Clinical trial offers new hope for lung cancer sufferers

Cancer is one of Australia's biggest killers. It's a plight that concerns clinicians on a daily basis as they battle to keep their patients alive and a motivating factor for medical researchers who are in a race against time to unveil the mysteries behind the disease.

But it's when clinicians and researchers get in tune with each other that the music starts to play.

This is the philosophy of MMRI director, Professor Derek Hart, whose visions of "academic medicine" could revolutionise the world of medical research and patient care.

“The notion of having scientists and clinicians talking to each other using the same language is invaluable,” says Professor Hart.

In September MMRI hosted Professor Chris Parish from the Australian National University's John Curtin School of Medical Research, who is renowned for his discovery of "PI-88"—an angiogenesis drug currently being clinically trialled in lung cancer patients.

Associate Professor Paul Mainwaring has put Brisbane's Mater campus on the international map for his involvement in this worldwide, multiple location trial. It will aim to give hope for advanced lung cancer patients, who have not adequately responded to previous "first-line" treatment options.

“This angiogenesis drug may be a serious treatment option of the future,” says Dr Mainwaring.

“Like all cells in the body, tumour cells rely on a constant blood stream to provide oxygen supplies needed for their growth. Essentially, these angiogenesis drugs aim to cut off this supply and starve the tumour cell of oxygen and nutrients.

“PI-88 is a promising new drug treatment which is showing some future promise when used in combination with existing chemotherapy medication.”

PI-88 researcher, Professor Parish, whose discovery has been developed by Brisbane-based pharmaceutical company Progen, hopes that the success of this experimental inhibitor drug will allow patients to extend the time it takes for their disease to progress and also to improve their quality of life.

Dr Mainwaring said this trial is just one of many available to patients at Mater's complex.

“Typically, only 1-2% of adult cancer patients are involved in clinical trials, whereas at Mater, the statistic is more like 80% where there is an available study,” he said.

“Medical research holds the key to society's most baffling diseases and clinical trials are a necessary step in the investigative process.”

Lung cancer is the most common form of cancer death in Queensland with a total of 1357 deaths in 2002 (Queensland Cancer Fund). In 90% of incidences, cigarettes contributed to the development of the cancer, with smoking being the largest preventable cause of death and disease in Australia.