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Information on rare cancers sought

Information on rare cancers sought

People affected by rare cancers are being invited to take part in a project to improve awareness, research and treatment.

The CART-WHEEL Project has been developed by Associate Professor Clare Scott, Medical Oncologist at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Royal Women’s Hospital & Laboratory Head at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research.

It seeks to gather information from people affected by rare cancers all over the world in a bid to help research into effective treatment.

Rare cancers may be those in which perhaps only two cases are recorded in Australia per year, and yet rare tumours account for up to 20 per cent of all cancer diagnoses. Unfortunately, only about five per cent of research funding and attention is directed towards rare cancers.

The more information that can be accumulated on these cancers, and even incidents such as what people have been treated with and whether it worked or not, can help inform other research.

Patients can sometimes feel as though disempowered when there is not much known about their disease, whether it be cancer or something else, CART-WHEEL is a way for them to contribute.

Patients are also able to keep themselves in the loop if there is anything out there that could help them.

The CART-WHEEL projects works by asking patients to submit information online. They have complete control over personal details ranging from storage of de-identified data to the possibility of being contacted for participation in a clinical trial.

Even patients who believe their tumour may not be rare are encouraged to fill out the questionnaire to help researchers better understand that tumour type.

The project was already proving to have benefits for patients with researchers being able to suggest different forms of treatment, which may not have been considered.

SolarisCare is proud to support this Australian initiative, please ask for a brochure at your nearest cancer support centre or click here to find out more about the CART-WHEEL project.