Wednesday, October 12, 2022 CCTG Patient Representatives are in high demand. Recently some of our committee members have had the opportunity to share their experiences and expertise at stakeholder events both nationally and internationally. Ismaili Community virtual presentation Jill Hamer-Wilson and Judy Needham spoke to the Ismaili Community in a virtual presentation to a multidisciplinary team on cancer clinical trials and novel therapies. They addressed the personal impact of clinical trials for patients with cancer, how to speak with oncologists and understand the options that are available, and also provide a broad overview of some of the types of current and novel therapies that are becoming available Patient Advocate Perspective at AAADV Judy Needham who is our Patient Representative Committee Chair was invited as a panelist for the Patient Advocate Perspective at the Accelerating Anti-Cancer Agent Development and Validation Workshop of Global Drug Development. AAADV is an educational initiative for FDA, academics, advocates, and industry focused on speeding cancer treatment to patients. Judy was one of a of five global panelists from Germany, Australia, USA, and Canada. Methodology for the Development of Innovative Cancer Therapies(MDICT) Patient representative Joan Petrie participated in a virtual workshop as a patient advocate/observer and respond from a patient/caregiver viewpoint.The workshop was part of the ESMO TAT "Anticancer Therapies Congress 2022". Joan was included as an author on the article from the workshop "Oncology Phase I Trial Design and Conduct: Time for a Change MDICT Guidelines 2022 submitted to "Annals of Oncology". RECIST Working Group Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) workshop Patient representative Joan Petrie spoke at the RECIST Working Group Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) workshop. The workshop was organized by the RECIST working Group, with support from European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC). The Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours (RECIST) Working Group provides the methodology to evaluate the activity and efficacy of new cancer therapeutics in solid tumours. Joan provided input from a patient/caregiver viewpoint on the ctDNA (blood draw) review to evaluate responses in clinical trials and determine if there is a potential role for the RECIST working group. Also discussed was whether ctDNA can inform the RECIST measurement criteria which uses imaging to establish responses.
