Radiation Oncology

Radiation Oncology

Group Leader:
A/Professor Chris Milross

Members:
Associate Professor Natalka Suchowerska
Dr Michael Jackson
Dr Angela Hong
Dr Susan Pendlebury
Dr Mo Mo Tin
Dr George Hruby

Research Overview
The research effort in the department of radiation oncology has 3 key areas of focus.  The first of these is clinic research.  The department continues to participate in a large number of clinical trials.  The trials are predominately investigator lead conducted under the auspices of the Trans-Tasman Radiation Oncology Group (TROG).  Clinical research hinges upon the contributions of clinicians, radiation therapists and physicists, and that of our clinical trials nurse Ms Carol Kwong.  The second active research area is that conducted in collaboration with the Sydney Head and Neck Institute.  This project is lead locally by Dr Angela Hong, with expert laboratory support provided by Dr Mai Zhang.  The third area is radiation oncology physics research conducted in collaboration with members of the school of Physics at the University of Sydney.  Two projects, lead by A/Prof Natalka Suchowerska, are on going in the areas of radiation biology and radiation dosimetry. 

2006/2007 Highlights
49th Annual meeting American Association of Physics in Medicine selected paper “Cellular response to modulated radiation fields” (Claridge, Suchowerska, Zhang et al) as one of the top 10 out of 1150 submissions for its “outstanding scientific quality”.

PATENT
Suchowerska, N, McKenzie, DR, Law, S, Elsey, J, Fleming, S & Lambert, J,(2007) Fibre Optic Dosimeter, PCT/AU2007/000081  filed 30 Jan 2007

Publications 2006/2007
1. Lambert J, McKenzie D R, Law S, Elsey J, Suchowerska N.  A plastic scintillation dosimeter for high dose rate brachytherapy.   Phys Med Biol.  2006;51:5505-5516

2. Law SH, Suchowerska N, McKenzie DR, Fleming SC, Lin T. The transmission of Cerenkov radiation in optical fibers. Optics Letters 2007;32(10):1205-1207

3. Lambert J, Nakano T, Law S, Elsey J, McKenzie DR, Suchowerska N.  In vivo dosimeters for HDR brachytherapy: A comparison of a diamond detector, MOSFET, TLD, and scintillation detector.  Med Phys.  2007;34:1759-1765

4. Elsey J, McKenzie D R, Lambert J, Suchowerska N, Law SL, Fleming S C.  Optimal coupling of light from a cylindrical scintillator into an optical fiber.  Applied Optics.  2007;46: 397-404

5. Law SH, Fleming SC, McKenzie DR, Suchowerska, N.  Transmission of Cerenkov radiation generated in the core of an optical fiber.  Applied Optics 2006;45(36):9151-9159.

6. Doyle M, Chow E, Li K, Bradley N, Harris K, Hruby G, Sinclair E, Barnes EA and Danjoux C. Mild, moderate or severe pain categorized by cancer patients with bone metastases. J Palliat Med 2006;9(4):850-54

7. Butow PN, Solomon M, Young JM, Whelan T, Salkeld G, Wilson K, Harrison JD, Hruby G, Mansour O, Kennedy N, Tatersall MHN.  Consumer impact of an interactive decision aid for rectal cancer patients offered adjuvant therapy. Colorectal Disease 2006;8(8):676-682.

8. Jabbour J, Cumming R, Scolyer R, Hruby G, Thompson JF, Lee S.    Merkel Cell carcinoma: assessing the impact of wide local excision, lymph node dissection, and radiotherapy on recurrence and survival in early stage disease.  Annals of Surgical Oncology 2007;14(6):1943-52.

9. Shin JS, Hong A, Solomon MJ, Soon Lee C. The role of telomeres and telomerase in the pathology of human cancer and aging. Pathology 2006;38(2):103-13.

10. Stevens G, Hong A. Radiation therapy in the management of cutaneous melanoma. Surg Oncol Clin N Am 2006;15(2):353-71.

11. Patel RS, Hughes C, Dom M, Fredericks S, Lee CS , Rose B, Gao K, Smith G , Hong A, Wong M, CJ O’Brien. Cyclin A expression in pleomorphic adenomas and carcinomas in ex-pleomorphic adenoma of the parotid salivary gland. Histopathology 2007;51(1):21-5.

12. Li W, Tran N, Lee CS, O’Brien C, Tse G, Scoyler R, Hong A, Milross C, Yu KH, Rose B. New evidence for geographic variation in the role of human papillomavirus in tonsillar carcinogenesis. Pathology 2007;39(2):217-22.

13. Oates JE, Clark JR, Read J, Reeves N, Gao K, Jackson M, Boyer M, O'Brien CJ. Prospective evaluation of quality of life and nutrition before and after treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Archives of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery 2007;133 (6): 533-40

14. Hodgkinson K. Butow P. Hunt GE. Pendlebury S. Hobbs KM. Wain G. Breast cancer survivors' supportive care needs 2-10 years after diagnosis. Supportive Care in Cancer 2007;15(5):515-23

15. Lee TS. Kilbreath SL. Refshauge KM. Pendlebury SC. Beith JM. Lee MJ. Pectoral stretching program for women undergoing radiotherapy for breast cancer. Breast Cancer Research & Treatment 2007;102(3):313-21