A global clinical trial successfully reduced toxicity and side effects in advanced stage Hodgkin lymphoma patients by using a modified treatment regimen.
Mark Herzberg is a Professor of Clinical Haematology involved in clinical trials for patients with blood cancers, particularly lymphoma, leukaemia, and myeloma, in Australia and New Zealand.
Hodgkin lymphoma is a common cancer with varied symptoms, and treatment typically involves chemotherapy and sometimes radiation therapy.
Approximately 800 Australian patients are diagnosed with advanced stage Hodgkin lymphoma each year, with staging determined through imaging and blood tests.
Advanced stage Hodgkin lymphoma is treated with outpatient combination chemotherapy using two major regimens (ABVD and escalated BEACOPP) worldwide, with a global clinical trial involving nine cooperative groups in nine countries and 1500 patients.
The ALLG contributed 115 patients across 16 sites in Australia and New Zealand to a groundbreaking clinical trial.
A global clinical trial successfully reduced toxicity and side effects in advanced stage Hodgkin lymphoma patients by using a modified treatment regimen incorporating a new drug, Brentuximab Vedotin.
Patients experienced fewer side effects, such as anaemia, low platelet counts, peripheral neuropathy, and gonadal toxicity, while preserving fertility, with the modified BrECADD regimen in the treatment of advanced stage Hodgkin lymphoma.
Most patients with advanced stage Hodgkin lymphoma remained disease-free after three years of treatment, with a significant reduction in toxicity and shorter duration of treatment, allowing them to resume normal life and work sooner.
Australian Health Journal spoke with Professor Mark Hertzberg in his role in the ALLG HD10 Clinical Trial and as a former Chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Australasian Leukaemia & Lymphoma Group (ALLG), an organisation involved in improving the treatments and lives of blood cancer patients.
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Global GP Conference comes to Australia
Over 3000 delegates from around the World will gather at the 50th celebration of WONCA to reconnect and revive General Practice, sharing knowledge and learnings on access, equity, funding, and multidisciplinary care teams. This includes networking with Australian and overseas GPs and in particular learning about primary care practices in other countries.
Australian Health Journal met with Dr Nicole Higgins, President of RACGP in transit at Brisbane Airport recently and she spoke about the $6 Billion allocated in the Federal Budget in May as a significant achievement for General Practice investment. She also emphasised this announcement reinforced GPs should be at the centre of multidisciplinary care teams to ensure continuity of care and better health outcomes.
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Values in Workplace Culture
Professor Sabe Sabesan, is the Clinical Dean of the Townsville Regional Medical Training network incorporating the Townsville Hospital and Health Services and the Townsville Clinical School of the James Cook University and the director of the department of Medical oncology at the Townsville Cancer Centre, Townsville Hospital.
The Professor recently wrote, “Workforce wellness and engagement have become buzzwords in healthcare settings since there is an intimate relationship between staff wellbeing and performance of the healthcare system. Wellness initiatives such as wellness champions and wellness committees have been set up in response to emerging workforce mental health issues. These are largely reactive rather than being proactive in addressing or preventing the root cause of mental health issues.”
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Pathology technology at a crossroads
The CEO of Pathology Technology Australia, Dean Whiting spoke with Australian Health Journal about the following:
– Pathology Technology Australia’s key priorities in the coming years
– Current local capability in pathology technology compared to other countries
– How the health system supports change and adoption of pathology technology
– How pathology is perceived by the public and in government as well as how developments in pathology technology are followed and understood
– Observations in the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce ReportIn the lead up to the Australian Federal Budget in May 2023, Australian Health Journal reached out to peak health industry bodies to hear about their priorities, either noted in pre-budget submissions lodged with Federal Government in January 2023 or in recent forums such as the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce.
