Cancer Council Western Australia

The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analyzed during the current study.

Awareness of cancer and its symptoms may have declined in 2020 following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and awareness of the 'Find Cancer Early' mass media campaign on the knowledge of common cancer symptoms in regional Western Australian (WA) residents aged 40years and over. Campaign materials from 'Find Cancer Early' included the 'Rural Doctors' video advertisement and the 'Yellow Checklist'. Multivariable log-binomial regression analyses were undertaken using data from the annual post-campaign evaluations surveys between 2018 and 2020, which included information on campaign awareness, cancer symptom knowledge, and sociodemographic factors. The number of cancer symptoms recalled (mean (M): 1.32 vs 1.72; P<.001) and the proportion of participants with better cancer symptom knowledge (16.9% vs 25.7%; P<.001) were lower in 2020 than the pre-pandemic time-period. Campaign awareness (prevalence ratio (PR)=1.99; P<.001) and females (PR=1.28; P=.002) were associated with better cancer symptom knowledge, while the pandemic time-period (PR=0.59; P<.001), older age (PR=0.57; P<.001), and a previous cancer diagnosis (PR=0.76; P=.007) were associated with poorer knowledge. Despite the ongoing pandemic, campaign awareness was associated with better knowledge of common cancer symptoms in regional WA. Regional subpopulations, including males and older adults, should be targeted for future campaigns.

Background: The majority of Australian children exceed the World Health Organization's recommended dietary intake of free sugar, particularly through the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. Front-of-pack nutrition labels increase perceived risk and deter the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. However, past studies of young children have focused almost exclusively on a parent's choice of beverage for children. This study investigated the influence of four label designs (text-based warning, tooth decay pictorial, teaspoons of sugar, and Health Star Rating) on the beverage choices of N = 1229 Australian children (aged 4-11 years) and their parents. Methods: In an online vending machine scenario, parent-child dyads were separately asked to select which beverage they would choose for themselves before and after being randomised to one label condition. The beverages displayed included 100% fruit juice, soft drink, soft drink with a non-nutritive sweetener, flavoured milk, plain milk and bottled water. Beverage healthiness was determined by a 1-10 rating based on a review by a panel of experts (10 dietitians and nutritionists). Results: Mixed-model ANOVAs showed that for parents, each label design performed comparably; however, for children, small but significant differences were seen in the effectiveness of different label designs, with the teaspoons of sugar label, text-based warning, and tooth decay pictorial found to be more impactful in promoting healthier drink choices than the Health Star Rating. Conclusions: These findings can inform public health advocacy efforts to improve food labelling and could be incorporated into educational resources to help children understand the nutritional profiles of different sugary drinks.

Flavoured oral nicotine pouches, manufactured and marketed by global tobacco companies, such as Philip Morris International (PMI) and British American Tobacco, entered the Australian market in 2024. Despite it being illegal for Australian retailers to sell nicotine pouches, the products have been seized in government enforcement raids of Australian retailers, and have also been promoted to young people by Australian social media influencers. The Australian Federal Government has recognized and expressed concern about the rising profile of nicotine pouches in Australia and the promotion of these products as unproven vaping and smoking cessation aids. Yet to date, there has been no published research on nicotine pouches in Australia. Using focus group and interview data collected in early 2024 as part of Generation Vape, an ongoing Australian national study into adolescent and young adult vaping and smoking, we explored their attitudes to and perceptions of nicotine pouches, including first-hand experiences and drivers of use. The participants perceived an increase in the use and popularity of oral nicotine pouches, including PMI's Zyn brand, for reasons including claimed sport performance enhancement, vaping cessation and as part of partying and clubbing culture. Some participants perceived nicotine pouches to be a 'healthier' alternative to smoking or vaping. It is critical that research on nicotine pouches is collected now to inform public health policy and to prevent the proliferation of a new class of addictive recreational nicotine products in Australia.

Lurbinectedin is a novel oncogenic transcription inhibitor active in several cancers, including small cell lung cancer (SCLC). We aimed to describe the first Australian experience of the clinical efficacy and tolerability of lurbinectedin for the treatment of SCLC after progression on platinum-containing therapy. Multicentre real-world study of individuals with SCLC initiating lurbinectedin monotherapy (3.2 mg/m2 three-weekly) on an early access programme between May 2020 and December 2021. Key outcomes were clinical utilisation, efficacy and tolerability. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Outcome data were collected within the AUstralian Registry and biObank of thoRacic cAncers (AURORA). Data were analysed for 46 individuals across seven sites. Lurbinectedin was given as second- (83%, 38/46) or subsequent- (17%, 8/46) line therapy, mostly with prior chemoimmunotherapy (87%, 40/46). We report dose modifications (17%, 8/46), interruptions/delays (24%, 11/46), high-grade toxicities (28%, 13/46) and hospitalisations (54%, 25/46) during active treatment. The overall response rate was 33% and the disease control rate was 50%. Six-month OS was 44% (95% confidence interval (CI): 29.0-57.1). Twelve-month OS was 15% (95% CI: 6.5-26.8). From lurbinectedin first dose, the median PFS was 2.5 months (95% CI: 1.8-2.9) and OS was 4.5 months (95% CI: 3.5-7.2). From SCLC diagnosis, the median OS was 12.9 months (95% CI: 11.0-17.2). Individuals with a longer chemotherapy-free interval prior to lurbinectedin had longer PFS and OS. This real-world national experience of lurbinectedin post-platinum chemotherapy and immunotherapy for individuals with SCLC was similar to that reported in clinical trials.

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to investigate differences between non-smokers, ex-smokers and current smokers in hospital length of stay (LOS), readmission (seven and 28 days) and cost of readmission for patients admitted for elective surgery.MethodsA retrospective cohort study of administrative inpatient data from 24, 818 patients admitted to seven metropolitan hospitals in Western Australia between 1 July 2016 and 30 June 2019 for multiday elective surgery was conducted. Data included smoking status, LOS, procedure type, age, sex and Indigenous status. LOS for smoking status was compared using multivariable negative binomial regression. Odds of readmission were compared for non-smokers and both ex-smokers and current smokers using separate multivariable logistic regression models.ResultsMean LOS for non-smokers (4.7 days, SD=5.7) was significantly lower than both ex-smokers (6.2 days SD 7.9) and current smokers (6.1 days, SD=8.2). Compared to non-smokers, current smokers and ex-smokers had significantly higher odds of readmission within seven (OR=1.29; 95% CI: 1.13, 1.47, and OR=1.37; 95% CI: 1.19, 1.59, respectively) and 28 days (OR=1.35; 95% CI: 1.23, 1.49, and OR=1.53; 95% CI: 1.39, 1.69, respectively) of discharge. The cost of readmission for seven and 28-day readmission was significantly higher for current smokers compared to non-smokers (RR=1.52; 95% CI: 1.1.6, 2.0; RR=1.39; 95% CI: 1.18, 1.65, respectively).ConclusionAmong patients admitted for elective surgery, hospital LOS, readmission risk and readmission costs were all higher for smokers compared with non-smokers. The findings indicate that provision of smoking cessation treatment for adults undergoing elective surgery is likely to produce multiple benefits.

Australia introduced a partial ban on asbestos consumption in 1984. There is continuing concern about exposure to asbestos in the built environment and non-occupational exposures. The aim of this study was to describe epidemiological trends of mesothelioma in Western Australia (WA) over the 60 years since the first case was recorded. Every case of mesothelioma notified to the WA Cancer Registry is reviewed by an expert panel. Data include demographic and clinical variables including principal mode of asbestos exposure and age at first exposure. Trends over time for survival, latency and pathological subtype of mesothelioma where analysed. Incidence rates for cases exposed during home renovation where calculated. Two thousand seven hundred ninety-six cases of mesothelioma were identified with males comprising the majority (n = 2368, 84.7%). The median (IQR) age at diagnosis was 70 (62-78) years, and median latency of 47 (38-55) years. Pleural mesothelioma was recorded in 2620 (93.7%) cases with the epithelioid subtype most prevalent (n = 1730, 61.9%). Overall, median survival was 298 (128-585) days and latency 46 (37-54) years, both effectively doubling over the study period. Non-occupational exposures were proportionally higher in females (52.6%), compared with males (9.5%). Home renovation was the primary exposure in 227 (8.1%) cases, with number of cases and incidence rate ratio peaking in 2005/09 but subsequently decreasing. The annual number of cases of mesothelioma in WA may have hit a plateau. The majority of females have non-occupational exposures and incidence rates from home renovation exposure may have peaked, suggesting the ban on asbestos has been effective.

Abstract Purpose Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) experience vast symptom burden resulting from cancer treatment-related toxicities (TRTs). Evidence supports integrated exercise to mitigate several TRTs in other cohorts, however evidence in AYAs is lacking. Conventional reporting of TRTs adopts a maximum grade approach failing to recognise the trajectory over time, of persistent, or lower grade toxicities. Alternatively, longitudinal analysis of toxicities over time (ToxT) may provide clinically meaningful summaries of this data. We evaluated the longitudinal impact of an exercise intervention on TRTs in AYAs undergoing cancer treatment. Methods A prospective, randomised trial allocated participants to a 10-week exercise intervention (EG) or control group (CG) undergoing usual care. Detailed information on TRTs was collected throughout the intervention. All TRTs were graded per the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE v5.0). Results Forty-three (43) participants (63% male, mean age 21.1 years) were enrolled. When categorised to reflect the maximal worst grade experienced (Grade 0, Grade 1–2 and ≥ Grade 3), the CG reported an increased incidence of severe fatigue (≥ Grade 3) compared with the EG (p = 0.05). No other differences between groups were evident (p &gt; 0.05). ToxT analysis of the four most common toxicities (fatigue, pain, nausea and mood disturbances) demonstrated no difference in the mean grade of each over time (p &gt; 0.05). Conclusion A 10-week exercise intervention reduces the severity of fatigue in AYAs undergoing treatment. While the ToxT approach provided insight into the toxicity profile, adequately powered studies are needed to better understand these differences within a homogenous sample. Trial registration (ACTRN12620000663954) 10th June 2020.