4CASTING the Future: Innovations in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Triple negative breast cancer remains one of the most challenging types to treat because it lacks the common treatment targets, grows and spreads aggressively, is highly diverse and currently has limited effective therapies - but new research is changing the story. Associate Professor Rachel Dear takes us inside the 4CAST trial, showing how science moves from bench to bedside and what this could mean for the future of triple-negative breast cancer treatment. In this episode, we sit down with Rachel to discuss:- (01:32) What makes triple-negative breast cancer so difficult to treat?- (02:26) What pre-clinical findings led to the development of the 4CAST clinical trial?- (08:37) The future of treatment for triple-negative breast cancer.Tune in for a deep dive into this important research.Donate to Support Life-Saving ResearchLike this episode? Find more Breast Cancer Trials Podcast Episodes hereFollow Breast Cancer Trials on Social Media: Instagram: @breastcancertrials Facebook: Breast Cancer Trials LinkedIn: Breast Cancer Trials X: @BCTrialsANZGuest: Medical Oncologist Rachel Dear, from Sydney.Thank you for listening! If you found this episode valuable, please share it with your loved ones and help spread awareness about triple-negative breast cancer.
Listen to Your Heart: Cardiac Care After Breast CancerBreast cancer treatments save lives, but sometimes it can leave the heart at risk. Professor Thomas Marwick sheds light on cardiac care for breast cancer survivors, exploring how monitoring and management strategies can protect heart health long after treatment ends. In this episode, we sit down with Thomas to discuss:- (01:09) The common cardiac risks associated with breast cancer therapies.- (02:24) Patient monitoring during and post-treatment.- (04:07) Balancing effective treatment while protecting cardiac function.- (05:19) Emerging technologies to improve detection and prevent cardiac events from occurring. Tune in for a deep dive into this important research.Donate to Support Life-Saving ResearchLike this episode? Find more Breast Cancer Trials Podcast Episodes hereFollow Breast Cancer Trials on Social Media: - Instagram: @breastcancertrials - Facebook: Breast Cancer Trials - LinkedIn: Breast Cancer Trials - X: @BCTrialsANZGuest: Cardiologist, Thomas Marwick.Thank you for listening! If you found this episode valuable, please share it with your loved ones and help spread awareness about breast cancer and heart health.
Facing the Fear: Life After Breast CancerFor many breast cancer survivors, finishing treatment isn't the end of the journey - it's the beginning of new fears. Fear of recurrence is one of the most common and distressing challenges patients face. In this episode, Associate Professor Ben Smith unpacks why these fears occur, how they affect daily life, and what strategies can help patients move forward with confidence.In this episode, we sit down with Ben to discuss:- (00:50) How we currently define fear of recurrence.- (01:59) The factors that can contribute to a person's risk of having a fear of recurrence.- (03:14) The impact that these fears can have on overall well-being.Tune in for a deep dive into this important research!Donate to Support Life-Saving ResearchLike this episode? Find more Breast Cancer Trials Podcast Episodes hereFollow Breast Cancer Trials on Social Media: - Instagram: @breastcancertrials - Facebook: Breast Cancer Trials - LinkedIn: Breast Cancer Trials - X: @BCTrialsANZGuest: Senior Implementation Scientist, Ben Smith, from Sydney. Thank you for listening! If you found this episode valuable, please share it with your loved ones and help spread awareness about the fear of breast cancer recurrence.
Screening Smarter: Personalised Approaches in Breast CareIs it time to rethink a ‘one size fits all’ approach to breast screening? Associate Professor Sanjay Warrier joins us to discuss the future of tailored breast screening, a personalised approach that could revolutionise how we detect breast cancer earlier and more effectively.In this episode, we sit down with Professor Warrier to discuss:(01:32) The main factors that might influence a more personalised screening strategy.(03:19) The current evidence about tailored screening.(04:27) How researchers are working to determine who might benefit from more/less intensive screening.(05:20) How close we are to seeing tailored breast screening become part of routine care.Tune in for a deep dive into this important research.Donate to Support Life-Saving ResearchLike this episode? Find more Breast Cancer Trials Podcast Episodes hereFollow Breast Cancer Trials on Social Media: Instagram: @breastcancertrials Facebook: Breast Cancer Trials LinkedIn: Breast Cancer Trials X: @BCTrialsANZGuest: Breast Surgeon, Associate Professor Sanjay Warrier, from Sydney.Thank you for listening! If you found this episode valuable, please share it with your loved ones and help spread awareness about genetic testing for breast cancer.
Advancing Care for Young Women with Breast CancerYoung women with breast cancer often face unique challenges beyond their diagnosis, including long-term survivorship issues, fertility and family planning concerns, and a higher likelihood of aggressive cancers. But are their treatment pathways keeping up? Dr Belinda Kiely explains the ground-breaking OPTIMA-Young trial, part of the larger PATH-for-Young initiative, exploring how global collaboration could change the future of treatment for younger patients.In this episode, we sit down with Belinda to discuss:(04:14) How does OPTIMA-Young differ from existing treatment approaches?(05:25) Why is it important to have an international collaborative approach?(06:21) How will findings from OPTIMA-Young potentially change the way that we treat young breast cancer patients in the future?Tune in for a deep dive into this important research.Donate to Support Life-Saving ResearchLike this episode? Find more Breast Cancer Trials Podcast Episodes hereFollow Breast Cancer Trials on Social Media: Instagram: @breastcancertrials Facebook: Breast Cancer Trials LinkedIn: Breast Cancer Trials X: @BCTrialsANZGuest: Medical Oncologist Belinda Kiely, from Sydney.Thank you for listening! If you found this episode valuable, please share it with your loved ones and help spread awareness about genetic testing for breast cancer.
Holding It Together: Breast Cancer and the Busy Mum Life.When you’re a mum of two young boys, life is full of chaos, and for Belinda, it also became a time of deep uncertainty when, in 2019, she was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer. In this episode, we sit down with Belinda to discuss:Navigating a breast cancer diagnosis while raising a young family.The importance of having a community around you to offer support during this time. Why Breast Cancer Trials' research is so important.Tune in for a deep dive into this important research.Donate to Support Life-Saving ResearchLike this episode? Find more Breast Cancer Trials Podcast Episodes hereFollow Breast Cancer Trials on Social Media: Instagram: @breastcancertrials Facebook: Breast Cancer Trials LinkedIn: Breast Cancer Trials X: @BCTrialsANZGuest: Belinda Ward from Newcastle NSW.Thank you for listening! If you found this episode valuable, please share it with your loved ones and help spread awareness about genetic testing for breast cancer.
Routine, Resilience, and Research: One Mum's Cancer Story.What happens when your life plans are suddenly redrawn by a breast cancer diagnosis? Emily, her husband, and their two children had moved to Australia in 2012 from the UK and was busy building a future for her family when she found herself on a very different path. In this episode, we sit down with Emily to discuss:Navigating breast cancer with a young family. The role that routine and swimming played in helping her cope.The role that Herceptin, a treatment drug brought about by the Breast Cancer Trials HERA trial, played in her treatment.Why breast cancer clinical trials research is so vital.Tune in for a deep dive into this important research.Donate to Support Life-Saving ResearchLike this episode? Find more Breast Cancer Trials Podcast Episodes hereFollow Breast Cancer Trials on Social Media: Instagram: @breastcancertrials Facebook: Breast Cancer Trials LinkedIn: Breast Cancer Trials X: @BCTrialsANZGuest: Emily Allard from Newcastle NSW. Thank you for listening! If you found this episode valuable, please share it with your loved ones and help spread awareness about genetic testing for breast cancer.
The Village Effect: Why Community Matters During Cancer Treatment.For Sarah, motherhood was already a full-time job — between nippers, football, and everything in between. When she was diagnosed with breast cancer, she found herself navigating treatment while parenting young children and holding her family together through the uncertainty.In this episode, we sit down with Sarah to discuss:The lead up to her shock diagnosis.Balancing breast cancer treatment and motherhood.The importance of having a strong support system in place during treatment. Why Breast Cancer Trials' research is so important. Tune in for a deep dive into this important research.Donate to Support Life-Saving ResearchLike this episode? Find more Breast Cancer Trials Podcast Episodes hereFollow Breast Cancer Trials on Social Media: Instagram: @breastcancertrials Facebook: Breast Cancer Trials LinkedIn: Breast Cancer Trials X: @BCTrialsANZGuest: Sarah Withyman from Newcastle NSW.Thank you for listening! If you found this episode valuable, please share it with your loved ones and help spread awareness about genetic testing for breast cancer.
Virtual Reality Meets Radiation: A New Era in Patient Coaching.Kathleene Dower is a Radiation Therapist and 2025 Clinical Fellow with Breast Cancer Trials. Her project is about piloting virtual reality (VR) coaching and education for deep inspiration breath hold, a breathing technique used duringradiation therapy to move the heart away from radiation and protect it from damage. This study will explore whether VR coaching and education can help patients learn this technique more effectively. In this episode, we sit down with Kathleene to discuss:An overview of Deep Inspiration Breath Hold (DIBH), and how to effectively do this.How the VR coaching program works. The benefits of using BR compared to traditional coaching methods for DIBH.Next steps after this pilot study.Tune in for a deep dive into this important research.Donate to Support Life-Saving ResearchLike this episode? Find more Breast Cancer Trials Podcast Episodes hereFollow Breast Cancer Trials on Social Media: Instagram: @breastcancertrials Facebook: Breast Cancer Trials LinkedIn: Breast Cancer Trials X: @BCTrialsANZGuest: Kathleene Dower from Lismore Base Hospital. Thank you for listening! If you found this episode valuable, please share it with your loved ones and help spread awareness about genetic testing for breast cancer.
From IVF to Breast Cancer: Navigating a Diagnosis in Early Motherhood.Rebecca Pickering is a devoted mum to Daphne and Dorothy and wife to Matt. She loves spending quality time with her family and exploring the beauty of her hometown, Mildura.Rebecca’s journey to motherhood included a series of IVF treatments before welcoming her two daughters. Not long after their birth, she began noticing changes in her breasts, and after visiting her doctor for a check-up, she was unfortunately diagnosed with breast cancer. In this episode, we sit down with Rebecca to discuss:Her breast cancer diagnosis.Navigating breast cancer with a young family.Participating in the OLIO clinical trialRemote monitoring during treatment. Tune in for a deep dive into this important conversation.Donate to Support Life-Saving ResearchLike this episode? Find more Breast Cancer Trials Podcast Episodes hereFollow Breast Cancer Trials on Social Media: Instagram: @breastcancertrials Facebook: Breast Cancer Trials LinkedIn: Breast Cancer Trials X: @BCTrialsANZGuest: Mrs Rebecca Pickering. Thank you for listening! If you found this episode valuable, please share it with your loved ones and help spread awareness about genetic testing for breast cancer.
Beyond the Plate: Rebuilding Healthy Habits After Breast Cancer with Dr Cindy Tan.Lifestyle interventions such as diet and exercise have been shown to have positive impacts on clinical outcomes, including tolerance to chemotherapy, fatigue, weight maintenance, and reduced risk of cancer recurrence. However, there is no one intervention that fits all. Maintaining healthy lifestyle activities can be challenging for some, and the reasons for non-adherence vary.In this episode, we sit down with Cindy Tan from the Concord Hospital in Sydney to discuss:The role of diet and exercise in breast cancer treatment. Barriers and enables of breast cancer survivors to join a lifestyle intervention. The future steps in this area of research.Tune in for a deep dive into this important research.Donate to Support Life-Saving ResearchLike this episode? Find more Breast Cancer Trials Podcast Episodes hereFollow Breast Cancer Trials on Social Media: Instagram: @breastcancertrials Facebook: Breast Cancer Trials LinkedIn: Breast Cancer Trials X: @BCTrialsANZGuest: Dr Cindy Tan, Concord Hospital in Sydney. Thank you for listening! If you found this episode valuable, please share it with your loved ones and help spread awareness about genetic testing for breast cancer.
Revolutionising Radiotherapy: The ORNATE Study and the Future of Breast Cancer Treatment with Dr Gabrielle Metz.Dr Metz is a radiation oncologist and 2025 clinical fellow with Breast Cancer Trials. Her project, optimising radiotherapy in the neoadjuvant therapy era, also known as ORNATE, aims to refine radiotherapy for breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy before surgery.In this episode, we sit down with Dr Gabrielle Metz from the Royal North Shore Hospital to discuss: What the database is, and its role in breast cancer treatment. How researchers will explore whether radiation doses can be safely reduced in certain patients.Options for less invasive lymph node treatments. The future of patient outcomes in this space. Tune in for a deep dive into this important research.Donate to Support Life-Saving Research Like this episode? Find more Breast Cancer Trials Podcast Episodes hereFollow Breast Cancer Trials on Social Media: Instagram: @breastcancertrials Facebook: Breast Cancer Trials LinkedIn: Breast Cancer Trials X: @BCTrialsANZGuest: Dr Gabrielle Metz, The Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney.Thank you for listening! If you found this episode valuable, please share it with your loved ones and help spread awareness about genetic testing for breast cancer.
Understanding Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) in Metastatic Breast Cancer with Dr Michelle Li.ADCs are a breakthrough in targeted chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer. While ADCs like trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) offer new hope, challenges like resistance and various side effects still remain, and can therefore limit their clinical use. In this episode, we sit down with Dr Michelle Li from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre to discuss: The current landscape of metastatic breast cancer.The role of ADCs in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.What makes certain treatment options more effective than others in the context of metastatic disease? The future steps in this area of research, including the role of international collaboration.Tune in for a deep dive into this important research.Donate to Support Life-Saving Research Like this episode? Find more Breast Cancer Trials Podcast Episodes hereFollow Breast Cancer Trials on Social Media: Instagram: @breastcancertrials Facebook: Breast Cancer Trials LinkedIn: Breast Cancer Trials X: @BCTrialsANZGuest: Dr Michelle Li, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne.Thank you for listening! If you found this episode valuable, please share it with your loved ones and help spread awareness about genetic testing for breast cancer.
Electronic Patient-Reported Outcome (ePRO) remote monitoring is a game-changer for people living with metastatic breast cancer. Many patients on treatments like CDK4/6 inhibitors and anti-HER2 therapies remain stable for long periods, yet they still have to attend frequent check-ups. But what if we could safely monitor their health from home?In this episode, we sit down with Dr Victoria Rayson from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre to discuss:ePRO remote monitoringThe feasibility, benefits, and real-world impact of ePRO in the Australian healthcare settingThe Clinical Fellowship Program with Breast Cancer TrialsTune in for a deep dive into this important research and how it will benefit patients in the near future.Donate to Support Life-Saving Research Like this episode? Find more Breast Cancer Trials Podcast Episodes hereFollow Breast Cancer Trials on Social Media: Instagram: @breastcancertrials Facebook: Breast Cancer Trials LinkedIn: Breast Cancer Trials X: @BCTrialsANZGuest: Dr Victoria Rayson, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre Thank you for listening! If you found this episode valuable, please share it with your loved ones.
Professor Fran Boyle is a highly experienced Medical Oncologist who specialises in the areas of breast cancer and melanoma. She is passionate about making advances in this field and her practice focuses on researching new treatments as well as developing care and communication. We spoke with Professor Boyle about the importance of using respectful and inclusive language in breast cancer care, so that patients can understand and make informed decisions about their treatment.
Elissa Simms is a mum of two daughters, 20-year-old Bryn and 17-year-old Ella, who enjoys spending time with her family and walking her dogs Kahlua and Lottie.In March 2024, Elissa noticed a strange sensation in her breast. At the time, she was seeing her GP frequently as she was dealing with a frozen shoulder and thought the two might be connected. Unfortunately, after being sent for an ultrasound, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.We spoke with Elissa about her diagnosis, navigating breast cancer, and her participation on the OPTIMA clinical trial
Tamara Dawes is a mum and primary school teacher living in New South Whales, who enjoys living in the country, going to the beach, and spending time with her family and their dog.Around Easter time in 2021, Tamara had been dealing with some eczema and because of this had been performing frequent self-examinations when she noticed a lump in her breast. She booked in with her GP, who sent her for a mammogram, biopsy and ultrasound and two days later was diagnosed with breast cancer.We spoke with Tamara about her shock diagnosis, navigating breast cancer with a young family and the importance of supporting breast cancer clinical trials research.
Wendy Rolls is a wife and mum of three daughters from New South Whales, Australia who enjoys golf, quilting, scrapbooking, and spending time with her family.In October 2023, Wendy found a small lump in her breast, and after undergoing a number of tests including an ultrasound, needle biopsy, and core biopsy she was diagnosed with breast cancer. We spoke with Wendy about her diagnosis, navigating breast cancer, and her participation on the CAMBRIA-2 clinical trial.
The Breast Cancer Trials Board of Directors established the Consumer Advisory Panel, also known as CAP, in 1998 because it recognised the value and importance of consumer input to the planning and conduct of clinical trials research. CAP members bring their own unique experience of breast cancer and a true commitment to the clinical trials research process. In this episode, you'll hear from our CAP Chair, Leslie Gilham, as well as three of our members, Merryn Carter, Naveena Nekkalapudi, and Laura McCambridge, as they discuss the Consumer Advisory Panel of Breast Cancer Trials, their role, and what you can expect from being involved.
Dr Erica Mayer is the director of clinical research and institute physician at the Breast Oncology Centre, Dana-Faber Cancer Institute, and associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston, United States.Dr Mayer's research focuses on the role of novel therapies in the treatment of breast cancer and we spoke with her about improving efficacy in the adjuvant treatment of early ER+ breast cancer.