23.2 C
Byron Shire
March 28, 2024

Lismore professor wins cancer award

Latest News

Where should affordable housing go in Tweed Shire?

Should affordable and social housing in the Tweed Shire be tucked away in a few discreet corners? Perhaps it should be on the block next to where you live?

Other News

‘Smooth stroking’ Rainbow Dragons earn trophies

Rainbow Dragons (Lennox Head Ballina) won three trophies and had a fantastic weekend of fun, fitness and friendship at Grafton Dragon Boat Club’s regatta earlier in March.

Bay FM community radio celebrates digital upgrade

Volunteers from Byron and across the Northern Rivers celebrated nearly $100,000 worth of new studio equipment at Bay FM Community Radio station on the weekend.

UK court seeks assurances from US over Julian Assange

The UK High Court of Justice has released a 66 page judgement seeking more information from the United States relating to Australian citizen Julian Assange, which it says it needs before deciding whether to grant the WikiLeaks founder leave to appeal his extradition.

Premier yet to respond to Albo’s offer of disaster recovery funds

Northern Rivers community groups are renewing calls for the NSW premier to formally ask the Commonwealth to fully fund the region's 2022 disaster recovery.

Editorial – Let’s do the development dance!

Some good questions were raised by residents at last week’s Council meeting – and were ‘taken on notice’ by Mayor, Michael Lyon.

Workshop in Creative Writing For Beginners

Have you always felt like you have a novel in you, but don’t know where to start? Or have...

Lismore-based Professor Michael McKay has won a prestigious award for his unique discovery that may one day lead to better outcomes for breast cancer patients.

Prof McKay, the North Coast Cancer Institute’s (NCCI) radiation oncologist staff specialist took out the Novartis Oncology Award for Best Clinical Outcomes in Breast Cancer Therapy.

Prof McKay won the award for his research in describing the characterisation of a new biomarker for breast cancer. A biomarker is a test that can predict tumour behaviour or response to therapy.

Prof McKay said he was delighted to receive this recognition of his work.

‘My colleagues and I performed the first comprehensive analysis of a new and recently breast cancer-associated protein known as Rad21. In this work, we tested whether Rad21 might be a new breast cancer biomarker.

‘We discovered that those patients who had activity of Rad21 in their breast cancer had a worse outcome across all the cases studied, Prof McKay said.

We also observed that for patients who received chemotherapy, Rad21 status predicted overall survival within that group. We performed laboratory analysis, which suggested that at least one mechanism for this effect could be defective DNA repair.

Prof McKay said ‘We are testing the generalisability of these findings in other groups of breast cancer patients, which is underpinned by further cell and molecular biology studies to better understand the biology of this new breast cancer biomarker.’

Chris Crawford, chief executive, Northern NSW Local Health District said this recognition from Novartis Oncology is awarded to the best scientific paper prepared for the Annual Scientific Meeting judged by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists in the breast cancer field.

‘I extend my congratulations to Prof McKay and thank him for his commitment to improving treatment for breast cancer patients living in the Northern Rivers, Mr Crawford said.

The Novartis Oncology Award is judged on originality, methodology, analysis of results, clinical relevance and scientific merit.  Prof McKay’s presentation was entitled: Rad21 Cohesion Expression Confers Poor Prognosis and Resistance to Chemotherapy in High Grade Breast Cancers and was recognised as the best amongst his colleagues.


Support The Echo

Keeping the community together and the community voice loud and clear is what The Echo is about. More than ever we need your help to keep this voice alive and thriving in the community.

Like all businesses we are struggling to keep food on the table of all our local and hard working journalists, artists, sales, delivery and drudges who keep the news coming out to you both in the newspaper and online. If you can spare a few dollars a week – or maybe more – we would appreciate all the support you are able to give to keep the voice of independent, local journalism alive.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Making Lismore Showground accessible to everyone

The Lismore Showground isn’t just a critical local community asset that plays host to a number of major events each year, but has also been used as an evacuation centre during past natural disasters in the region. 

Iconic Lennox beach shed upgraded –  not demolished

Lennox Park and the shelter shed has now been upgraded and reopened.

Govt cost-shifting ‘erodes financially sustainable local government’

Byron Shire Council looks set to add its voice to the growing chorus calling on the state government to stop shifting responsibilities and costs onto local government.

Saddle Road group home DA decision this week

Plans to build Byron Shire’s first permanent group home for women and children in housing stress are moving ahead, with the development application for the project coming before Council this week.