New clinical trial co-ordinator appointed to drive clinical trial participation
More New Zealanders with breast cancer could have access to new drugs and clinical trials because of investment in a dedicated breast cancer clinical trial co-ordinator, funded by Breast Cancer Foundation NZ.
A $64,000 grant has been awarded to Auckland City Hospital’s Cancer and Blood Research Unit, which will help support senior clinical research co-ordinator, Shivani Kumar, to specialise and further build on her passion for breast cancer research and make more research possible.
Breast Cancer Foundation NZ first began funding the role in 2019 to support the growth and awareness of available trials so that clinicians and people with breast cancer have a better understanding of what is available and possible. This enables greater numbers of participants to be recruited to clinical trials and enables much needed New Zealand-specific data and results. As a result of that funding, Auckland City Hospital offered more patients the chance to be on the PATINA trial, testing the effectiveness of palbociclib in HER2-positive advanced breast cancer, than others across Australasia.
Results from clinical trials – like PATINA – help researchers and clinicians understand how different drugs can be used. Participants in clinical trials get the best, current, standard of care for their breast cancer and on top of that, some people also get the most innovative treatments. However, only an estimated 2% of people with breast cancer in Auckland were offered the chance to join a clinical trial - many of which will not be drug trials.
Ms Kumar hopes increased involvement will address access and equity issues in the breast cancer research space, as well as provide valuable insights into treatment options for our unique population.
“Our demographics in New Zealand are so broad. We know the incidence of breast cancer is higher in Māori and Pacific peoples but need to get representation (in the data) to better understand why. The data then allows us to ascertain which treatments work best for certain groups of people.”
Ms Kumar is most excited about the changing landscape of drug access and delivery in New Zealand, such as the use of oral medication alongside IV or sub cutaneous. “Oral meds are a lot easier to take, and patients don’t always need to come into a hospital to take them. So, someone in rural New Zealand could have the same treatment at home as someone in Auckland without the need to travel. We need clinical trials to ensure they’re appropriate for patient use.”
Dr Michelle Wilson, medical oncologist and clinical director for Cancer and Blood Research at Auckland City Hospital, said “the initial investment from Breast Cancer Foundation NZ has already given many women access to trials they otherwise would not have had. Now we can continue advancing research and opening more opportunities for New Zealanders facing breast cancer.
“Increasing clinical trial activity not only helps to improve patient care through new drugs, but it also gives us better understanding of breast cancer, how we deliver care and how we support breast cancer patients through every step of their journey.”
The Breast Cancer Foundation clinical research coordinator role is for two years and works directly with the breast cancer team to enable clinical trials. Currently there are five actively recruiting clinical trials in New Zealand. You can view the list clinical trials and eligibility here.