News Update: Cancer Care - August 25, 2025

Key developments in cancer care today include a nationwide patient-experience survey launch in Australia, pioneering perioperative trial results for brain cancer, new research on treatment goal alignment in advanced cancer, and expanded specialist nursing support for prostate cancer in Australia.

Australia Launches National Cancer-Care Experience Survey

25 August 2025 - All.Can Australia, a multi-stakeholder nonprofit, today unveiled a national survey to collect the lived experiences of Australians affected by cancer-including patients, survivors, and caregivers-to inform future cancer-care policy and delivery. Funded by the Medicines Australia Oncology Industry Taskforce, the survey seeks insights on treatment gaps and support needs across all cancer types and stages. Professor Christobel Saunders, Co-Chair of All.Can Australia, emphasized that incorporating patient and caregiver perspectives is essential to crafting more efficient, patient-centred cancer services. The survey remains open until 17 September 2025 and can be completed online.

Breakthrough Perioperative Trial in Low-Grade Glioma

25 August 2025 - Researchers at Royal Melbourne Hospital reported today in Xinhua that the first perioperative trial in low-grade glioma (LGG) brain cancer patients has demonstrated how the oral IDH1 inhibitor safusidenib suppresses tumor activity. Using the Brain Perioperative Platform (BrainPOP) to compare tumor samples before and after treatment, the pilot study confirmed both safety and biological activity of safusidenib, paving the way for personalized treatment strategies in LGG. Lead investigator Kate Drummond called the findings “a revolution in neurosurgical trials,” and anticipates further studies to optimize patient selection.

New Findings on Treatment Goal Alignment in Advanced Cancer

25 August 2025 - A study published today in the journal Cancer reveals that nearly 40% of patients with advanced cancer who prefer comfort-focused care nonetheless receive life-prolonging treatments. Among 231 patients with advanced cancer, 49% prioritized comfort, yet 37% of these reported discordant care emphasizing longevity over comfort. Importantly, this discordance did not improve two-year survival. Lead author Dr. Manan P. Shah of UCLA highlighted the need for stronger communication and advance care planning to ensure treatment aligns with patient goals.

Icon Cancer Centre Expands Prostate-Cancer Nursing Support

25 August 2025 - Icon Cancer Centre announced today the recruitment of ten additional Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses (PCSNs) across five Australian states and territories. Employed in partnership with the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, the new nurses will be based at Icon centres in South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, the ACT, and Western Australia. This expansion responds to rising prostate-cancer incidence-currently the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia-to provide tailored education, care coordination, and psychosocial support for over 275,000 men living with a prostate-cancer diagnosis.