New approaches to cancer clinical trials aim to support rapid, cost-effective studies that effectively answer clinical questions to improve patient care. Registry-based randomised trials (registry trials) combine conventional trial methodology with registry systems to produce real-world clinical evidence.
The Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC) Registry Trial Program has reached a 12-month milestone. At a recent forum contributors to the program reflected on achievements, explained practical experiences, discussed lessons learnt and planned for future direction.
Producing real-world data, opportunities to expand
Program contributors Dr Khic Prang, University of Melbourne; Dr Hui-li Wong, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and Royal Melbourne Hospital (pictured above), and VCCC's Dr Anneke Grobler provided some context for the audience.
“Registry trials offer an approach to compare treatments in a real-world landscape. This simple data collection asking simple questions, provides opportunities to expand cancer clinical trials to centres and hospitals throughout Victoria,” Dr Wong said.
“We are streamlining processes and data sources, as well as engaging with industry to optimize the trial approach and capture what we care about, survival.”
Dr Grobler discussed the benefits registry trials provide in producing data that can impact decision-making for the benefit of patients. “A central registry allows for an N=1 sample, an important factor to drive precision oncology,” she said.
Future direction, meeting unmet needs
Convened by Bill Karanatsios from Western Health, the panel discussion of clinicians and a consumer considered the direction of registry trials.
Panel member Dr Lucy Gately, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, said, “There are cancers that haven’t had new trials in over 15 years. Registry trials offer an approach to meeting this unmet need.”
Routine data collection is already a daily occurrence in a range of health services. Structured registry trials can deliver a valuable framework for collecting baseline and outcome treatment data.
Dr Ben Tran, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, discussed data collection with the panel, he said, “It is important to make better use of the data that is currently being collected, as well as the potential data to be collected through systems such as the electronic medical record (EMR).”
If the trial approach is data collection, how do patients contribute to and engage with registry trials? Panel consumer representative Sophy Athan, Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre responded to a question about how excited patients would be in participating in a registry trial, saying, “I think they are exciting, registry trials have the power and potential to bring about change, and that’s what we want.”
