SEMINAR: Current clinical research challenges in breast cancer

The Speaker: Professor Christobel Saunders is responsible for conducting a large number of clinical research projects in cancer, and is one of the prime teachers of surgery to undergraduate and postgraduate students at the UWA. Her demonstrated commitment to teaching also extends to educating non-medical health professionals and the general public. In addition, Professor Saunders is closely involved in strategic planning and management of cancer services nationally as Board member of Cancer Australia and the NBOCC and in Western Australia as author of the WA Health Cancer Services Framework and as first A/Director of the WA Cancer and Palliative Care Network and as President of the Cancer Council WA.

Her clinical interests include the diagnosis and management of breast cancer and melanoma, including both ablative and reconstructive breast surgery. Research interests include clinical trials, epidemiology and pathology of gestational breast cancer, familial breast cancer, minimally invasive diagnosis and treatments, and quality of life research.

Professor Saunders is a co-author of two books: Breast Cancer- a guide for every woman and Breast Cancer: The Facts (Oxford University Press 2009) and has been an author for 17 book chapters plus over 20 invited papers.

The Seminar: Breast cancer remains the commonest cause of female cancer death in the developed world. Over 1.5 million women are diagnosed annually around the globe. Survival has improved markedly for many, with over 80% of women surviving 10 years or more. This is due largely to better treatments and better detection, as a result of a huge amount of clinical and pre-clinical research. We are now beginning to understand the molecular signatures of individual cancers and tailor treatment to these and the patient. Prof. Saunders will discuss current challenges across the clinical spectrum from prevention, early detection and treatment to managing the long term consequences of cancer and its treatment, and where WA is playing a role in this research.