Breast Cancer Trials (BCT)

OLIO Clinical Trial and Telehealth Remote Pre-Screening

Only a small proportion of patients participate in clinical trials, with access further limited by factors such as the geographical location of patients and strict eligibility criteria.

Telehealth pre-screening offers the opportunity to improve access for regional and remote patients to participate in clinical trials research which they otherwise might not have had access to, while also improving recruitment to studies that target specific patient populations, such as the OLIO clinical trial.

The OLIO clinical trial aims to find out if adding the medications Olaparib, or Olaparib + Durvalumab together, to standard chemotherapy given to pre-menopausal (18–44-year-old) women with HR-positive, HER2-negative, HRD-positive breast cancer before surgery will do a better job of controlling the cancer.

It is hoped this research will provide new treatment options for young women with HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer, particularly among those selected for a high HRD score.

The remote telehealth pre-screening process is utilised to identify and assess potential participants efficiently, while improving patient access to treatment, ensuring broader inclusion and streamlining recruitment to the OLIO trial.

For more information

The Neo-N Clinical Trial Published in the Lancet Oncology

We are pleased to share that the primary study results from the Neo-N trial have now been published in The Lancet Oncology. Congratulations to Breast Cancer Trials (BCT) Study Chair Professor Sherene Loi, as well as the research teams from all collaborating institutions, and of course our trial participants, for making this milestone possible.

The Neo-N study investigated the activity of two differing schedules of neoadjuvant nivolumab initiation with 12 weeks of carboplatin and paclitaxel in treating early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) before surgery in both women and men.

TNBC makes up about 15 per cent of all breast cancer cases and is known for being more aggressive, with a faster growth rate and a higher risk of spread and recurrence.

In a promising outcome, the study found that 50 per cent of participants with early-stage TNBC had no signs of cancer in the breast or lymph nodes at the time of surgery following treatment supporting shorter duration, non-anthracycline regimens in patients with newly diagnosed triple-negative breast cancer.

Learn more about this significant research.

Pictured: Professor Sherene Loi, Study Chair of the Neo-N Clinical Trial

The PROSPECTIVE Clinical Trial Opening Soon

Radiotherapy is considered an essential part of breast-conserving treatment for early breast cancer, aiming to reduce the risk of the cancer returning to the breast. However, radiotherapy can cause considerable short and longer-term side effects.

The PROSPECT trial, led by Study Chair Professor Bruce Mann (Pictured), utilised MRI and pathological features of the tumour to identify a significant number of patients with early-stage breast cancer who could safely avoid radiotherapy.

The PROSPECTIVE clinical trial is a follow-up study that aims to gather comprehensive data in a large multicentre international trial to validate the results from the PROSPECT clinical trial.

Successful outcomes of the PROSPECTIVE clinical trial will validate the findings of PROSPECT using MRI and pathology findings to identify patients who can safely avoid radiotherapy. Omitting radiotherapy in those where it can be safely avoided will reduce the side effects and costs associated with the treatment of early breast cancer. Furthermore, positive results from the PROSPECTIVE trial could lead to over 2,000 Australians annually avoiding radiotherapy for early-stage breast cancer.

PROSPECTIVE is expected to open to recruitment in mid-late 2025.

Results for the DIAmOND Clinical Trial

The first analysis results for the DIAmOND clinical trial will be announced at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) in October 2025.

The DIAmOND clinical trial was looking to investigate if the addition of two immunotherapy drugs to Herceptin (Trastuzumab) would improve treatments and outcomes for women and men who have HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer.

Find out more about this important research.

Breast Cancer Trials 46^th Annual Scientific Meeting

The Hotel Grand Chancellor in Hobart, Tasmania, will host the BCT 46^th Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM), from 23-25 July 2025.

This is the premier event to stay up to date with breast cancer clinical trials research, and delegates include leading Australian and New Zealand medical practitioners, clinicians, and clinical trials management personnel.

BCT has a strong history of bringing the world’s best and brightest minds to the ASM each year, and our confirmed international guest speakers for 2025 include:

• • Professor Lesley Fallowfield: Professor of Psycho-oncology at Brighton & Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex where she is Director of the Sussex Health Outcomes Research & Education in Cancer (SHORE-C) group.
  • Professor Reshma Jagsi: The Lawrence W. Davis Professor and Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology and a Senior Faculty Fellow in the Center for Ethics at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
  • Professor Shelley Potter: Professor of Surgical Oncology at Bristol Medical School and Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon at North Bristol NHS Trust. Her research focuses on improving outcomes for women undergoing breast cancer surgery through the design and delivery of high-quality, patient-centred collaborative research.
  • Professor Stuart McIntosh: Professor of Surgical Oncology at Queen’s University in Belfast, and a Consultant Breast Surgeon at Belfast City Hospital.
  • Dr Javier Cortes: Head of the International Breast Cancer Centre (IBCC) in Barcelona, and a founding partner of Medica Scientia Innovation Research (MedSIR), a company involved in the clinical development of clinical trials.
  • Dr Adam Brufsky: Board-certified in internal medicine and medical oncology by the American Board of Internal Medicine and an active member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Association for Cancer Research.

The full and extensive program will include two days of scientific sessions covering timely reviews of breast cancer research developments, the discussion of new protocols and future clinical trials research, sponsored breakfast, lunch and dinner symposium sessions, a conference dinner to be held at Glen Albyn Estate, a Q&A event and trainee and early career day on Saturday 26 July.

Early bird registration closes at midnight on Sunday 1 June 2025. To find out more or to register, visit: bct2025.org

BCT at International Conferences

BCT researchers have continued to demonstrate leadership on the global stage, with several members recently attending the 19th St Gallen International Breast Cancer Conference in Vienna. Our team played key roles as scientific committee members, plenary speakers, and expert advisors, contributing to the international breast cancer research agenda.

(L to R) CEO Karen Price, Professor Prue Francis AM, Professor Alan Coates AM, IBCSG Director Anita Hiltbrunner, Professor Sherene Loi, Dr Meredith Regan, Professor Boon Chua at the SGBCC 2025

We are also pleased to acknowledge Professor Bruce Mann, who will be presenting a keynote presentation at The American Society of Breast Surgeons 2025 annual meeting – this achievement reflects the impact of the PROSPECT clinical trial, led by BCT.

In addition, at the 5th Bangladesh Breast Cancer Conference in February 2025 in Dhaka, Dr Nick Zdenkowski presented on hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. Drawing from his clinical and research experience, he provided key insights into the evolving treatment landscape and the critical role of patient-centred decision-making.

These events highlight the importance of BCT’s continued leadership and participation in international clinical trials, ensuring Australian and New Zealand patients benefit from global best practices in breast cancer treatment.