Australia’s leading the way in brain cancer research

| January 27, 2019

Brain cancer kills more Australian kids than any other disease, and more Australians under 40 than any other cancer. The key to increasing survival rates for brain cancer is through research, and Australia is leading the way in brain cancer research.

An estimated 1,935 new cases of brain cancer were diagnosed in Australia in 2018. When compared to all other cancers, brain cancer is quite rare, equating to approximately 1.4% of all cancers estimated to be diagnosed in Australia. However, with a five-year survival rate at around 22%, brain cancer kills more Australian kids than any other disease, and more Australians under 40 than any other cancer.

It is widely recognised that the key to increasing survival rates for brain cancer is through research, and Australia is a global leader in brain cancer research.

Australia has a well-known global niche in the execution of phase 0 and phase 1 trials. Both these types of clinical trials require high levels of medical and scientific skills and do not need large numbers of patients; hence the Australian environment is ideal for this activity. This benefits patients, with a targeted agent identification and faster testing process to more rapidly identify potential treatments to enter into clinical trials.

The announcement of the Australian Brain Cancer Mission in 2017 also put Australia on a global scale for investment into brain cancer research. The Mission is a $107 million investment to double survival rates and improve the quality of life of people living with brain cancer by 2027, with the longer-term aim of defeating brain cancer.

This objective is fuelled by collaborative investments from the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund ($55m), Cure Brain Cancer Foundation ($20m), Minderroo Foundation’s Eliminate Cancer Initiative ($10m), Carrie’s Beanies 4 Brain Cancer ($5m), the Mark Hughes Foundation ($3m), the State of Queensland through the Children’s Hospital Foundation Queensland ($10m) and the State of Victoria ($2m). This time-critical mission represents Australia’s commitment to improving survival and quality of life for those diagnosed with brain cancer and exhibits Australia’s commitment as a global leader in brain cancer research.

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