Lead researcher
Professor Graham Giles, Helen Farrugia
Years funded
2008-09
Victorian Cancer Outcomes Network (VCON) a clinical data collection scheme for cancer patients treated in Victoria
Victorian Cancer Outcomes Network (VCON) is helping to lead research
efforts to discover more about cancer, through the Evaluation of Cancer
Outcomes (ECO) project being conducted in partnership with the Barwon
South Western Regional Integrated Cancer Service (BSWRICS).
This revolutionary project involves the collection of clinical cancer
data across the entire BSWRICS region for all cancers and from all
available medical repositories and sources. The project will provide,
for the first time, the ability to report on first line clinical
treatment and outcomes as well as any recurrences, to support current
incidence and surveillance data that the Victorian Cancer Registry
(VCR) publishes.
It will also enable a model for clinical data collection to be created
and eventually rolled out across the State. Outcomes will also
influence discussions around the collection of tumour speciality
datasets essential for clinical management. The model of data
collection will apply not only to cancer, but also to other disease
specialities.
The BSWRICS catchment area can be viewed as a microcosm of Victorian
cancer healthcare provision. It features one densely populated urban
area with a comprehensive cancer treatment facility, and a large rural
region with smaller health services delivering varying levels and
modalities of cancer care.
Two thirds of the 330,000 population are in the urban area of Geelong
and the proximities of Bellarine Peninsula and Surf Coast. Seven
percent of all cancer diagnosed in Victoria occurs in individuals
resident in BSWRICS. The care of cancer patients relies heavily on the
collection and management of information for the patient's medical
record and on effective communication between health professionals and
services.
Recent Federal and State initiatives in cancer have identified
collection of clinical cancer data as a major unmet need. BSWRICS and
the Cancer Council Victoria (CCV) which hosts the VCR recognise the
need to collect accurate cancer information and to use this to inform
cancer treatment, service development and research, with the aim of
improving survival and quality of life outcomes for cancer patients.
The collection of this data will permit the rigorous evaluation of
regional differences in cancer outcomes, particularly survival. This
project is being funded by the Department of Human Services through the
Cancer Council Victoria. For more information on the VCON ECO project,
please contact Dr Meng Tuck Mok, VCON Project Manager, Cancer Council
Victoria on (03) 9635 5159 or email mengtuck.mok@cancervic.org.au, or Ms. Linda Batson, ECO Project Manager, BSWRICS on Tel (03) 5260 3152 or email lindabat@barwonhealth.org.au.
Collaborators
Professor David Hill, Professor Richard Bell, Dr Ray Snyder, Dr Adam Broad, Ms Karen Kelly
Funding Body
Department of Human Services