AUS-NET - Neuroendocrine Tumours

Neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) are rare cancers that affect fewer than 1 in 5,000 Australians, but those who live with them suffer from a lot of distressing symptoms and treatment side effects. Rare conditions such as NETs do not receive medical advancements at the same rate as common ones. Under our current health system, the needs of cancer survivors are not always met. Our health system, particularly acute care, is under extreme strain which impacts the care available to patients. 

Goal

To improve patient quality of life and develop a cost-effective system that can be implemented across other rare cancers in the future.

Rethinking the health care system to represent a share-care model, including support from General Practitioners and local health workers to address unmet needs of people with Neuroendocrine Tumours and relieve pressure from specialist care.

Aims

Implement a new share-care model for the care of people with neuroendocrine tumours focusing on including local health professionals, including GPs, in the follow-up structure, moving patients away from hospitals and acute care.

Improve the model of care for patients with neuroendocrine tumours, and other rare cancers in the future. 

Researchers

From Flinders

Professor Raymond Chan
Dr Nicolas Hart 
Professor Gillian Harvey 
Professor Michelle Miller 
Dr Fiona Crawford-Williams 
Dr Matthew Wallen
Dr Chad Han 

Research collaborators

• Professor Jon Emery – (University of Melbourne)
• Professor Michael Jefford – (Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre)
• Associate Professor David Wyld – (Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital)
• Dr David Chan – (Royal North Shore Hospital)
• Associate Professor Sanjeewa Kularatna – (Queensland University of Technology)
• Lee Jones – (Queensland University of Technology)
• Associate Professor Gabrielle Cehic AM (Queen Elizabeth Hospital)
• Associate Professor Roderick Clifton-Bligh (Royal North Shore Hospital)
• Meredith Cummins (Neuroendocrine Cancer Australia)
• Dr Kristie Milley (Primary Care Collaborative Cancer Clinical Trials Group)
• Associate Professor Nick Pavlakis (Royal North Shore Hospital)
• Dr David Ransom (Fiona Stanley Hospital)
• Therese Townsend
• Professor Michael Michael (Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre)
• Dr Hannah Wardill (The University of Adelaide)

• University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria
• Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria
• Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland
• The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia
• Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland
• Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales
• Fiona Stanley Hospital, Perth, Western Australia

Project Partners

• Neuroendocrine Cancer Australia (NECA)
  
• Primary Care Collaborative Cancer Clinical Trials Group (PC4)
• Royal Australasian College for General Practitioners (RACGP)
• Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association (AHHA)
• Cancer Nurses Society of Australia (CNSA)