For many children with solid cancers, surgery is a vital step in their treatment. Despite it being the oldest treatment for cancer, surprisingly little is known about how surgery affects the body’s response to cancer, or how this response can be harnessed for therapeutic benefit. By mapping the body’s response following surgery and how that affects the biology of cancer cells, we aim to discover new and more effective ways to target the cancer with therapy.
In addition, we are developing innovative therapies that can be applied during surgery, with the aim of stopping the cancer from coming back. We are pioneering world-first surgical treatments to improve long-term outcomes.
Key projects
Mapping and harnessing the body’s healing response
The body launches a complex healing response after surgery, but very little is known about what this response looks like in cancer, or how it might shape what happens next. We developed unique laboratory models that allow us to investigate these responses after surgery in sarcoma and brain cancer to better understand the biology and uncover new opportunities for treatment. To accelerate this work, we have built a national collaboration with researchers from the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, the University of Queensland, and the WEHI.
Immunotherapy-releasing gel
Using drug-releasing biomaterials, we can apply treatment at the wound site straight to where it’s needed. We developed a very promising immunotherapy gel that activates the immune system locally to mop up any remaining cancer cells. We treated 12 pet dogs with soft tissue tumours in a veterinary clinical trial, showing it was safe, easy for surgeons to use and resulted in a strong immune response. We are now further optimising the immunotherapy gel, and aim to expand its use to brain cancer. These studies are currently at the laboratory stage.
Impact for children and families
Cancer treatment doesn't only affect the child. It pulls families through months of hospital appointments, time off work, and worry. Our aim is to make surgery do more than remove the tumour. By delivering therapies during the operation itself, we hope to stop cancer from coming back and reduce the need for further treatment afterwards. The result we are working toward is fewer side effects, faster recovery, and more time being a kid.
