access to new drugs for more patients.”

As cancer therapy is increasingly delivered as precision treatment, this requires precision diagnostics.

Dr Piers Blombery is a Consultant Haematologist and medical lead of Peter Mac’s Molecular Haematology Laboratory. This lab runs an Australia-wide genomic testing service which from a blood sample can identify genes or genetic irregularities known to drive cancer.

“For the patient it’s no more difficult than a standard blood test, and the information we get is very powerful in guiding and personalising their treatment,” says Dr Blombery.

“It often means we can rule out approaches that won’t work, or will have a very poor response, and instead go down treatment pathways that should get the best results.”

For example, every year about 1000 Australians are diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). Genomic testing can reveal whether these patients have either an IGHV or TP53 gene irregularity.

Both are clinically important. CLL patients with an IGHV irregularity respond well to standard chemo-immunotherapy, and this treatment can give them long-term remissions.

“Alternatively, we also know CLL patients with a TP53 irregularity will likely have a very poor response to standard chemo-immunotherapy,” Dr Blombery says.

“These patients do better on novel agents such as BTK inhibitors or BH3-mimetic agents which are currently accessible through clinical trials or compassionate access programs.”

“It is genomic testing that allows us to find these irregularities and ensure patients get the treatments most likely to work for them.”

Dr Blombery also said when performing genomic testing, new clinically important gene irregularities can be discovered. These are passed to researchers who are looking to better understand the fundamental drivers of cancer.

“The more of these gene irregularities we know of, the more we can develop potential new anti-cancer drugs and also personalise treatments so patients have better outcomes.”

Miriam Dexter, CEO of Snowdome Foundation, said;

“Based on international evidence, we know that patients have better outcomes on clinical trials, but many people will be unaware that due to our small population, Australian patients are rarely included in blood cancer trials”.

“That is the mission of Snowdome, to ensure more early phase clinical trials are initiated here in Australia.”

The type of research we fund is not confined to the laboratory, but relies on pathology testing to monitor success and manage patient welfare, as well as the development of companion diagnostic tests that are the gateway to novel therapies.”

To learn more about Snowdome Foundation visit snowdome.org.au

IMAGE: Supplied by Snowdome Foundation, taken at Cartherics Lab (MHTP).

The post How Snowdome Foundation is making hope real in the blood cancer battle first appeared on Know Pathology Know Healthcare.

Dual-trained as haematologists and physicians, the doctors perform the important task of diagnosing cancers and helping guide and administer treatment.

Usually holed up indoors, today they are stepping out of the lab and surgery in a display of solidarity with the patients whose cancers they help uncover and treat.

At 5 o’clock today, the doctors head to the Shambles Brewery in North Hobart to shave their heads for the World’s Greatest Shave.

‘Getting a taste of their own medicine,’ is how Dr Johnston describes it.

The pair originally discussed the fundraising venture during their lunch break, but admittedly, Dr Batt has more to lose than Dr Johnston, in the hair stakes that is.

Dr Johnston is awake to the sacrifice, noting ‘Tracey has long beautiful hair, while mine is fairly short already. Not that my nine-year-old daughter hasn’t raised concerns.’

But Dr Batt’s loss will be the gain of ‘Sustainable Salons’, an organisation that makes wigs from real hair and of course the World’s Greatest Shave that seeks to raise money for research and support of those living with blood cancers.

‘It’s true,’ said Dr Batt, ‘that I have bountiful hair and that will be hard to lose, but given we’ve raised around $9,000 so far makes it all worthwhile.’

Outside the display of solidarity with blood cancer patients and the money raised for blood cancer research, day-to-day haematologists like Dr Batt and Dr Johnston perform vital work.

100% of cancers like leukaemia or lymphoma are diagnosed in pathology labs. The discoveries made in a pathology lab are also central to decisions on how to treat blood cancers.

‘This afternoon we’re about to shave our heads to raise money for the World’s Greatest Shave, which we’re really excited about and feel is really important to draw attention to,’ said Dr Johnston.

‘Blood cancer is the third most common cause of cancer death in Australia,’ added Dr Batt. ‘so, it’s great to be able to support people with blood cancers both inside and outside a medical environment.’

To donate to Dr Johnston and Dr Batt click on the links here and here.

For fast-facts on blood cancers click here

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Since 1998 Australians of all ages have been shaving their hair to raise money for blood cancer research and patient support.

Every day 35 Australians are diagnosed with a blood cancer through pathology – leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma are some of the most common types. And although research and improved treatments are increasing survival rates, sadly one Australian dies from blood cancer every two hours.

This year’s campaign has raised over $12 million and part of that total is thanks to a group of collection staff from Dorevitch Pathology in Victoria.

Kim Cam, Jennifer Wong, Sandy Wignall, Marie Obanana and Julia Barwick go by the name of Path Chicks and all the women, plus 11-year old Jesse Finney, shaved off their hair earlier this month, raising an incredible $12,000 in the process.

All blood cancer patients rely on pathology for diagnosis as well as monitoring during their treatment and follow up to make sure the cancer doesn’t return. There are a multitude of staff in the lab involved in this process but the face of pathology for those patients is their collector.

Waiting for a diagnosis and the subsequent treatment journey is a scary and stressful time for a patient – a friendly collector can go a long way in putting someone at ease. But the Path Chicks wanted to go one step further in helping patients. As Kim puts it;

“It’s our patients that have inspired us to take part in the World’s Greatest Shave, some of them on their own special journey. It’s their strength, courage, bravery and friendships that led us to create the Path Chicks. This is our way of showing our support.”

Jennifer previously worked on a student placement in a dedicated cancer hospital, giving her an extra insight into the services needed to care for patients and their families.

There were more personal reasons amongst the group for wanting to take part too. Julia, for example, was prompted to join up after her father in law’s battle with leukaemia, whilst Lorraine, who worked tirelessly to fundraise with local businesses, wanted to help having lost a family member to the disease. Even Jesse, at just 11 years old understands the devastating effects of cancer, having seen family members go through diagnosis and treatment. In her own words; “cancer is such a bad thing & hopefully they will find a cure.”

Fundraising events like the World’s Greatest Shave, and the people willing to give up their time (and in this case hair!) to make them a success, play a big role in hopefully making that dream a reality one day.

It’s not too late to support the Path Chicks – donations are open until June and can be made on the link here.

The post “It’s our patients that have inspired us” – the collectors who have raised over $12,000 for cancer patients first appeared on Know Pathology Know Healthcare.

Multiple myeloma is a form of blood cancer that currently has no cure. It can be treated but the cancer will return – even with the most state-of-the-art treatment. The cancer targets plasma cells and then invades the bone marrow, where the cancerous plasma cells crowd out healthy blood cells. This in turn can lead to other serious health problems including kidney damage and increased likelihood of infection.

The research team, led by the university’s Carbone Cancer Centre but including another 14 cancer research centres, is hoping to change this by conducting the first large-scale trial of a ‘personalized vaccine’ to fight tumors.

The trial will use a patient’s own immune cells combined with their tumor cells to fight the cancer and stop it from recurring. Dr Natalie Callander, head of the trial at UW Carbone, said;

“We’re trying to train the immune system to be constantly surveying to identify and wipe out the re-emerging cancer cells.’’

The team will collect the cancer cells from participating patients and freeze them. Once the patient has undergone chemotherapy to reduce the cancer, their cancer cells will be fused with their own blood cells. The researchers hope that this will generate an immune response which can fight the tumor as quickly as it appears. Dr Callander added;

“This trial is taking personalized medicine to the next level, by making a vaccine from the patient’s own tumors.’’

For more details you can read Dr Callander’s full statement.

The post Personalized medicine on a whole new level for mutliple myeloma first appeared on Know Pathology Know Healthcare.

Olwyn is a Melbourne-based grandmother who likes to be in the thick of things. From her home in Melbourne’s inner north, she’s busy entertaining at home, visiting art galleries and meeting friends out for dinner.

So when she was diagnosed with Lymphoma in 2012, it was a huge shock to her.

“The diagnosis came completely out of the blue. I’d been feeling a little under the weather and saw my doctor. I thought it would just be a persistant cold or something.”

The months that followed her diagnosis were tough, and Olwyn lost all her hair in the course of her treatment.

“I’m a very social creature, and the cancer and treatment limited how much I could meet up with friends and they were an important part of getting well.”

“Another important part of getting well was getting the right treatment – and that’s where pathology comes in. I had all sorts of tests, both at diagnosis and throughout treatment, to make sure I was progressing. My doctor would tweak my therapy depending on what the results showed. I know how reliant he was on those results.”

“In the end all I can say is here I am. I’ve been cancer-free for two years and my hair has grown back really soft and amazingly – curly! I wouldn’t be here without getting the best treatment, fast. So it follows that I wouldn’t be without pathology.”

The post Guiding cancer therapy first appeared on Know Pathology Know Healthcare.

Fortunately Lynette is one to take things in her stride, and whilst initially devastated, she decided to meet it head on.

“I said to my doctor, well, what do we need to to beat this? And he said to me, first things first, we need more pathology tests to really determine what sort of myeloma we’re dealing with, and get you the right treatment. So that’s what we did.”

I had a bone marrow biopsy, which was horrendously painful, but I know my doctor wouldn’t have ordered it if it hadn’t given him information needed to save me. Once treatment began, I had so many blood tests that I’ve lost count. They told my doctor if treatment was working, and if my white cell count started to fall dangerously low they’d postpone treatment to prevent deadly infections.

Pathology was and continues to be central to guiding my treatment.”

The post Managing Myeloma first appeared on Know Pathology Know Healthcare.