Searching for the best possible outcomes, every patient I have treated since 1989 has been monitored. Tissue and more recent blood samples have been kept on everybody. We follow up each patient through my research team to see how he is travelling in his journey to recovery and beyond. My major research initiative currently is to look at optimising quality of life in patients after each one of their treatments, correctly selecting the right treatment to tailor treatment, bringing in new treatments which are less invasive with less side effects selectively, improving diagnostic tools using multiparametric MRI and improved targeting of cancers with precision biopsy. A summary of the projects that I am looking at carefully at the moment are given below.
Not only focusing on my patients, I believe that collaboration is needed in the global fight against prostate cancer. Working with a range of individuals and organisations, I drive a research fellowship program to ensure that we continue to learn about prostate cancer and improve diagnosis, treatment and prevention. Recently, I was appointed the Clinical Director of the Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre – New South Wales by the Federal Government of Australia and this allows me to coordinate prostate cancer research across the St Vincent’s Campus, Garvan Institute,Kinghorn Cancer Centre , Royal Prince Alfred and Royal North Shore and in collaboration with our Melbourne, Queensland, Adelaide and South Australian colleagues. In addition, I work with the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Centre in New York, Cornell University and the Robotic Institute in Florida as well as Beth Israel in New York and the University College Hospital in England.
Working with the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, I have assisted in the establishment of a massive prostate tissue bank and database. This is the largest in the southern hemisphere. Funded through a $2 million NH&MRC enabling grant, the Australian Prostate Cancer Collaboration via resources is assisting in research into the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of prostate cancer as it makes fresh tissue and more so the clinical data essential for research.
Currently, I work with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, New York, Cornell University and the Robotic Institute in Florida.
Working with the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, I have assisted in the establishment of a massive national prostate tissue bank. Funded through a $2 million National Health and Medical Research Enabling Grant, the Australian Prostate Cancer Collaboration Bio-Resource is assisting in research into the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of prostate cancer, as it makes available fresh tissue, and more so the clinical data essential for research.