Poster Presentation Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2019

Australasian Merkel Cell Carcinoma Interest Group (AMIGOs) – improving the outlook for patients with Merkel cell carcinoma (#316)

Gerald Fogarty 1 2 3 , Elizabeth Paton 1 2 , Narelle Williams 1 2 , Mark Shackleton 1 2 4 , Jonathan Pincus 5 , Shahneen Sandhu 2 6 , Wen Xu 7 , Junya Eguchi 1
  1. Melanoma and Skin Cancer Trials, North Sydney, NSW, Australia
  2. Australasian Merkel Cell Carcinoma Interest Group, Australia
  3. St Vincent's Hospital , Sydney, NSW
  4. Alfred Health & Monash University, Melbourne, VIC
  5. Australasian Merkel Cell Carcinoma Patient Advocacy Group, Australia
  6. Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC
  7. Princess Alexandra Hospital , Brisbane, QLD

Background:

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) has the highest incidence in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) of all countries internationally. However, progress against this relatively rare cancer has historically been hindered by a comparative lack of clinical trials. To address this, Melanoma and Skin Cancer Trials Limited (MASC Trials; formerly ANZMTG), which is the bi-national collaborative trials group in melanoma and skin cancer in the ANZ region, formed the Australasian MCC Interest Group (AMIGOs) to promote research and advocacy in MCC.

 

Methods:

MASC Trials established and provides administrative and project development support to the AMIGOs. AMIGOs operations occur via regular group meetings, overseen by MASC Trials staff, to discuss and develop research opportunities and priorities in MCC. MASC Trials also established and supports the Australasian MCC Patient Advocacy Group as a part of AMIGOs.

 

Results:

AMIGOs membership is growing, with over 100+ clinicians and researchers from ANZ. The group has successfully advocated for access to effective immunotherapies with a media release by Minister for Health on 1st April 2019 announcing subsidised avelumab for metastatic MCC in Australia. The group has assisted in the development of two randomised phase II clinical trials soon to open, including an adjuvant study of avelumab versus placebo for stage I-III MCC (03.18 I-MAT) and a study of avelumab in combination with targeted radionuclide therapy or conventional radiation therapy in metastatic disease (10.17 GoTHAM).

 

Conclusion:

The AMIGOs was formed to improve the treatment and care of patients with MCC and has made important contributions already in improving access to new therapies and in developing innovative clinical trials. Planned activities include workshops in the Asia Pacific Region, further collaborative engagement with the international MCC research community, and continued development of novel research and trial opportunities for patients.