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New patient wellbeing programs launched alongside Patient Parliament
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Shedding light on the complexity of sarcoma
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Peter Mac launches Environmental Sustainability Strategy
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Two clinical researchers awarded 2024 Discovery Partner Fellowships
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Peter Mac gets $3 million boost for research preventing surgery complications
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US award for Peter Mac researcher
Peter Mac researchers have uncovered how to potentially stop head and neck cancer from spreading by “flicking a switch” and putting it back into growth mode.
Research led by Dr Charbel Darido and his team found that head and neck cancers can either grow or metastasise (spread to other parts of the body) - but not both at the same time.
They compared the behaviour of individual cells that were on the edge of a tumour and ready to spread, to those cells that were growing and dividing.
“Our research showed that when cells were reactivated and could continue to grow, they were no longer able to spread and invade other parts of the body,” Dr Darido explains.
“This discovery and concept could be seen as quite controversial in the science community because we usually want to stop the growth of tumours not promote the growth. But in this case, growth can be helpful.
“Most head and neck cancers become aggressive and stop responding to treatment when they spread to other organs, so we really want to try and to prevent this from occurring,” Dr Darido said.
The long-term aim of this discovery is to treat advanced stage head and neck cancers, keeping the size of the tumour under control and preventing it from spreading around the body and becoming untreatable.
More than 660,000 new cases of head and neck cancers are diagnosed worldwide with over 325,000 deaths every year.
The research conducted by Dr Darido and his team at Peter Mac was published in Nature Communication at the end of March 2023.
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Getting started Peter Mac locations Visitor information Accessing telehealth Important contacts Patient and carer support![Image alt text](/images/Peter Mac building and cafes/DJ3_7004_V2_BrAf_FS.jpg)
We offer care that goes beyond treatment
Peter Mac has a wellbeing approach to care. We base this on a fundamental belief that the best cancer care treats the person and the disease. The Wellbeing Centre is a sanctuary for patients, their families and carers. It is a gathering place that is open, accepting and welcoming for all.
Cancer can be hard to deal with and we know that getting treatment is only part of it. You might have other challenges and need help with them. We offer many kinds of help for you, your loved ones, and your carers. Each resource can help you deal with how cancer affects your body, emotions and money.
The Victorian Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Service is a team of health and other professionals who specialise in the care of young people aged 15 to 25. We work with you and your healthcare team to support you at all stages of the cancer journey, anywhere in Victoria.
You are a carer if you’re taking care of someone with cancer. You might be a family member, friend or neighbour. Our wonderful volunteer service is here to help to make things a little easier for you and the person you’re caring for. They offer a range of support, resources, and items to help you.
The Psychosocial Oncology Program is a multidisciplinary team. This includes clinical psychologists, social workers, PCLNs, and psychiatrists/psychiatric registrars. They assess patients at risk of mental health problems. They will also assess and treat those with current mental health problems.
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