Radiation Oncology clinical trials
Alfred Health Radiation Oncology consults with patients on their cancer care and provides radiation therapy for patients who need it. In partnership with Monash University, we are active in clinical and preclinical trials. We participate in the full range of cancer trials, from basic biology, immunology, and physics, through to a range of clinical trials testing new treatments.
Why are clinical trials so important?
We need clinical trials to prove that a new medication, device or treatment is safe and effective for people.
Without clinical trials, new treatments and medicines cannot be approved for use in Australia.
Find out more about clinical trialsAbout us
Alfred Health Radiation Oncology is an academic Monash University-associated department active in clinical and preclinical trials.
We co-ordinate closely with other Alfred Health services and with the regional cancer centre in Traralgon where we have a radiation oncology facility. This facility brings a unique regional perspective to clinical trials.
Find out more about our Radiation Oncology service.
What are Phase I, II, III or IV clinical trials?
There are four different phases of a clinical trial. Each phase is represented by a roman numeral.
Find out more about what happens in each phase
Our vision
- To promote, oversee, and complete scientific research in clinical radiation oncology - and directly-related basic-science and epidemiology - that leads to continued improvement in treatment delivery and better outcomes for patients we and others look after with radiation therapy.
Our focus
We participate in the full range of cancer trials, from basic biology, immunology, and physics, through to a range of clinical trials testing new treatments.
Our specific areas of interest as outlined below.
Technical
- Stereotactic treatments - brain and body
- Surface guided radiation treatments
- Brachytherapy
Disease sites
- Prostate cancer
- CNS
- Melanoma
- Lung
Regional oncology services
- Health services research on delivery of high-quality cancer services, particularly radiation therapy services, in the regional Australian environment
- Epidemiological research into the cancer problems in Australian regional geographies
Methodology
- Multi-site clinical trials
- Research using AHRO disease and treatment registry
- Preclinical laboratory based translational research
Our achievements
- We have decades of experience in stereotactic radiosurgery and radiotherapy and were the only Australian centre to recruit patients to the SABR-COMET study and accrued the first international patient to the SABR-COMET 3 study, two studies redefining the role of radiation therapy in cancer that has spread widely in the patient.
- We were the first Novalis Certified Centre in Australia and New Zealand and were the first centre to install surface guided radiation therapy (SGRT) and to deliver tattoo and skin marks free treatment.
- We have an extensive prostate brachytherapy program with international collaborators in research.
Our team
Our Research Operations Group are leaders in their fields, with decades of Australian and international experience:
- Prof Jeremy Millar, Director of Research
- Mr Supun Hettige, Radiation Therapist
- Dr Rohan Nair, Radiation Oncologist
- Carole Owens, Clinical Trials Radiation Therapist
- Dr Vanessa Panettieri, Medical Physicist
- Robin Smith, Research Manager
- Katrina Woodford, Radiation Therapist
Our partners
Publications
Ong, Wee Loon; Millar, Jeremy Laurence
(2023), Brachytherapy, 22(4), 524-30
O'Callaghan ME, Roberts MJ, Moretti KL, Frydenberg M, Gilbourd D, Mark S, Heathcote P, Millar J, Pcor-Anz, Papa N
(2023), UROLOGIC ONCOLOGY-SEMINARS AND ORIGINAL INVESTIGATIONS, 41(2), 105.e-105.e18
Ong, Wee Loon; Zhang, Liying; Loblaw, Andrew
(2023), Radiotherapy and oncology, 189,