Clatterbridge CUP nurse consultant goes walkabout and learns about Peter Mac’s SUPER ED study

December 7, 2024

Alison Taylor, acute oncology and CUP nurse consultant at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre has just returned for a 5 week trip to Australia as part of her Churchill fellowship. This work focuses on improving support for people with cancer of unknown primary (CUP). She will also link in with teams in the Netherlands and the USA in 2025.

The inspiration for the Australian leg of her travels was to meet the team at the Peter MacCallum cancer centre, Melbourne who have been at the forefront of international CUP research. They are currently opening the SUPER ED study. This study is implementing and evaluating a new model of care across an existing network of oncology services for people presenting with suspected metastatic cancer without an obvious primary (malignancy of undefined primary origin, or MUO) to enable rapid, accurate diagnosis of either CUP or a known metastatic primary cancer; greater access to clinical studies/trials/appropriate management; improved experiential outcomes and reduced patient uncertainty and reduced healthcare costs.

Alison travelled to 3 other SUPER ED sites in Sydney, Brisbane and Darwin. There was huge variation in the services provided for people with CUP, this reflects inequalities seen in the UK. Many teams did not have a designated CUP nurse, and care was often provided by other site specialist teams.  Cancer care in Australia is primarily provided in general hospitals rather than specialist cancer centres.

Alison met many teams and professionals striving to improving care for patients with CUP. Key findings included early referral to palliative and supportive care teams, specific CUP information and access to CUP website information. There was also a focus on well-being for all patients and self-help information on how to improve sleep and anxiety. The Peter MacCallum team have had a CUP consumer group since 2008 this group have partnered and led the SUPER ED work. Alison will complete her report to the Churchill fellowship in 2025 following further work with the Netherlands and the USA. This journey has helped raise the profile and the need to improve services for CUP and she met many inspirational people who are helping to do this across Australia.

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Photo: Christine Dijkstra (left), Alison Taylor (centre),  and Natalie Richards (right) at Peter Mac.

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