TR-ANZGOG

TR-ANZGOG is an ANZGOG research initiative to add value to important clinical trials in women with gynaecological cancers by supporting the collection and use of biospecimens for further research. This will help to find biomarkers that are associated with good response to trial drugs, and, if response is not as good as expected, to find out why.

What is TR-ANZGOG?

Anna DeFazio, TR-ANZGOG Steering Committee Chair, explains what TR-ANZGOG is and the value it adds to clinical trials.

TR-ANZGOG in our trials

TR-ANZGOG managed the translational component of the SOLACE2 trial. This Phase II national clinical trial investigated whether immunological priming could improve the subsequent response to immunotherapy in women with the most common type of ovarian cancer (high-grade serous) at the first sign of relapse. The SOLACE2 Study Chair, clinician scientist Professor Clare Scott AM, Head of the Ovarian Cancer Laboratory at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, and ANZGOG Chair, considered this a “really important advance to be able to offer this trial to patients” as these asymptomatic women would otherwise only be observed until their disease progresses. In addition to studying immune therapy, every woman on this trial received treatment with a PARP inhibitor, an exciting new treatment for ovarian cancer. SOLACE2 had a strong translational research component, the RMIT lab processed 1714 blood samples from 141 participants with close to 25,000 individual blood sample derivatives collected, helping to improve our understanding of the biology and to identify biomarkers associated with response to treatment.

Chaired by ANZGOG Research Advisory Committee member Professor Anna DeFazio AM, Sydney West Chair of Translational Cancer Research at the Centre for Cancer Research, the TR-ANZGOG Steering Committee is comprises a panel of experts whose specialities include pathology, pure science research, surgery, radiation and medical oncology, data management, ethics, clinical trial operations and lived experience representation.

  • Prof Anna DeFazio AM – Chair, TR-ANZGOG: Translational Research (NSW)
  • Prof Clare Scott AM – Chair, ANZGOG, Medical Oncologist (VIC)
  • A/Prof Philip Beale – Medical Oncologist (NSW)
  • A/Prof Lyndal Anderson – Gynaecological Pathologist (NSW)
  • A/Prof Pam Pollock – Principal Research Fellow (QLD)
  • Prof David Bowtell – Head, Cancer Genomics & Genetics (VIC)
  • A/Prof Alison Brand AM – Director, Gynaecological Oncology (NSW)
  • A/Prof Alison Davis  – Medical Oncologist (ACT)
  • Prof Linda Mileshkin – Medical Oncologist (VIC)
  • Dr Niluja Thiru – Radiation Oncologist (NSW)
  • Dr David Chang – Radiation Oncologist (VIC)
  • Alison Evans – Ex-Officio, Chief Executive Officer, ANZGOG (NSW)
  • Claire Davies – Ex-Officio, TR-ANZGOG Project Manager (NSW)
  • Karen Livingstone AM – Ex-Officio, ANZGOG (VIC)
  • John Andrews – Ex-Officio, ANZGOG (NSW)
  • Kate Weatherall – Ex-Officio, ANZGOG (NSW)
  • Kath Alsop – Ex-Officio, ANZGOG (NSW)

TR-ANZGOG Network of Laboratories

TR-ANZGOG is nearing completion of its aims to have at least one to two laboratories in each Australian state and territory, as required, with expansion to New Zealand. TR-ANZGOG Network Laboratories have been approved in the following regions:

  • NSW (metro and regional): NSW Health Statewide Biobank, Gynaecological Oncology Biobank at Westmead, NSW Regional Biospecimen Research Services
  • VIC: Australian Ovarian Cancer Study (AOCS), Cancer Ageing and Vaccines laboratory (CAVA), RMIT
  • QLD: QIMR Berghofer Scientific Services
  • WA: Perkins Cancer Biobank
  • Auckland, New Zealand: Dunbar Laboratory

For further information, please view the publicly available documents below, or contact TR-ANZGOG Program Manager – Claire:

Claire Davies
Project Manager – TR-ANZGOG
T: +61 8004 3401
E: tr-anzgog@anzgog.org.au

ACCESS THE TR-ANZGOG PORTAL:

For further information and documentation about translational research and how to support your trial, please contact TR-ANZGOG Program Manager – Claire Davies (claire.davies@anzgog.org.au).