Beth's time ‘could have been extremely short'. A new approach to cancer treatment is giving her hope
A total of 24,536 Australians with advanced, incurable or early-onset cancers with poor outcomes have participated in Omico initiatives. More than 2600 patients have accessed treatment (84 per cent through clinical trials) after undergoing CGP.
'We have countless stories of people who were not told to get their affairs in order, who have [instead] been able to go back to work and support their families … look after their families,' said Thomas, a medical oncologist who was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer two years ago, just before Omico's Precision Oncology Screening Platform Enabling Clinical Trials (PrOSPeCT) – Australia's largest genomic profiling program – got under way.
'[We're] not eking out a little more time with low-quality life, but actually allowing some people to go back to normal life and contribute to society.'
The organisation's ultimate goal is for affordable precision oncology to become part of routine cancer care and to improve outcomes for all patients by leveraging partnerships with government, pharmaceutical and medtech industries, researchers and clinicians.
'The vast majority of patients are under no illusions [about their prognosis] … but they also want to know that the system doesn't just shut up shop and say: 'I'm sorry, the cookbook recipes have run out. We can't do anything more',' Thomas said.
Patients with rare cancers or cancers of unknown primary site have the most to gain from routine access to CGP and 'tumour agnostic therapies', Thomas said.
Ivimey's CGP found an EGFR gene mutation, more commonly associated with chemo-resistant lung cancer. Ivimey had cared for this group of patients and knew targeted treatment had transformed their lives.
It wasn't hope, Ivimey said. 'But it was exciting and meaningful to me when I couldn't be excited about much else.'
She was enrolled in a clinical trial for an EGFR inhibitor drug. Eight weeks later, a CT scan showed her tumour had shrunk by 31 per cent.
She had to pause treatment when the side effects became unmanageable – mouth ulcers, and pain and blistering from hand and foot syndrome. During these pauses, secondary tumours grew.
Six months ago, Ivimey became the first Australian to start treatment with another EGFR inhibitor via a compassionate access scheme.
The treatment has been life-changing. Ivimey returned to work and is planning a family trip to Europe.
'I live really well,' she said. 'When there are more secondaries [tumours], it does stop me in my tracks, but there is always something to look forward to.'
Alfred Health director of medical oncology Professor Mark Shackleton has referred several patients to CGP and oversees the Monash Partners Comprehensive Cancer Consortium, which collaborates with Omico.
'Cancer research is often way ahead of the government's ability to provide access to treatment breakthroughs. Omico has superbly filled this gap,' Shackleton said.
'The challenge now is to decentralise [precision oncology] by making these advances accessible to as many people as possible in as many jurisdictions as possible, and ultimately that will be via existing health services.'
Omico runs on government funding and private investment from the pharmaceutical and medtech industries.
Loading
In March, federal Health Minister Mark Butler announced an additional $30.8 million for PrOSPeCT to extend the program to the end of 2027.
'Australia is at the precipice of transforming the potential of genomics into concrete improvements in early diagnosis, prevention, research, policies and service delivery,' Butler said.
The federal government is establishing Genomics Australia to lead and co-ordinate this transformation, and improving access to personalised cancer care will be one of its priorities, he said.
Proving precision oncology offers economic benefits will be crucial for government support, Thomas said, citing the millions in foreign investment from industry-sponsored clinical trials conducted in Australia and more than 1500 jobs in the past 26 months facilitated by Omico.
'This is not only good for healthcare [or] just pouring money into the global pharmaceutical industry, but creating Australian jobs and supporting intellectual property that comes out of our universities and research institutes,' Thomas said.
Thomas will present the results of Omico's initiatives at the biotech convention BIO International in Boston this week, supported by the NSW government.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sky News AU
16 hours ago
- Sky News AU
Australians horrified after woman finds maggots in a supermarket bread roll
Australians have been left horrified after a woman found maggots inside her Woolworths bacon and cheese roll. The woman. Maureen, was visiting her 22-year-old son in Darwin and decided to purchase a bacon and cheese roll - his favourite snack. But as he ate it, Harry and Maureen were horrified to find a maggot had dripped out onto Harry's phone. A consumer advocacy group has posted a shocking video to TikTok after Woolworths failed to act on a consumer complaint regarding the incident. In the video Harry went on to discover that the entire batch was infested with maggots. Speaking to Maureen said that she was horrified by the discovery. 'He started eating them and then when he got to the third one, a maggot dropped out on his phone,' she said, adding that he nearly threw up. The comments on TikTok - posted by the @resolvewithajust account - were scathing of Woolworths. "I would report it to the health department," one said. Another said 'They [Woolworths] don't care.. this was cheese from woolies a few months back and they wanted a receipt to return it" - while posting a photo of a block of cheddar cheese covered in black mould. One commentor quipped that at least the roll was "packed with protein." In a statement to a spokesman for Woolworths said that they were taking the situation seriously. 'We have apologised to the customer for their experience and we are not aware of any further reports of a similar nature at this time,' the spokesperson said. But Maureen said that when she did not hear anything back from Woolworths, she used the Ajust service - a consumer advocacy service powered by artificial intelligence. After Ajust sent a complaint to Woolworths, the supermarket chain added that the rolls had been baked in Sydney and shipped frozen to Darwin, but offered no refund or financial compensation to Maureen.
West Australian
16 hours ago
- West Australian
Albanese government to overhaul NDIS and remove kids with autism in plans to cut growth of scheme
Children with mild autism and developmental delays will be removed from the ballooning NDIS and placed in a new capped program, as the Federal Government tries to rein in cost blowouts. Health Minister Mark Butler on Wednesday announced as part of an overhaul 'tens and tens of thousands' of Australian kids will be pulled out of the system and placed in a 'Thriving Kids' initiative. It will allow for specialised education programs and foundational supports, which will be funded equally by the States and the Commonwealth. Mr Butler said the Federal Government would be responsible for the program and would lead it with a $2 billion investment. Mr Butler said including autistic children in the NDIS was driving unsustainable cost blowouts and leaving them in a system that wasn't designed for them — but was not 'the only port in the storm'. He told a National Press Club address the scheme was designed for permanent disability and children with moderate needs were being 'overserviced' under it. 'I know this will be hard for some parents to hear and I don't say it lightly, but we do need … to create a better system that will enable our children to thrive,' he said. 'Young children with more mild and moderate levels of developmental delay or autism are on a scheme, frankly, because there's nothing else. 'Over the coming months, we will work with the community to design a system to support 'Thriving Kids' and how best to invest the Commonwealth's $2 billion provision. 'States are obviously going to be key partners, having committed to share funding equally. 'They hold so many of these levers but so will service providers and importantly, parents themselves. 'We're keen to step up and lead the work in designing that program, because it should be a nationally consistent program.' He said it did not mean everyone with autism would be removed from the scheme and it was still intended those with permanent and significantly disabling autism would remain with the NDIS. Mr Butler said he would consult and work with providers and parents to come up with a more adequate model, with an aim for the 'Thriving Kids' program to begin in July. 'The ramp up of services and supports will be completed over the following 12 months, when access changes to the NDIS will take effect in mid 2027,' he said. Mr Butler said while health programs like Medicare, the PBS and NDIS make Australian lives better, they can 'operate on a set and forget basis'. 'They all require constant vigilance to ensure that they are delivering for Australians who need them, but also represent value for money for taxpayers who fund them,' he said. 'That approach will be the approach that will guide how we secure the future of Australia's NDIS.' He will also look to schools to play a more 'coordinated role' in supporting children with a range of needs, including ADHD and autism and explore creating a national online information service for parents — similar to one announced earlier this year for Medicare. Mr Butler also said the Government was eyeing an ambitious target of keeping NDIS cost growth to between five and six per cent per year. In 2023, the National Cabinet agreed to get growth down to 8 per cent as an 'interim target' by 2026, but it's been a struggle. Though Mr Butler acknowledged some 'promising signs' of reducing the growth, he admitted everything 'needs to go right to avoid us slipping off that target'. 'Reforms to plan budgets and inflation are starting to work, but growth in new participant numbers remains high,' he said. 'Last week's quarterly report from the agency revealed 12 per cent growth in participant numbers in 2024-25 — much higher than the previous year, reminding us that there is still much to do even to achieve that eight per cent target.' 'But 8 per cent growth is simply unsustainable in the medium- to long-term. 'I'm determined to pursue that next wave of reform. 'The scheme is now pretty much fully rolled out, so growth should really reflect unit price inflation plus growth in Australia's population. 'In nominal terms, that would hover around 4 or 5 per cent on top of that. 'On top of that, we should allow an inflator that reflects the aging of participants in the scheme, which might add up to another one per cent.' It comes after a Productivity Commission report in 2017 had suggested that a growth rate of about 4 per cent would be appropriate after the scheme was fully rolled out in 2020.
ABC News
17 hours ago
- ABC News
Christine Mulhall among dozens of elective surgery patients caught up in WA hospital crisis
A patient who waited nearly a year for complex elective surgery, only to have it cancelled the day before it was scheduled, says the ordeal has put her under significant emotional and financial stress and eroded her trust in the health system. Christine Mulhall was one of dozens of West Australians who had their planned surgeries cancelled overnight, amid "exceptional" demand on the state's hospitals. Ms Mulhall told the ABC her initial referral to Fiona Stanley Hospital from September last year had been lost, which meant her surgery was rescheduled for February this year. But in the lead up to that appointment, she said she was informed her surgery would likely not happen before the end of 2025. As a category two patient, the procedure is supposed to be undertaken within 90 days of the referral. On Monday, Ms Mulhall said she was offered a last-minute slot to have her operation done today. "It was a bit of a logistical nightmare for me, as it was my first day back at work from annual leave, and I don't have any other leave left," Ms Mulhall told the ABC. "I managed to rearrange everything to do the surgery on Wednesday." Ms Mulhall said she was contacted by a nurse on Tuesday afternoon at around 2pm to confirm her appointment, and to talk through her preparation for the surgery. "Then I actually missed a phone call at about 4.30pm yesterday afternoon and was left with a voice message which said unfortunately my surgery had been cancelled." Adding to the confusion she felt, Ms Mulhall said she received a call from the hospital this morning, asking why she hadn't come in for her surgery. "You can imagine that caused quite a bit of distress for me, and second-guessing," she said. Ms Mulhall said the staff member seemed surprised to learn the procedure had been cancelled. "I said 'I could be there, I hadn't eaten'. She [the staff member] said 'leave it with me'. She called back about 20 minutes later and said, 'I'm so sorry, it's been cancelled,'" she said. She said receiving the voice message had been a devastating blow. "I'd mentally and physically prepared myself to have this surgery. [My tumour] is in the deep lobe of my parotid gland, and the surgeons have said this is as complex as it gets," Ms Mulhall said. "It's [the tumour] is very close to facial nerve so there is potential lifelong complications which could arise from the surgery. It's been a horrible journey, so I was inconsolable yesterday. "I don't think I've fully taken it in. I felt really upset, heartbroken, then I felt a little bit angry and little bit confused as to why. "It puts a financial strain too. I've taken last-minute leave from work, which is unpaid leave." Ms Mulhall said her tumour, which is currently benign, had caused her facial pain and taken a toll on her mental health. "I'm exhausted mentally, emotionally and financially. The stress over the past 350-odd days, however long it's been, it's been a real rollercoaster. Ms Mulhall said she no longer had confidence in the public health system. "I used to have private health insurance for a long time, until I became single, and then I couldn't afford it," she said. "I then had to put that reliance on the public health system, which has not really been good to me unfortunately." WA Health director general Dr Shirley Bowen said she was grateful to Ms Muhall for making way for more urgent surgeries. "Tumours in the parotid gland are complex procedures … they are something that can be deferred a few days," Dr Bowen said. "I can only say I thank her, because she's making way for people who are coming through emergency who urgently need care and urgently need a bed, and without it they may die." It comes after a tumultuous week for the state government defending its funding and management of WA's health system, amid record ambulance ramping and issues with aging hospital infrastructure. The Cook government announced a $50 million health infrastructure maintenance fund on Monday, while the 2025-26 budget included $1.4 billion in additional spending in the health and mental health system. Health Minister Meredith Hammat said the deferrals were unfortunate but necessary. "We are dealing with some unprecedented demand in our hospital system. We have had over 1,000 triple-zero calls this week and we've seen a large number of people presenting at our emergency departments," she said. "Rescheduling non-urgent surgery is something we haven't had to do before this winter, but it is something that the hospital system does to ensure that we've got the capacity to see the most urgent patients." Ms Hammat said older patients were the primary cause of the influx in demand. "We're also seeing large numbers of older people in hospital who are ready to be discharged, but don't have an appropriate place to go to receive the care they need," she said. Dr Bowen said a large number of older people with comorbidities were presenting with winter illnesses.
