Conversations in Lung Cancer Research – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of 'Conversations in Lung Cancer Research,' Professor Tom John from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne discusses the significant progress and excitement surrounding cancer vaccines, particularly their emerging role in lung cancer treatment.

He is joined by Professor Ken O'Byrne, a medical oncologist and clinical scientist at the Princess Alexandra Hospital and Queensland University of Technology, and Professor Georgina Long AO, the medical director of the Melanoma Institute of Australia and co-recipient of the 2024 Australian of the Year.

The experts delve into technological advances spurred by COVID-19 vaccine development, promising results from recent melanoma and lung cancer vaccine trials, and the potential for personalised neoantigen mRNA vaccines. They also discuss historical challenges in vaccine efficacy and the promising future of immunotherapy and cancer vaccines, including patient perspectives and the logistics of rapid vaccine production and distribution.

00:00 Introduction

03:15 Historical Context of Cancer Vaccines

05:13 Technological Advances in Vaccine Development

06:53 The Promise of mRNA Technology

14:03 Personalised vs. Off-the-Shelf Vaccines

18:02 Identifying Neoantigens for Vaccines

21:13 Caution and Optimism in Vaccine Development

23:18 Exploring Tumour Mutation Burden and Vaccine Bias

29:35 Challenges and Opportunities in Metastatic Disease

33:53 Immunotherapy and Vaccine Hesitancy

37:52 Future of Cancer Vaccines and Rapid Innovation

42:14 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode of Conversations in Lung Cancer Research, Dr. Malinda Itchins, Dr. Annie Wong, and A/Prof Stephen Kao discuss the concept of liquid biopsy, its advantages and limitations, and its clinical applications in lung cancer treatment. They explore how liquid biopsy can provide faster diagnosis and treatment options, especially for patients who cannot undergo traditional tissue biopsies. However, they also address the challenges of sensitivity and the need for further research to integrate liquid biopsy into routine clinical practice.

This episode is sponsored by: 

• AstraZeneca  
• Daiichi Sankyo Australia  
• SOPHiA Genetics  
• Thermo Fisher Scientific

(00:00) Introduction and Acknowledgements

(01:16) Meet the Experts

(02:10) Understanding Liquid Biopsy

(03:01) Advantages of Liquid Biopsy

(06:21) Limitations of Liquid Biopsy

(09:15) Clinical Scenarios for Liquid Biopsy

(13:15) Barriers and Future Directions

(19:39) Conclusion and Thank You

In this TOGA podcast, we provide an overview of the recent neoadjuvant, adjuvant, and perioperative IO data, the options and considerations for treatment and the current reimbursement landscape. Dr Pei Ni Ding, Medical Oncologist from Westmead and Nepean Hospitals Sydney, is joined by Dr Samantha Bowyer, Medical Oncologist from Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Perth and Mr Naveed Alam, Thoracic Surgeon from St Vincents, Epworth and Monash in Melbourne. Many emerging treatments are discussed in this podcast, and clinicians are reminded that oncology access programs are listed in the medicines access portal https://www.medicinesap.com/

Do we need to evolve the bar on evidence required for drug reimbursement? The gold standard endpoint for assessing the benefit of anti-cancer drugs has been overall survival (OS) however, more recently, there has been a trend toward using surrogate clinical trial endpoints such as progression free survival (PFS) and event-free survival (EFS). As treatments improve and patients are living longer, using OS as a primary endpoint can mean a longer time until a result is obtained. In this podcast, Dr Rebecca Tay, Medical Oncologist at Royal Hobart Hospital and ICON, discusses the critical role of improvement in quality of life in assessing drugs that are funded on the PBS, the nuances around clinical trial endpoints and the need for surrogate endpoints that accurately predict for OS and a reimbursement system that brings beneficial treatments to patients faster. Professor Nick Pavlakis, Chair of TOGA and Medical Oncologist at Royal North Shore Hospital and Genesis Care and Dr Deme Karikios, Immediate Past Chair of MOGA and Medical Oncologist from Nepean Hospital Sydney join the conversation. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2817337

Lung Cancer Support Nurse - Lung Foundation Australia

Quit Centre | Homepage

Lung Cancer Screening Program: Early Detection Saves Lives (thoraciconcology.org.au)

Lung Cancer Optimal Care Pathway

Radiation therapy can be a very effective treatment for lung cancers, with 77% of patients indicating for radiation therapy in their disease trajectory. Yet, only 40% of patients with lung cancer in NSW receive radiation therapy.

In this podcast, Professor Shalini Vinod, Assoc Professor Mei-Ling Yap, and Dr Clare Bajraszewski  discuss why radiation therapy is underutilised in lung cancer, what this means for patients, and potential solutions to address this.

This episode's host are:

• Professor Shalini Vinod is a Radiation Oncologist at Liverpool Hospital and a Conjoint Professor at the South Western Sydney Clinical School, UNSW Sydney. She is also on the Board of Directors at TOGA.
• Associate Professor Mei-Ling Yap is a senior staff specialist Radiation Oncologist at Liverpool and Macarthur Cancer Therapy Centres in Sydney.
• Dr Clare Bajraszewski is a Radiation Oncologist at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre at the Bendigo campus.

Want to read more about radiation therapy?  

Radiation Oncology

Radiation Therapy Treatments

Radiotherapy underutilisation and its impact on local control and survival in New South Wales, Australia

A Population-based Model of Local Control and Survival Benefit of Radiotherapy for Lung Cancer  

 

 

 

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming medicine. Lung Cancer healthcare professionals are interested in the use of AI in radiology, particularly in early diagnosis leading to better patient outcomes. In this podcast we will explore how AI can aid in early detection, accurate interpretation of imaging scans and reduce diagnostic errors. This episode is joined by Associate Professor Michael Franco, a dual trained in medical oncology and palliative care and also the digital health director at Monash in Melbourne. He is featured with Professor Catherine Jones Cardiothoracic Radiologist I-Med Radiology and Clinical Director of Radiology at Redland Hospital, Brisbane and an expert on the Cancer Australia Expert Group for National Lung Cancer Screening Program. And accompanied by Dr Diane Pascoe a Consultant Radiologist and Deputy Director of Medical Imaging at Royal Melbourne Hospital.

In this TOGA Podcast the speakers discuss Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) – An Emerging Treatment Platform in Lung Cancer. The discussion explores the different molecules and mechanisms of drugs currently available, trial results and the subsequent place of ADCs in the Lung Cancer. Furthermore, our guests expand upon the management of patients receiving these drugs. A/Prof Melissa Moore, Medical Oncologist at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, is joined in this conversation by fellow medical oncologists A/Prof Tom John from Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne and A/Prof Adnan Nagrial from Westmead Hospital in Sydney.

This TOGA Podcast discusses Lung cancer Screening and Moving from Concept to Roll Out. The conversation explores the International Lung Cancer Screening Trial and overseas experience of recruitment, the challenges of reaching different population groups, some of whom stand to benefit most from the LCSP, and what it will mean for healthcare workload. The discussion explores the role of Federal and State jurisdictions in the management of the program. A/Prof Emily Stone, Head of Thoracic Medicine in the Dept of Thoracic Medicine and Lung Transplantation at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, is joined by A/Prof Gavin Wright Director of Surgical Oncology and a Thoracic Surgeon at St Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne, A/Prof Nicole Rankin, an implementation scientist from The University of Melbourne with expertise in lung cancer and A/Prof Annette McWilliams who is a respiratory Physician at Fiona Stanley Hospital in Perth and clinical lead for the Thoracic Tumour Collaborative for Western Australia. This podcast is produced in support of lung cancer awareness month. Throughout the month of November please help spread awareness of lung cancer. If you want to find out more about lung cancer, get involved or donate towards lung cancer research- please go to TOGA's website at www.thoraciconcology.org.au For more information on the program https://thoraciconcology.org.au/lung-cancer-screening-program/

This TOGA Podcast discusses strategies for enhancing patients’ recovery from lung cancer resection in light of new and emerging data for new peri-operative therapies that improve survival. The conversation explores the guidelines available, the changing landscape for the patient with neoadjuvant and adjuvant management options, and the multidisciplinary considerations to optimise the care of patients. Dr Jazmin Eckhaus, a thoracic surgeon from The Austin, Melbourne, is joined by A/Prof Emily Stone, Head of Thoracic Medicine in the Dept of Thoracic Medicine and Lung Transplantation at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, A/Prof Melissa Moore, a medical oncologist from St Vincent’s in Melbourne and Chair of the TOGA Education Committee and Professor Catherine Granger, Head of Physiotherapy Research at The Royal Melbourne Hospital and an Associate Professor of Physiotherapy at The University of Melbourne in Australia. Professor Granger is a cardiorespiratory physiotherapist and clinician scientist with expertise in physical activity and exercise for cancer patients’ populations.