STOPNET starts strong - Kalgoorlie commences clinical trial

WA Country Health Service clinicians at Kalgoorlie Health Campus are proud to celebrate a major research milestone, welcoming their very first participant into the STOPNET clinical trial.

STOPNET is a Phase 2 multicentre study following patients with low or intermediate grade neuroendocrine tumours in the middle or lower bowel. It explores the impact of continuing or stopping synthetic hormones (known as somatostatin analogue therapy) after starting Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy (PRRT) on health and cancer related outcomes.

Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups, with both the patients and clinicians aware of their allocated group.

WA Country Health Service Executive Director Strategy and Change Melissa Vernon said this achievement reflects a strong, collaborative effort between specialists in the Goldfields and Fiona Stanley Hospital.

“It acknowledges the ability of our health services to improve access for country people to the latest clinical treatments and services.”

Kalgoorlie Cancer Centre Nurse Practitioner Christine Henneker, supported by visiting oncologists Dr Wade Huish and Dr Trisha Khoo, partnered with the Fiona Stanley Hospital Medical Oncology clinical trial team to deliver the trial locally.

WA Country Health Service Clinical Trial Manager Claire Beardsmore said the WACHS Trial Centre was proud to have enabled the partnership between sites.

“Launching STOPNET in Kalgoorlie is a significant and exciting step in expanding access to clinical trials across rural and remote Western Australia,” Claire said.

“Together, this accomplishment signals a bright future for locally delivered clinical trials and enhanced patient care in the region.”

South Metropolitan Health Service Clinical Trials Coordinator Alana Mills said clinicians from both organisations had worked tirelessly to ensure Kalgoorlie patients would have access to the clinical trial.

“Our team is incredibly proud to bring STOPNET to the Goldfields,” Alana said.

“We’re committed to delivering safe, high‑quality, and well‑coordinated trial care locally, backed by the expertise of visiting specialists and WACHS Trial Centre staff.”

Following site activation and staff training earlier this year, the Kalgoorlie team is now fully equipped to welcome patients. This milestone marks a significant step forward in improving access to critical clinical trials, supporting Goldfields patients to participate closer to home.

For more information about clinical trials in COuntry WA, visit the WACHS Trial Centre.

The primary site for the trial is Fiona Stanley Hospital, with Dr Piyush Grover as Principal Investigator. The study is sponsored by the GI Cancer Trials.