Associate Professor David Gyorki, VCCC Research and Education Lead, Melanoma and Skin Cancers and Consultant Surgeon Peter Mac and Austin Health has successfully secured a grant from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) for the STRASS 2 trial in Australia.
The grant for ”A randomised phase III study of neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery versus surgery alone for patients with high-risk retroperitoneal sarcoma (STRASS 2)”, is an initiative of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) and has participation from Europe, Canada, USA and now Australia.
Retroperitoneal sarcomas are a rare group of tumours that represent approximately 10 – 15 per cent of all soft tissue sarcomas and less than 1 per cent of all malignancies. Diagnosis and treatment are challenging. Given the complexities associated with its anatomical location, it has historically been associated with a poorer outcome compared to sarcomas arising within the extremity.
The STRASS 2 study is an important trial for the sarcoma community as it aims to address the value of histology-tailored neoadjuvant chemotherapy for high-risk retroperitoneal sarcoma. Importantly, this is the first neoadjuvant study of its kind in retroperitoneal sarcoma focusing on high-risk individuals and is a critical question to answer as the use of this approach varies broadly within international sarcoma centres.
This EORTC sponsored global trial is a well-established international collaboration of sarcoma centres specialising in retroperitoneal sarcoma. With aims to recruit 40 Australian patients, the STRASS 2 trial will involve Peter Mac acting as the lead Australian site, driven by A/Prof David Gyorki, together with A/Prof Anne Hamilton and colleagues from Royal Prince Alfred/Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, led by A/Prof Peter Grimison and Princess Alexandra Hospital, led by Prof Andrew Barbour with ANZSA acting as the Australian sponsor.
Demonstrating A/Prof Gyorki’s and the wider research teams' leadership in this space will be the inclusion of two Australian-led sub-studies that assess the value of FDG-PET scans as an early indicator of response, as well as a patient and clinician preferences in the acceptability of neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
The allocation of research funds as well as multi-national collaboration is critical in improving outcomes in rare cancers and importantly trials such as STRASS 2 will help define the optimal approach for those with high-risk retroperitoneal sarcoma.
July is Sarcoma Awareness Month and clinicians, patients and carers are invited to participate in webinars throughout the month and to share information with colleagues and networks. Find out more on the Australia and New Zealand Sarcoma Association website.
