Garvan's Genomic Cancer Medicine Program, launched today by The Hon. Brad Hazzard, uses genomic medicine to match therapies, prevention and screening methods with rare cancer patients based on their genetic information.

Ground-breaking trial brings personalised treatments to those with rare cancers

An innovative suite of clinical trials, matching therapies with individuals on the basis of genetic information, could one day hold the key to rare and uncommon cancers and give hope to patients who have exhausted other treatment options.

Launched today, the Genomic Cancer Medicine Program is a nationally-available program with two main areas of focus – clinical trials matching patients to therapies, and a risk-management program for families with an inherited high risk of cancer.

The Program was officially opened by NSW Minister for Health and Minister for Medical Research Brad Hazzard. The NSW Government invested $7 million over four years into the Genomic Cancer Medicine Program as part of a bigger $24 million investment through the Sydney Genomics Collaborative.

“This is a very significant milestone for cancer research – not just for NSW, but for Australia,” Mr Hazzard said.

“The NSW Government recognises the extraordinary potential of genomics in  helping researchers better understand the role genes play in cancer risks as well as identifying new therapies to improve patient outcomes.“

The program was developed by the Garvan Institute in partnership with the NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre and led by Head of the Cancer Division at the Garvan Institute and Director of The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Professor David Thomas, and Director of the NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, Professor John Simes.

Professor Thomas said “The Genomic Cancer Medicine Program is changing how we treat rare cancers. Clinical trials are the essential foundation for the provision of new drugs. Yet, in the past, rare cancer patients haven’t been able to benefit from clinical trials.

“These individual ‘rare cancers’ are collectively common, accounting for 30 per cent of cancer diagnoses and 50 per cent of cancer deaths in Australia, so personalised treatment is crucial to improving cancer outcomes for many Australians.

“Through our new understanding of the genomic basis of cancer, we can for the first time, match patients with therapies on the basis of their, and their cancer’s genetic profile – instead of treating cancer according to where in the body it occurs. Indeed many cancers traditionally thought to be tissue-specific are actually caused by the same mutations,” he said.

Professor Simes said “The clinical trials program is using an adaptive design assessing several possible trial treatments at the same time with each trial treatment matched to the patient’s cancer genetic profile. This should allow effective treatments to be identified more quickly and efficiently than with a traditional clinical trial’s program.”

Professor John Mattick AO FAA, Executive Director of the Garvan Institute said the program was a prime example of leading-edge research and genomic technologies having a direct impact on the lives of those affected by cancer.

“The people we’re welcoming to the Genomic Cancer Medicine Program have exhausted almost all other treatment options and it’s through Garvan’s cutting-edge technology, and exceptional research leadership that we are able to offer some hope,“ he said.

“This is personalised medicine and translational research in action – bringing results and understanding from the laboratory directly to patients.”

In addition to personalised treatments, the program seeks to understand the genetic basis of cancer risk, especially in those who develop cancer at a young age. The researchers are developing personalised screening approaches that can catch cancers at an early stage, giving the best possible chance of successful treatment.

Dr Mandy Ballinger, Leader of the Cancer Risk Study said the Genomic Cancer Medicine Program had already received overwhelming interest.

“So far we have more than 230 people enrolled in our clinical studies entirely through word of mouth. We’ve had people come to Sydney from as far as Perth and New Zealand,” she said.

Patients with rare and young onset cancers are encouraged to email 

 to find out about the program. For more general information about the Genomic Cancer Medicine Program visit 

The Genomic Cancer Medicine Program was established as part of long-term investment by the NSW Government in using genomic technologies to improve patient outcomes. The Program is supported by the NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, and a number of generous donors and corporate partners. Garvan is now seeking additional investment to make the Program nationally available for the benefit of all Australians impacted by rare or less common cancers.

Accessing the Genomic Cancer Medicine Program:

People interested in the Genomic Cancer Medicine Program can visit 

Rare and less common cancers – also known as neglected cancers – are defined as those cancers that affect fewer than 1 in 12,000 people. While rare individually, collectively rare and less common cancers account for 30 per cent of cancer diagnoses and 50 per cent of cancer deaths in Australia.

Common cancers like breast, prostate, colorectal, lung and skin cancers make up the majority of diagnoses in Australia. However, there are 186 types of rare cancer from ovarian cancer to chordoma (a cancer of the spine).

Disproportionately affecting young people, there are fewer treatment options available for patients with these cancers than for those with more common cancers.

The Genomic Cancer Medicine Program is supported by the NSW Government, NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, St Vincent’s Hospital, Roche, Astra Zeneca, Pfizer, Rare Cancers Australia and The Vodafone Foundation.