Neoadjuvant Now: What's Next in Pre-Surgical Breast Cancer Treatment
More and more breast cancer patients are now receiving treatment before surgery - but what’s next for this approach?
In this episode, we look at how neoadjuvant therapy is changing, the new treatments being tested, and what it could mean for patients in the future.
Hear from the Head of the International Breast Cancer Centre (IBCC), Dr Javier Cortes as he discusses:
Tune in for a deep dive into this important research.
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Guest: Medical Oncologist, Dr Javier Cortes, from Barcelona.
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Next Gen Oncology: Insights for Trainees and Early-Career Clinicians
Are you a trainee or early career professional in oncology looking to connect, learn, and grow?
In this episode, we highlight the Trainee and Early Career Day at the Breast Cancer Trials Annual Scientific Meeting. A unique opportunity to network with peers, gain insights from leading researchers, and kickstart your professional development in the field of breast cancer research.
In this episode, we sit down with Breast Cancer Trials Clinical Fellow, Dr Michelle Li, and former Fellow Dr Adam Ofri to discuss:
Tune in for a deep dive into this important topic.
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Guests: Medical Oncologist, Dr Michelle Li and Breast Surgeon, Dr Adam Ofri.
Thank you for listening! If you found this episode valuable, please share it with your colleagues. The Trainee and Early-Career Day is a free event designed for those in the early stages of their careers in medical, radiation, or surgical oncology.
This multi-disciplinary event features expert presentations, MDT panel discussions, and valuable networking opportunities with leading researchers and international speakers.
Caring for the Caregivers: Preventing Burnout in Oncology
What happens when the people caring for everyone else are running on empty? In this episode, we sit down with London-based Professor of psycho-oncology, Dame Lesley Fallowfield, to explore burnout, practical self-care strategies, and ways we can better support healthcare workers before exhaustion takes its toll.
Tune in for a deep dive into this important topic.
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Guest: Professor Dame Lesley Fallowfield.
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Intimacy and Insight: Sexual Health After Breast Cancer
Sexual health after breast cancer is a topic too often left in the shadows - yet it profoundly affects quality of life both during and post-diagnosis.
In this episode, Dr Belinda Yeo and Dr Virginia Baird open the conversation, sharing insights into how we can better support patients navigating intimacy, identity, and well-being after breast cancer treatment.
In this episode, we sit down with Belinda and Virginia to discuss:
Tune in for a deep dive into this important research.
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Guests: Medical Oncologist Belinda Yeo, and Breast Clinician Virginia Baird.
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 sexual health.
If you were interested in learning more listen to our online Q&A event, moderated by Author and Journalist Annabel Crabb, on Breast Cancer and Sex.
Choosing Your Path & Navigating Difficult Treatment Decisions
What happens when patients say ‘no’ to recommended treatments? The search for alternatives can be confronting for both patients and clinicians.
Associate Professor Lesley Stafford explores why some patients take this path, what it means for their outcomes, and how the medical community can better navigate these difficult conversations.
In this episode, we sit down with Lesley to discuss:
Tune in for a deep dive into this important topic.
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Guest: Clinical Psychologist, Associate Professor Lesley Stafford.
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#breastcancer #cancertreatment #clinicalpsychology #breastcancertrials #clinicaltrials #research
Lotjpa Yapaneyepuk (Talk Together): Bridging Communities and Cancer Research
Access to clinical trials isn't equal, and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Regional Victoria, barriers in accessing treatment for breast cancer remain Dr Monica Green and Ms Leah Lindrea-Morrison share an initiative that's breaking down those barriers by talking together, listening deeply, and creating culturally safe pathways to clinical trials.
In this episode, we sit down with Monica and Leah to discuss:
- (05:46) The historical, cultural, and systemic factors that influence trust in medical research and clinical trials, among indigenous communities.
- (08:25) Strategies or initiatives that have been effective in improving access or building those stronger relationships with communities in regional Victoria.
- (10:58) The role of community engagement and co-design in creating a more inclusive and culturally safe research opportunity for patients.
- (13:15) How clinicians and researchers can better support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients to consider and navigate trial participation.
- (16:00) What an equitable and accessible trial landscape looks like, and how we can get there.
Tune in for a deep dive into this important research.
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Guests: Dr Monica Green and Ms Leah Lindrea-Morrison from Victoria.
Music: Noa Zulu - Meditension
Thank you for listening! If you found this episode valuable, please share it with your loved ones and help spread awareness about creating culturally safe pathways to clinical trials.
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.
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Guest: 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 Cancer
Breast 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.
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Guest: 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 Cancer
For 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!
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Guest: 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 Care
Is 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.
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Guest: 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 Cancer
Young women with breast cancer often face uniquechallenges 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 groundbreakingOPTIMA-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:
Tune in for a deep dive into this important research.
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Guest: 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:
Tune in for a deep dive into this important research.
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Guest: 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:
Tune in for a deep dive into this important research.
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Guest: 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:
Tune in for a deep dive into this important research.
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Guest: 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:
Tune in for a deep dive into this important research.
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Guest: 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 herbreasts, and after visiting her doctor for a check-up up she was unfortunately diagnosed with breast cancer.
In this episode, we sit down with Rebecca to discuss:
Tune in for a deep dive into this important conversation.
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Guest: 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:
Tune in for a deep dive into this important research.
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Guest: Dr Cindy Tan, Concord Hospital in Sydney.
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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:
Tune in for a deep dive into this important research.
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Guest: 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:
Tune in for a deep dive into this important research.
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Guest: 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:
Tune in for a deep dive into this important research and how it will benefit patients in the near future.
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Guest: Dr Victoria Rayson, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
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