Download Dr Kirsten Herbert Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute Retinoids and

Dr Kirsten Herbert
Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute
Retinoids and their applications to
human stem cell mobilisation
Dr Kirsten Herbert
Stem cell transplantation is a potentially curative
treatment for a widening range of cancers,
particularly leukaemia, lymphoma and multiple
myeloma. These stem cells normally reside in the
bone marrow, but can be “mobilised” out into the
blood stream where they can be collected and
stored, for future use in transplantation. Patients
undergoing stem cell transplantation require a
minimum of 2 million stem cells per kilogram. Unfortunately, due to older age, previous
chemotherapy or radiotherapy, some people are unable to achieve this target, and
potentially miss out on this treatment. Dr Kirsten Herbert is trialling a new designer drug,
which may improve the mobilisation of stem cells.
Dr Herbert's research is supported by the Leukaemia Foundation AMP Clinical Fellowship and
the Max Whiteside Clinical Fellowship. During the first part of her project, Dr Herbert trialled
the new drug in an animal model and found that it successfully enhanced mobilisation of
stem cells. Dr Herbert has now designed two clinical trials, to test this medication in human
patients.
The first of these trials has now completed, and the results were encouraging, showing that
the use of this type of drug has no unexpected side effects in human patients. The second
trial is currently underway, and the effectiveness of the drug is being measured in patients
with lymphoma or multiple myeloma, who are collecting stem cells for transplantation.