Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre
Newsletter Winter 2013
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In this issue
Chairman’s message .................................................................................................................... 3
Executive Director’s message ....................................................................................................... 4
Centre for Excellence in Cancer Research ...................................................................................... 5
VCCC Cancer Research Activity and Capability Census 2010–12 ..................................................... 5
Living with Cancer Program .......................................................................................................... 6
Building a Centre for Excellence in Cancer Education and Training ................................................. 7
Project update ............................................................................................................................. 8
Message from the IM & ICT team ................................................................................................. 9
Upcoming events ....................................................................................................................... 10
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Chairman’s message
Professor Richard Larkins AO (Chairman)
Delivering a world-class comprehensive cancer centre for Victoria is the key goal for the
Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC). To help do this, we are in the process of
establishing an external Expert Advisory Panel (EAP) to provide advice on the best
international approaches to the development of a comprehensive cancer centre.
Professor Jim Bishop met with a number of potential panel members at the American
Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) conference held in Chicago in June 2013. The following
have agreed to be on the EAP:
•
Professor Stan Kaye — Medical Oncology, Cancer Research UK, and Head, Division of
Clinical Studies, Royal Marsden National Health Service Foundation Trust
•
Dr Edward Trimble — Director, National Cancer Institute (NCI) Center for Global Health
•
Professor Michael Sherar, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Cancer Care
Ontario.
The NCI has also agreed to provide a liaison with their Comprehensive Cancer Centre
Program Director.
As many will know, Professor Jim Angus has retired from his role as Dean of the Faculty of
Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences at The University of Melbourne and will no longer
sit on the VCCC Board. During the past three years, Jim has been a tireless advocate for the
VCCC’s vision and his contribution has been enormously helpful and appreciated. The Board
wishes him the very best for the future. We also acknowledge Ms Dale Fisher’s contribution
as CEO of The Royal Women’s Hospital, and welcome her to her new role as CEO of the
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre (Peter Mac).
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Executive Director’s message
Professor Jim Bishop AO (Executive Director)
Ernst and Young has been engaged to help develop a business case to support the next five
years of the VCCC. This case will further develop the comprehensive cancer centre concept
to generate, interpret and apply new research findings into practice faster, and to apply
policy based on the successful program of the NCI.
The VCCC business case will also plan for the development of new research capability to
improve quality and the major cost-drivers in cancer care. It will position the VCCC at the
centre of broad-based cancer control programs in Victoria, with outreach to general practice
and the community.
The Leaders in Cancer Program remains a central strategy of the VCCC, with five chairs
established and seven fellowships on offer. In collaboration with The University of
Melbourne and Western Health, we are establishing a Chair in Cancer Services Research. A
program to improve PhD support and planning for a Master of Cancer Sciences are also
underway.
The latest research census has been a success. We now have research data for all VCCC
members from the past four years, which clearly identifies strengths and areas of low
capability, and provides a good basis to grow our research enterprise in a strategic manner.
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Centre for Excellence in Cancer Research
VCCC Cancer Research Activity and Capability Census 2010–12
Grant income has remained stable across the VCCC over the two recent Research Activity
and Capability Census periods. The survey also revealed that biology and treatment
categories have attracted the most funding (42% and 29% respectively) and prevention the
least (less than 2%).
Thank you to all of the research groups who completed the 2010-12 research census, which
picked up where the previous census (2008–10) ended. The census officially closed on 26
April.
Linda Butler — Australia’s leading bibliometrician — once again performed the bibliometric
analysis on VCCC member organisations’ cancer publications from 2006 to 2011.
Census findings

Of all VCCC research activity, 40% is focused on the biology and the causes of cancer.

Approximately 960 full-time equivalent staff (around 1300 individuals) are dedicated to
cancer research across the VCCC member organisations.

Grant income from the National Health and Medical Research Council has increased.

Breast cancer, followed by colorectal cancers and haematological diseases, generated
the most grant income of all tumour streams.

Clinical trials, bioinfomatics, datasets, and data linkages and statistical services have
been identified as the areas that researchers need better access to, in terms of research
infrastructure.
Bibliometric findings

Of all VCCC member publications, 73% were collaborations; 45% of all publications were
international collaborations.

Of all tumour streams, VCCC publications on skin cancer had the highest relative citation
impact (RCI; 3.86); whereas the overall Australian RCI for skin cancer was 1.75. The
VCCC’s higher RCI was due mainly to a few highly cited clinical trial publications between
2009 and 2010.

Overall, the VCCC had a far higher RCI and relative journal impact (RSNIP) compared to
the international benchmarks and Australian publications. The VCCC RCI and RSNIP were
far greater than that of other Australian states and territories. The exception was the
Northern Territory, which had very highly cited publications on indigenous health.
However, there were only 140 publications from the Northern Territory, whereas there
were 6187 VCCC publications.
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Living with Cancer Program
VCCC Psycho-oncology Research Funding Awards
The VCCC recently awarded seed funding for collaborative psycho-oncology research across
VCCC member organisations. Nine proposals competed for funding of up to $100 000, which
would initiate high-impact, collaborative psycho-oncology research.
Proposals were viewed favourably if more than one tumour stream was included in the
proposed work, the work aligned with one or more of the six pillars of cancer control, and
the funded work was likely to lead to ongoing, long-term change in psycho-oncology. Early
career investigators were also encouraged to apply. Proposals were evaluated by a panel of
local and interstate experts.
We thank all those researchers who took the time to compile and submit an application. We
look forward to reporting on the outcomes of the two funded projects.
Successfully funded projects
ACCRUE: AdvanCing Consultation Recall and UndErstanding — Solving the barriers and
facilitators to intervention implementation. PI: Associate Professor Penny Schofield (Peter
Mac). Collaborative partners: Royal Melbourne Hospital, St Vincent’s Hospital, the Women’s,
Western Hospital and Peter Mac.
Exploring patient and health system factors in timely diagnosis of cancer in CALD
communities. PI: Professor Jon Emery (The University of Melbourne and Western Health)
Collaborative partners: The University of Melbourne, Western Health and Peter Mac.
Inaugural Victorian Psycho-oncology Research Conference
The VCCC, in collaboration with the Psycho-oncology Co-operative Research Group and The
University of Melbourne, hosted the inaugural Victorian Psycho-oncology Research
Conference at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in June.
This one-day event attracted more than 150 delegates, including nurses, psychologists,
researchers and various medical professionals. The program was led by a range of
renowned, high-profile speakers, including Prof Tom Hack, University of Manitoba, Canada,
and Prof Gabriel Leung, The University of Hong Kong. Presentations were grouped according
to theme: implementing psycho-oncology, and challenges and developments; learning from
others; screening; and service delivery.
The conference consisted of formal presentations, but also provided delegates with the
opportunity to network and discuss possible research collaborations. Providing such a forum
is particularly relevant to the VCCC, as we continue to promote collaboration within and
between our alliance members. Many people contributed to making the day a success —
especially those who chaired sessions (Prof Bruce Mann, Prof Phyllis Butow and Associate
Prof Penny Schofield). The VCCC would also like to acknowledge the sponsorship provided
by Cancer Australia for this inaugural conference and their recognition of this important
research area. Special thanks to Assoc Prof Penny Schofield (Peter Mac) and the organising
committee for convening the meeting.
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Building a Centre for Excellence in Cancer Education
and Training
Student award winner — Ms Anna Boltong
VCCC Career Development Award winner Ms Anna Boltong has presented her research
findings at the ASCO annual meeting in Chicago, June 2013. In addition to attending sessions
and presenting PhD findings, Anna used the opportunity to make links with key research
collaborators.
Anna has also been asked by the US Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to make a
submission to have the ‘language of taste’ formally accepted into the International Dietetics
and Nutrition Terminology, which governs nutrition care processes worldwide. ‘This work is
a key step in educating clinicians, and that many symptoms confused as taste are actually
something other than taste, and require different methods of evaluation, monitoring and
intervention’, said Ms Boltong.
Ms Boltong has now taken up a strategic role at the Cancer Council Victoria as Head of
Cancer Information and Support Service. In this role, she looks forward to extending the
supportive care and information elements of her PhD, and growing the services offered to
people affected by cancer and the people who care for them.
Ms Anna Boltong with The University of Melbourne’s Professor Jim Angus
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Project update
The VCCC Project construction site continues to buzz with activity. On the north side, a large
yellow tower crane, which will be used for the next 15 months, was erected onto a large
steel beam grillage on the roof of the existing Royal Melbourne Hospital (level four). This is
supported by a group of four columns extended above the roof line and anchored down
through two levels of working hospital space with a group of stress bars on each of the
columns.
The north side compound is near final configuration and the builders hoist was installed in
early July. Concrete works are progressing well and the installation of structural steel will
soon start.
On the south side, many of the structural slabs for the basements levels are complete, as are
the slabs for the loading docks, the cyclotron and engineering department. Concrete pours
for all ramps are also finished and basement block work is well underway. In late June, the
project team oversaw the delivery and positioning of three mechanical chillers, which are
believed to be the largest units of their kind ever installed in Melbourne (each weighs in at
more than 32 tonnes). They will provide chilled condenser water for cooling the building,
forming part of the overall air conditioning system.
The Project site at 7 am
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Message from the IM & ICT team
In May 2013, the VCCC IM & ICT team released an expression of interest (EOI) to the market.
The EOI, which closed on 5 July 2013, asks vendors and/or consortia to provide information
management and information and communications technology (IM & ICT) solutions and
supporting services to support the integration of cancer information, safe shared clinical
care, and collaborative research and education across the VCCC members.
Functionality is required across three key areas:
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interoperability
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knowledge base (incorporating clinical and research information exchanges)
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portal/presentation environment.
The EOI comprehensive evaluation process includes a breast tumour stream proof-ofconcept delivery, the release of a request for tender and the anticipated awarding of a
contract in quarter 1, 2014.
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Upcoming events
5–7 August 2013, Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre Ovarian Cancer Symposium
The Gynaecological Oncology Research Collaborative (GORC) of the VCCC is delighted to host
its second biennial symposium on ovarian cancer, held in Melbourne.
The symposium will focus on ovarian cancer research, with sessions covering clinical trials,
novel therapeutics, tumour biology, drug resistance, genetics, surgical updates, supportive
care and quality of life. Three international guest speakers, nine national and more than 20
Victorian speakers are scheduled to present their research in ovarian cancer during the
three days.
Following the very successful gynaecological cancer symposia held by the VCCC GORC in
2011 (ovarian cancer) and 2012 (endometrial and cervical cancer) the meeting has attracted
about 150 delegates, nationally and internationally, including clinicians, consumers and
laboratory, translational and clinical researchers.
The keynote speakers include Assoc Prof Ronny Drapkin, US, Prof Amit Oza, Canada, and
Prof Michael Bookman, US.
For more information, including how to register, please visit
www.vcccproject.vic.gov.au/VCCCOvarianCancerSymposium.
31 August 2013, Cancer Council Victoria, Peter Mac, The Royal Victorian Eye & Ear Hospital
and the VCCC present ‘Lumps and bumps above the belt: A workshop for general
practitioners and health professionals’
Speakers will include:
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Dr David Speakman — Head, Cancer Services, Peter Mac
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Ms Mary-Anne Young — Senior Genetic Counsellor
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Dr Ian Collins — Oncology Fellow
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Ms Anne Cass — Head, Head and Neck Unit, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital
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Dr John McKenzie — Head, Ocular Oncology Unit, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital.
See more at www.vcccproject.vic.gov.au/WorkshopforGPsandHealthProfessionals.
7–8 November 2013, Australian Breast Cancer Conference
The VCCC is supporting the 2013 Australian Breast Cancer Conference to be held at the
Walter & Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in November. The conference, convened
by the Australian Centre for Translational Breast Cancer Research, will begin with a public
lecture to be held the evening of Wednesday 6 November 2013.
The conference will provide a forum for international and national speakers to present their
basic and translational research to researchers and clinicians.
Speakers will include:
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Prof Laura Esserman, University of California, San Francisco (keynote)
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Prof Matthew Ellis, Washington University School of Medicine (keynote)
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Dr Bill Dougall, Amgen (keynote)
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Dr Daniel Branstetter, Amgen (keynote)
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Dr Alison Butt, National Breast Cancer Foundation
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Prof Geoff Lindeman, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute.
To register for the conference and/or the public event please visit
http://wired.ivvy.com/event/ZP5FNK. For further information please contact
abcc@wehi.edu.au.
The vision for the VCCC is to save lives through the integration of cancer
research, education and patient care. Through innovation and collaboration, the
VCCC will drive the next generation of improvements in prevention, detection and
cancer treatment.
Contact us
Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre
PO Box 2148, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Vic 3050
Level 3, 766 Elizabeth St, Melbourne, Vic 3000
telephone: +61 3 8344 8708 email: victorianccc-info@unimelb.edu.au
website: www.vcccproject.vic.gov.au/TheAlliance
Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre Ltd trading as Victorian Comprehensive Cancer
Centre
The Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre, a joint venture between:
Peter Mac
Melbourne Health
The University of Melbourne
The Royal Women’s Hospital
Walter & Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne
Western Health
St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne
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