Aim: At the time of establishing the ReViTALISE program, regional access to immunotherapy studies was low compared to metropolitan cancer services. As a result there was a perceived gap in knowledge of immunotherapy and the management of side-effects amongst regional cancer and non-cancer clinicians. This ReViTALISE initiative aimed to address these gaps.
Methods: Regional clinicians worked with Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute (ONJCRI) to open teletrials according to COSA methodology. An education plan was developed co-designed with regional health care workers and supported by ReViTALISE @research
Results: This project has enabled an increase from baseline the number of high-quality immunotherapy clinical trials opened and an increase patient recruitment across RTN-Vic, contributing to multiple publications in international journals and conference presentations. The education program has led to an increase in the number of regional clinical staff trained in immunotherapy side effects and the development of an immunotherapy toolkit and patient held immunotherapy alert care. An immunotherapy registry trial in rare cancers has been developed, led by regional medical oncologists with Bendigo Health acting as trial sponsor and with input from VACCHO and ReViTALISE initiative attempting to improve clinical trial access for First Nations people with cancer. Further grant applications have been leveraged and more high quality trials are in development.
Conclusion: The expansion of immunotherapy clinical trials in regional Victoria, and the concomitant engagement with and training of regional clinicians will provide better regional health outcomes and a sustainable regional skilled immunotherapy clinical trial workforce.