Latrobe Regional Hospital (LRH) is in the process of activating its first ever oncology clinical trial, thanks to the MPCCC’s Monash-Gippsland Teletrials (MGTT) project.
The investigator-led DYNAMIC Rectal trial will be open at LRH in late 2019. This trial is also being conducted across a number of other sites throughout Australia, and has been sponsored by the Australian Gastro-intestinal Trials Group (AGITG).
The trial will utilise pathology results and biomarkers to assess whether or not patients are likely to respond well to chemotherapy, which will empower doctors and patients to make better informed decisions about their treatment plans. The DYNAMIC Rectal trial was recently approved by the ethics and governance process at Latrobe Regional Hospital.
“The impact of this project milestone is significant,” said Dr Sachin Joshi, a co-investigator in the MGTT project and the Principal Investigator of DYNAMIC Rectal at LRH.
“Through this trial we will begin to deliver on our goal of providing better access to clinical trials for people living with cancer in rural and regional areas,” Dr Joshi said.
Other clinical trials are currently being assessed for feasibility at LRH, which will run both as an independent trials site and as a satellite site connected with Monash Health as its primary site.
“The MGTT project has leveraged the expertise of experienced trials managers and clinicians at Monash Health and Monash University to build capacity at LRH,” said Professor Eva Segelov, Professor and Director of Oncology at Monash Health and Monash University, and the Primary Investigator of the project.
Clinicians and other clinical trial staff at LRH have received mentoring from Monash Health and Monash University to establish and move forward with this trial.
LRH staff will attend International Conference on Harmonisation-Good Clinical Practice (ICH-GCP) training in early August 2019, which will be facilitated by the Monash Partners.