Lymphoma Australia  is a proud supporter of the WA Lymphoma Centre of Research Excellence and Blood Cancer Research WA

Lymphoma Australia is the only incorporated charity dedicated to solely providing education, support, awareness and advocacy initiatives for Australians touched by lymphoma
Their history:

‘An advertisement was placed in the Gold Coast Bulletin in 2003 inviting lymphoma patients to attend an informal meeting in a park at Southport. These patients became the founding group and set up The Lymphoma Support & Research Association (LSRA) and is now known as Lymphoma Australia’.

Their message: “We will never let anyone face lymphoma/CLL alone”

‘Each day 17 Australian’s receive a Lymphoma diagnosis and if you or a loved one has been touched by Lymphoma you can call the National Lymphoma Nurse Support Line, join our closed Facebook group – Lymphoma Down Under, sign up for our e-news or request our free resources to ensure you have the information you need’.

If you, or a loved one, has been affected by a Lymphoma diagnosis, visit https://www.lymphoma.org.au/ to access vital resources and support

Information provided by https://www.lymphoma.org.au/

Blood Cancer Research WA is a not-for-profit foundation, seeking to create a WA Lymphoma Centre of Excellence (WALCRE) here in WA and run Research Trials for ALL blood cancer diseases.

We run solely on DONATIONS and fundraising

Donations enable us to have staff to support WALCRE, run Clinical Research Trials for patients suffering from ALL blood cancer, and clinically treat and manage our patients receiving treatment.

The money received in donations to date will be used to fund:
· Clinical staff members to treat & care for our patients; Haematology Doctors and Specialist Nurse
· Specific research projects in blood cancer, initiated by our own WA Haematologist’s
· Corporate Administrator/Assistant; To run operational business for the foundation

It is VITAL to keep donations coming in.

Clinical Trials give patients the best option to receive potentially life-saving treatment, which is not yet available through standard hospital treatment.
Research also provides advancements in safer, more targeted, and less harmful cancer treatment.

EVERY donation helps and all donations made through our supporter, Snowdome, is tax deductible!
Please visit BloodCancerResearch to DONATE NOW
(Select ‘WA Lymphoma Centre of Excellence’ in the Type of Donation box)

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP IN THE CONTINUED FIGHT AGAINST BLOOD CANCER!

Blood Cancer Research WA have proudly achieved their one year anniversary since their first official Fundraising evening which, along with the amazing funds donated by our other Supporters, enabled BCRWA to open later in 2018

(Associate Professor Chan Cheah – Founder & Director of Blood Cancer Research WA)

By enabling more clinical trials to open, Blood Cancer Research WA’s main goals are to give patients with blood cancers access to new and potentially life-saving treatments, whilst developing a WA Lymphoma Centre of Excellence to further develop research.

Across our three sites, LINEAR, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, and Hollywood, there are now 21 Haematology clinical trials running, with over 100 patients recruited on studies and over 60 patients actively on treatment!

Blood Cancer Research WA would like to say “THANK YOU” to all of the hard working clinical and administrative staff at BCRWA and across all of our sites who help to make this wonderful work happen, as well as our brilliant supporters: Snowdome, Lymphoma Australia,Rachael Doherty Foundation and Wildflower & COMO The Treasury Perth

WITH YOUR SUPPORT Blood Cancer Research WA can continue to make a difference in the fight against blood cancers. PLEASE DONATE NOW: https://www.bloodcancerwa.org.au/donate/

Secondary haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis due to checkpoint inhibitor therapy

Dr Collin Chin is a Clinical Haematology Fellow at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. He graduated in Medicine from the University of Western Australia in 2011 and completed his specialist training at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth followed by an Aggressive Lymphoma & Chimaeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy fellowship at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne, Victoria.

“Our ‘Secondary haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis due to checkpoint inhibitor therapy’ paper highlights a case of haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare but important complication of checkpoint inhibitor (CI) therapy which are widely used in the treatment of solid organ and haematological malignancies. We present a case report, diagnostic work-up, associated challenges in management and review the existing literature regarding HLH secondary to CI therapy.  Our findings suggest that treatment discontinuation and high-dose corticosteroid therapy without chemotherapy may be sufficient in treating HLH related to CI therapy.” (Quote by Dr Chin 31/05/19)

Collin has a specialist interest in the management of aggressive & indolent lymphoproliferative disorders, early phase clinical trials and immune effector cell (IEC) therapies including bispecific antibodies & CAR T-cell therapies. He has expertise in CAR T-cell therapy in high-risk and/or relapsed DLBCL & follicular lymphoma,
having treated the first patients to receive CAR T-cells in Australia at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Collin has also co-authored the CAR T-cell referral pathway & toxicity management guidelines at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.

After completing his fellowship at the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Collin’s plan is to return to Perth and establish an immune effector cell (IEC) therapy unit for the treatment of high risk, relapsed and/or refractory lymphoproliferative disorders in Western Australia.

World Blood Cancer Day

A global awareness day dedicated to the fight against blood cancer

Have you or a loved one been affected by blood cancer?

Wear RED on 28th May and bring awareness to blood cancer and blood stem cell donation.

https://www.worldbloodcancerday.org/en/

Do you or a loved one suffer from a B-Cell lymphoma which has relapsed, or is no longer responding to standard treatment?

A new, phase 1, first inhuman study has opened this week at LINEAR: TG-1801-101

Patients with relapsed or refractory B-Cell Lymphoma will receive weekly infusions of TG-1801 for the first 2 cycles (2 months) and then monthly infusions, for a total of 6 months maximum treatment.

For more information please visit our “Trials open for recruitment page” https://www.bloodcancerwa.org.au/trial/tg-1801/  or please contact LINEAR Haematology Clinical Trials:  E – cancertrialshaem1@linear.org.au – T: +61 (08) 9386 5125 / 6382 5127 

Management of patients with follicular lymphoma treated first line with obinutuzumab

In Associate Professor Chan Cheah’s latest co-authored publication, he looks at patients with Follicular Lymphoma who are treated with Obinutuzumab as their first treatment option:

“Rituximab with chemotherapy has been the standard of care since reimbursement in the late 1990s; however, obinutuzumab-based regimens have shown superior progression-free survival in comparison to rituximab-based options, albeit at an increased risk of grade ≥3 adverse events. As median overall survival approaches 20 years or more, the long-term effects and sequencing of any strategy should be considered. Here we discuss the considerations for selection of front-line therapy, based on evidence and local Australian clinician experience, in the management of first line follicular lymphoma.” – Abstract above from PubMed.gov website

The Snowdome Foundation works with world-leading Australian blood cancer researchers to identify and prioritise key opportunities to ‘enable’ clinical trials to commence. The Snowdome Foundation are a supporter of Blood Cancer Research WA’s work and vision to help patients suffering with blood cancer.

The meaning behind the name…

 “Chloe Rutherford was one of those who didn’t make it.  Diagnosed with leukaemia in 2007, Chloe seemingly beat the disease only to relapse and die of complications arising from pneumonia in 2009. She is survived by her loving Mother, beautiful sister and her adoring Dad, who is a big part of Snowdome.

The Foundation’s unusual name emerged from a case of mistaken identity rather than a flash of inspiration, but it’s entirely fitting.

On the first of many visits to the Royal Children’s Hospital, Chloe thought she saw a gift shop, with snowdomes from all over the world adorning its glass walls.

In fact, it was the nurses’ station in the middle of the surgery, but to Chloe it was beautiful and magical, and like all things beautiful, she just had to have a snowdome of her own. Of course, she got what she wished. And as she bravely battled her cancer, more and more snowdomes appeared; gifts from family, from friends both old and new and from the nurses who cared for her”.

To read about the wonderful work the Snowdome Foundation do and to see how you can help, please visit: https://www.snowdome.org.au/about-us/

“The Snowdome Foundation is dedicated to all who’ve suffered blood cancers, those who’ve survived, those living with and those who have lost the cruellest of battles”.

Read the latest publication from one of Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital’s Haematology Registrar’s, Dr Zi Ng: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30983008

Blood Cancer Research WA would like to congratulate Dr Zi Ng on her latest Publication, in which her focus was to compare and assess the impact of induction Chemoimmunotherapy regimens in patients with Mantle Cell Lymphoma (an uncommon and typically aggressive form of lymphoma), who are eligible for transplant.

When asked about her latest publication, Zi commended Associate Professor Chan Cheah, Clinical Haematologist and Director of BCRWA:

“The goal of research is to answer the unknown question. The value of a mentor like Associate Prof Chan Cheah whilst one is starting out is invaluable. I would like to thank him for his guidance in bringing this research project to fruition.”

Dr Zi Ng graduated with a medical degree (MBBS) from UWA in 2011. She has trained in Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital since 2011 and completed her basic physician training in 2016. Dr Ng completed a diploma in Palliative Medicine in 2017 and started Haematology Advanced Training in 2018.

An area of special interest to Dr Ng is lymphoma. Her goal is to “Become a well-rounded Haematologist with a passion for holistic care for my patients – to ensure we work together to develop a management plan that is the best fit for them”.

A new Clinical Trial is now open at LINEAR Research Institute:

LOXO-BTK-1800

This study is for patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma (SLL) and Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) who have failed or are intolerant to standard of care treatment.

The study includes two parts:
Phase 1 is a dose escalation, where the maximum tolerated dose of LOXO-305 will be evaluated
Phase 2 is a dose expansion, where patients will receive the established recommended dose of LOXO-305

For further information and contact details, please see our Open to Recruitment page:
www.bloodcancerwa.org.au/trial/loxo-btk-1800/