Understanding Childhood Cancer With Dr Geoff

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Understanding Childhood Cancer with Dr Geoff.

Dr Geoff


    • Mar 26, 2021 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 26m AVG DURATION
    • 81 EPISODES


    Search for episodes from Understanding Childhood Cancer With Dr Geoff with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from Understanding Childhood Cancer With Dr Geoff

    Where did my child's immune system go?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2021 44:44


    Childhood cancer treatment leads to severe impairment of the ability to fight infections. This episode explains what immune suppression means, what causes it, and the problems that result.

    Update re the future of rock and roll.... CAR T-cells

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2021 39:46


    A few years ago I described CAR T-cells, but they weren't available for routine use. I now update things, with the very important news about CAR T-cell therapy now becoming available. There is also an interview with Dr Caroline Bateman re this subject in another episode.

    Blood Cultures

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2021 22:13


    We take a lot of blood samples looking for infection in the bloodstream. This episode explains what blood cultures are all about.

    PRISM, Molecular Profiling, and Informed Consent

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2021 56:12


    A number of countries have research studies where childhood cancers are analysed in great detail, testing all the DNA in something called 'molecular profiling'. The national Australian study of this is called PRISM, and it is a very exciting project. This episode explains a molecular profiling project and covers issues of obtaining informed consent from parents and patients as well.

    The MEK inhibitors: trametinib and selumetinib

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2021 41:14


    The MEK inhibitors are a newer class of drug, and include trametinib, selumetinib and others. They have an important role in paediatric oncology, particularly in glioma treatment and in neurofibromatosis.

    The needle in the haystack: Minimal Residual Disease

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2021 42:05


    Sophisticated techniques can detect one cancer cell amongst a million normal cells. This episode describes these methods and how they are used in treatment.

    CAR T-cells, Interview with Dr Caroline Bateman

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2020 45:55


    CAR T-cell therapy is an exciting new treatment for acute leukaemia. In this episode, Dr Geoff interviews his colleague Dr Caroline Bateman about CAR T-cells and introducing the treatment option to her unit.

    DIPG: to biopsy or not to biopsy

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2020 13:37


    For many years we didn't biopsy the tumour when the scans suggested that the tumour was a DIPG. This episode explains why that has changed, and the emerging role of biopsy.

    DIPG: what do these letters stand for?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2017 19:55


    DIPG is a type of brain tumor which occurs in children. This episode explains what the letters mean.

    Chemotherapy 7: Ifosfamide

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2016 22:51


    Ifosfamide is another chemotherapy drug, used particularly in certain sarcomas and certain patients with leukaemia. This episode explains how it is given, and common and rare side effects.

    Why does my child need a heart test? Echo's and ECG's.

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2016 16:42


    We often need to evaluate heart function during chemotherapy. This episode explains what the tests are, and why we need to do them.

    Highlights of ASCO: Two transplants for neuroblastoma??

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2016 30:12


    At the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in June 2016, a study was presented looking at using two autologous bone marrow transplants in neuroblastoma. The results were exciting....

    "A Selfless Act": my reading of an article on clinical trials in childhood cancer.

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2016 17:52


    In this episode I read out for you an article written by Dr Susan Cohn from the University of Chicago. Dr Cohn is an eminent paediatric oncologist, and a world expert on children's cancer trials, particularly in neuroblastoma.

    Residents, fellows, registrars; who are all these doctors?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2016 31:49


    When families find themselves in a hospital, they meet all sorts of doctors with all sorts of titles, residents, interns, fellows, registrars. This episode explains who's who in the childhood cancer medical team.

    G-CSF and PEG G-CSF: drugs to boost the bone marrow.

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2016 27:53


    Chemotherapy can make the white blood cell count drop, predisposing to infection. These drugs work to boost white blood cell production.

    Neuroblastoma 3: High-dose MIBG as treatment

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2016 27:17


    I talked about MIBG scans previously. In this episode I discuss the use of high doses of MIBG as a treatment of neuroblastoma.

    Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer: What's special about the AYA's?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2016 25:33


    Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer: What's special about the AYA's? by Dr Geoff

    Neuroblastoma 2: MIBG scans

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2016 20:08


    MIBG scans are used to evaluate and monitor neuroblastoma.

    What not to give your oncologist for Christmas.

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2015 32:45


    My Christmas Special episode. Includes the Top 12 people who deserve a Christmas present more than the oncologist.

    Interesting article: do children with cancer have an underlying gene abnormality?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2015 35:47


    Parents always ask why their child developed cancer. They ask if it is genetic, meaning is it something hereditary, or some abnormality in the DNA that the child was born with. In this episode I discuss a recent paper that examined this question.

    Personalised Medicine 5: how to detect all these DNA abnormalities

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 24, 2015 33:10


    There are multiple ways to go looking for DNA, RNA and protein abnormalities. Many should still be considered research, not standard practice, but they may well be part of the future of cancer therapy.

    Lymphoma 1: Hodgkin's and Non-Hodgkin's (x4)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 2, 2015 30:11


    Lymphomas make up about 11% of childhood cancer, and there are several different types.

    Personalised Medicine 4: How DNA gets messed up to cause cancer.

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2015 29:25


    There's multiple ways the DNA code can get messed up and lead to cancer. This episode describes some of them, along with some little green men.

    Personalised Medicine 3: how the right DNA leads to the right cake.

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2015 21:52


    The proteins have to have the right amino acids all assembled in the right order, and the DNA code is the recipe that's used. This episode explains how the correct DNA leads to the right protein being made.

    Personalised Medicine 2: first ya gotta understand the proteins

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2015 17:14


    To understand all this DNA analysis business, first one needs to know a bit about proteins. Proteins basically do all the work in cells, and so DNA mutations interfere with protein structures. Serious geek alert!

    Glioma 1: what does 'grade' mean?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2015 13:20


    Gliomas are a type of brain tumour, and are usually called 'low grade' or 'high grade'. What do these terms mean?

    gliomas
    Lumbar Punctures 2: injecting a drug into the spinal fluid

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2015 13:58


    Some chemotherapy drugs don't get into the brain and spinal fluid properly, so we have to inject drugs into the spinal fluid. This is mainly in leukaemia and lymphoma.

    Lumbar Puncture 1: what is a lumbar puncture?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2015 14:11


    We often need to take samples of the spinal fluid, and regularly inject chemotherapy drugs there too. We do this using a lumbar puncture.

    Nutrition 4: Total Parenteral Nutrition

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2015 14:13


    When eating and nasogastric feeding aren't working, we may need to give nutrition straight into the vein. That's called TPN or hyperalimentation.

    Personalised Medicine 1: What is Personalised Oncology?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2015 22:49


    There's a lot of discussion about 'personalised medicine'. What is personalised oncology?

    Nutrition 3: Nasogastric Feeding Tubes

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2015 16:56


    If children just can't eat enough, we may need a feeding tube. This episode explains what these tubes are all about.

    Nutrition 2: Quinoa or KFC?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2015 9:45


    If nutrition is so important, then what food should kids eat while on chemotherapy?

    Nutrition 1: Why is Nutrition an Issue?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2015 9:21


    Children on chemotherapy can really struggle to maintain their weight. This episode explains why.

    Immunotherapy 4: Those amazing new antibodies against cancer

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 19, 2015 16:49


    Exciting new antibodies against cancer were reported at ASCO this year. This episode explains how they work. Will they end up useful in childhood cancer?

    Fevers: why are the doctors so obsessed with fevers?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2015 17:46


    The doctors and nurses keep raving on about fevers, not cancer.... what's this all about? This information may be life-saving.

    Clinical Trials 5: What I love about the Europeans

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2015 7:08


    Most new drugs for cancer are first evaluated in adult patients, then we wait, and wait for access for children. The Europeans appear to have this sorted out.

    "I saw the future of rock 'n' roll, and it's name was....CAR T-cells?"

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2015 36:27


    CAR T-cells are an exciting new therapy. There is emerging data for their use in leukaemia, and other targets may follow.

    Chemotherapy Drugs 7: High Dose Methotrexate

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2015 26:21


    High dose methotrexate is used in leukaemia, lymphoma, osteosarcoma and certain brain tumours. We give a sky-high dose, then give the antidote, folinic acid, to 'rescue' the patient!

    Clinical Trials 4: Phase 3 Trials

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2015 39:27


    Phase 3 trials are the big studies that compare a new treatment to the existing standard treatment. They enrol lots of patients and take years to complete.

    Clinical Trials 5: What trials would we choose to open?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2015 30:25


    How do we decide what clinical trials to open at a given institution?

    Why I took two days off, and why kids on chemo should go to school (usually)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 29, 2015 27:14


    Why I took two days off, and why kids on chemo should go to school (usually) by Dr Geoff

    Platelet Transfusions.

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2015 47:22


    Platelets are tiny little cells that make blood clot properly. They go low after chemotherapy sometimes, and we often end up giving a platelet transfusion. That's one reason why blood donors save lives! This episode explains all about platelet transfusions.

    Central Lines 3: Things that can go wrong with central lines

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2015 24:30


    We rely on central lines enormously, but they can bring their own problems. This episode describes the common things that can go wrong with a central line.

    Blood transfusions.

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2015 27:46


    We often have to give blood transfusions following chemotherapy. This episode explains why we end up needing transfusions, when we give them, and what to expect.

    Acute Myeloid Leukamia 2: Treatment of AML

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2015 23:51


    AML requires chemotherapy treatment, and sometimes bone marrow transplantation.

    Clinical Trials 3: Phase 2 Studies

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2015 27:18


    We use phase 2 trials to conduct an initial evaluation of whether a new therapy has activity against cancer or leukaemia. This episode describes how phase 2 trials are performed.

    Clinical Trials 2: Phase I Studies

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2015 29:00


    Phase I trials are the studies we do to work out the safety and dosing of new drugs. This podcast explains how they are conducted in adults and children.

    Clinical Trials 1: What are Clinical Trials?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2015 14:03


    Clinical trials are core business in childhood cancer units. It is through clinical trials that we have worked out what treatments are effective, and future trials will lead to further gains. This episode describes what a clinical trial is, and introduces some of the key concepts.

    Central Lines 2: The Two Types of Central Line.

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2015 31:15


    This episode describes the two types of central lines that are generally used in children receiving chemotherapy.

    Acute Myeloid Leukaemia 1: What is this disease? The first weeks.

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2015 27:47


    Acute myeloid leukaemia is the second main form of leukaemia in childhood. This podcast explains what the disease is, and the tests and treatments done at initial diagnosis.

    Central Lines 1: Why do we need a central line?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2015 12:59


    Most children on chemotherapy need a central line to give drugs into the veins. This episode explains why we need a central line.

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