Phase III Trial Of Radical Chemo-radiation Vs Radiation Alone In The Management Of Localised Bladder TCC.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$194,875.00
Summary
This trial aims to see if the combination of Chemotherapy and Radiation treatment is indeed superior in eradicating the tumor and preserving the Bladder in a greater number of patients as compared to Radiation treatment alone. If the final results from this study do show chemoradiotherapy to be significantly superior to radiation alone, without an increase in morbidity ( especially long term side effects ) , this may lay the platform for a greater proportion of patients with localised bladder ca ....This trial aims to see if the combination of Chemotherapy and Radiation treatment is indeed superior in eradicating the tumor and preserving the Bladder in a greater number of patients as compared to Radiation treatment alone. If the final results from this study do show chemoradiotherapy to be significantly superior to radiation alone, without an increase in morbidity ( especially long term side effects ) , this may lay the platform for a greater proportion of patients with localised bladder cancer, being in the first instance considered for this organ( bladder) preserving approach something which has become a reality at a number of other sites of cancer with the use of multimodality treatment.Read moreRead less
Non-neuronal ATP: Regulation Of Release And Action In The Bladder
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$451,553.00
Summary
Incontinence disorders are costly and debilitating. How the bladder signals the normal sensation of fullness as well as the urgent need to void urine (urgency) is still not fully understood. The signaling molecule ATP is released during bladder stretch. Using animal and human bladder, we will study how the bladder lining is involved in this signaling process, by measuring how bladder chemicals interact with stretch to modulate ATP release, and how ATP can influence nerve impulses to the brain.
Sensory Mechanisms In Normal Bladder And In Cystitis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$408,861.00
Summary
The function of the lower urinary tract is to store urine and release it at appropriate times. This requires neural circuits in the brain, spinal cord and peripheral ganglia. When the bladder fills, sensory neurones fire and activate these neural circuits to store urine or to empty the bladder. If sensory neurones are too easily excited (a process called sensitisation ) this will lead to clinical disorders, including the common painful bladder syndromes, whose cause is not known (interstitial cy ....The function of the lower urinary tract is to store urine and release it at appropriate times. This requires neural circuits in the brain, spinal cord and peripheral ganglia. When the bladder fills, sensory neurones fire and activate these neural circuits to store urine or to empty the bladder. If sensory neurones are too easily excited (a process called sensitisation ) this will lead to clinical disorders, including the common painful bladder syndromes, whose cause is not known (interstitial cystitis, sensory urgency etc). These are characterised by pelvic pain, urinary urgency, frequency and, in some cases, urge incontinence (loss of urine for no apparent reason) which results from unstable or overactive bladder. Despite a large database of knowledge about the sensory innervation of the bladder, many important gaps still exist. These gaps have restricted the development of new therapies. For example, we have little idea about exactly which functional classes of sensory neurones signal filling of the normal bladder or what different types of information they carry. This is vital information for understanding which neurones are affected in disease states and whether they are all affected in the same way. We have developed new methods that will allow us to identify the major classes of sensory neurones that innervate the bladder, what they respond to and how they are activated. We will also determine whether some classes are preferentially sensitised by inflammation and the most important mechanisms that are likely to underlie this. The significance of this project is that it provides the basic scientific understanding of sensory innervation of the bladder and will identify potential targets for selective pharmacological intervention in common bladder disorders.Read moreRead less
A Multi-Centre Feasibility Study Of Online Adaptive Image Guided Radiotherapy For Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$580,152.00
Summary
Many studies have shown that the bladder can move, change in size and shape through a course of radiation therapy. As shown in a pilot study, with the online adaptive radiotherapy technique trained staff can daily match the radiation fields to the bladder position and size using a type of CT scan. Potential benefits are better cancer coverage with improved cancer control and less normal tissue irradiation. This study will determine if the technique will work across multiple Australian centres.