Research Round-up

Dr Kristi Milley and Sophie Chima talk to Kate Broun, Manager - Screening, Early Detection and Immunisation at Cancer Council Victoria about the recent media campaign that was launched in March 2019 and the recent publication Impact of a mass media campaign on participation rates in a National Bowel Cancer Screening Program.

This study aimed to compare bowel cancer screening rates prior to, during and after a mass media campaign, and assess how high intensity campaigning in one state compared to a state that received less campaign exposure. An eight-week television-led mass media campaign was launched in selected regions of Australia in mid-2014 to promote the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP), which mails out FOBT kits.

The campaign used TV advertising in the entire state of Queensland (QLD) but only some of Western Australia (WA). There were other supportive campaign elements such as print, digital and online advertising. The number of FOBT kits returned increased in QLD during the months of the campaign and up to two months after the broadcast, but not significantly in WA. This study indicates that low levels of participation in the NBCSP could be increased by mass media campaigns, but the overall effect will be dependent on the intensity of the campaign.

Show notes are available here . http://pc4tg.com.au/research-round-up-march-2019-kate-broun/

It's our 10th anniversary! So we've decided to release a Bonus Research Round-up to celebrate our 10th anniversary. Dr. Kristi Milley and Sophie Chima talk to Professor Jon Emery, Herman Professor of Primary Care Cancer Research at the University of Melbourne and Director of PC4 and Emily Habgood about the recent publication ‘The Chest Australia Trial: a randomised controlled trial of an intervention to increase consultation rates in smokers at risk of lung cancer’.

Lung cancer has one of the lowest survival outcomes of any cancer because of the high occurrence of late-stage diagnosis; with stigma often holding patients back from seeking consultations. Professor Emery was the lead researcher for the CHEST Australia trial, which aimed to reduce lung cancer death through increased early detection.

Show notes are available here http://pc4tg.com.au/research-round-up-february-2019-bonus-episode-jon-emery-emily-habgood/

The Research Round-up team interview Dr Pauline Williams, Academic Fellow at the Centre of Academic Primary Care at the University of Aberdeen and General Practitioner.

In this episode we discuss Dr Williams recently published Patient and primary care delays in the diagnostic pathway of gynaecological cancers: a systematic review of influencing factors in the British Journal of General Practice. Dr Williams’ group analysed evidence from 37 studies and established that patients, often did not understand the significance of symptoms, and did not request guidance quickly.

Show notes are located here http://pc4tg.com.au/research-round-up-february-2019-pauline-williams/

The Research Round-up team interview Associate Professor of General Practice, Joel Rhee from the University of Wollongong. Joel Rhee is Chair of Specific Interest Network of Cancer and Palliative Care of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and PC4’s Clinical Oncology Society of Australia representative.

In this episode we discuss Associate Professor Rhee’s recent BMJ publication General practitioners (GPs) and end-of-life care: a qualitative study of Australian GPs and specialist palliative care clinicians. GPs are well placed to be included in end-of-life care for patients with life-limiting illnesses, and yet GPs have different understandings of their role. Joel discusses the important barriers and facilitators to GP involvement in end-of-life care; and why the Australian health care system needs to better support GPs.

Show notes are located here http://pc4tg.com.au/research-round-up-january-2019-joel-rhee/

Professor Jon Emery talks with Professor Willie Hamilton, co-chair of CanTest and a GP and lead of the DISCOVERY group in Exeter, Willie is also clinical lead for the 2015 NICE guidance, as well as a member of the Department of Health’s Policy Research Unit for cancer awareness, screening and early diagnosis.

Both are part of CanTest – a five year programme of funding from Cancer Research UK, where international primary care cancer researchers investigate ways of developing and implementing new and improved cancer diagnostic tests into GP surgeries.

Professor Hamilton discusses recently published Early detection of multiple myeloma in primary care using blood tests: a case–control study in primary care. This UK based, matched case-control study examined the combined predictive value of presenting symptoms and blood tests commonly used in primary care in order to find which are useful in suggesting/excluding a diagnosis of multiple myeloma. Using data from over 2,700 cases and more than 12,000 controls, the study found that plasma viscosity (PV) and ESR were better than C-reactive protein for ruling in/out myeloma.

Show notes available here http://pc4tg.com.au/research-round-up-december-2018-willie-hamilton/

Professor Jon Emery sits down with Professor Yoryos Lyratzopoulos, Professor of Cancer Healthcare Epidemiology and lead of the Epidemiology of Cancer Healthcare and Outcomes (ECHO) group. Professor Lyratzopoulos discusses his recently published article looking at the relationship between the diagnosis of cancer through emergency presentations and sociodemographic inequalities. Jon and Yoryos discuss why emergency presentations are important in cancer control, whether improvements have been made and what patient and health system factors contribute to this issue.

Show notes are available here http://pc4tg.com.au/research-round-up-november-2018-professor-yoryos-lyratzopoulos/

Please note that their may be some audio quality issues as the interview was recorded live at University College.

• Dr. Kristi Milley and Sophie Chima talk to Professor Mark Nelson about the results of his recently published ASPREE trials, (ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly). The guidelines around daily aspirin for prevention of colorectal cancer have recently been updated in Australia, however aspirin still does not feature in UK guidelines. Recent studies have implied aspirin may aid prevention or delaying of the onset of cardiovascular disease, dementia, depression and some types of cancer. Professor Nelson describes in detail the results of the ASPREE trials, which found no benefit in healthy adults, aged 70 and above. The podcast explores the complexity of international trials, the use composite outcomes and how these results will shape future work.

Show notes are located here http://pc4tg.com.au/research-round-up-october-2018-professor-mark-nelson/

Dr. Kristi Milley and Sophie Chima talk to Professor Jon Emery about two recent publications. The first publication, The Aarhus statement on cancer diagnostic research: turning recommendations into new survey instruments, is a protocol defining the improvement of an intervention to advance diagnosis through primary care. The second publication directed researchers occupied in early cancer diagnosis field to contemplate the improvement and usage of self-reported early diagnosis questionnaires. Development of an intervention to expedite cancer diagnosis through primary care: a protocol

Show notes are located here http://pc4tg.com.au/research-roundup-sept-2018/

Bowel Cancer affects over 20,000 Australians each year and is one of the top three most common cancers in Australia. In this episode, Dr Kristi Milley and Dr Jennifer Walker discuss recently published articles regarding colorectal cancer. Australia has a national bowel cancer screening program and they discuss the possibility of a primary care approach in the USA of a supplemental intervention to improve colorectal cancer screening. The second article highlights the importance highlight a common barrier in cancer care research – communication.

Show notes are located here http://pc4tg.com.au/research-roundup-aug-2018/