ANZUP and TrialHub bring prostate study to regional Victoria In April 2020, the ANZUP-led prostate cancer trial, DASL-HiCaP (ANZUP 1801), recruited the first patient and started the journey to further recruit and follow up 1,100 eligible patients from over 100 cancer centres across Australia, New Zealand, US, Canada, UK and Ireland. The purpose of this study is to see if a new tablet drug, darolutamide, combined with the current best treatments, can improve outcomes for men with high-risk prostate cancer that has not spread beyond the prostate area.
As well as recruiting amazingly well and opening in various regions worldwide, this trial has now reached another milestone – DASL-HiCAP is now a teletrial.
But what is a teletrial? A teletrial allows a clinician at a larger centre (primary site) to enrol, consent and treat patients on clinical trials in collaboration with smaller regional and rural centres (satellite sites), allowing patients to participate closer to home and thereby reducing disparities in cancer care and treatment.
Australasian Teletrial Model Primary Site
Satellite Site
Telehealth
Specialists
Patients and Families
Clinical Trial Coordinators
Medical Officers Patients are consented, recruited and managed at satellite sites in partnership between clinicians from satellite and primary sites.
Specialist Pharmacy, Nursing and Allied Health Clinicians Administration Support Officers
Primary and satellite sites are connected through tele-health models of care.
Benefits of a teletrial for patients 24 A LITTLE BELOW THE BELT
With/without Trial Coordinators (Larger centres may have specialist doctors, nurses, pharmacies and allied health clinicians)
Satellite 1
Trial Cluster
(Satellite sites can be regional, rural or larger metropolitan centres.)
Nursing, Pharmacy and Allied Health Clinicians
Satellite 2
(Source: COSA implementation guide. Colour figure can be viewed at wileyonlinelibrary.com)
Primary Site Satellite 3
Through teletrials, patients can be looked after closer to home leading to: • p articipation in a clinical trial with family, community and local healthcare support; • a reduction in travel and accommodation costs; • e quity of access for all Australians to clinical trials and improved access to potential new therapies.
