PURPLE Translational Registry

Institution: Walter and Eliza Hall Institute – WEHI

Chief Investigator: Dr Belinda Lee

Cancer type: Pancreatic

Study established: 2016 to current

About the research program

The PURPLE Translational Registry (Pancreatic cancer: Understanding Routine Practice and Lifting End results) is a first-of-its-kind translational registry – a powerful, integrated research tool that consolidates de-identified clinical and research data on a unique data-sharing platform enabling a diverse range of research activities. Established by clinicians and scientists at WEHI in October 2016, the PURPLE is a web-based registry collecting longitudinal data at more than 27 cancer centres in Australasia and holds a mature database with de-identified data on 1,762 cases so far.

The aims of the PURPLE Translational Registry are to:

Improve data sharing and collaboration across laboratories and cancer centres
- Provide a comprehensive information system
- Consolidate data and research in a unique translational registry platform
- Create a system that is efficient and scalable.

Current accrual far exceeds the initial projected expectation of data collection for 800 patients from 10 cancer centres over five years. The ongoing ability to accrue this volume of data demonstrates the recognition of the importance of this initiative and buy-in from all participating cancer centres.

The PURPLE translational registry is a strong framework for supporting clinical trials. This past year, 15 sites have joined the large randomised DYNAMIC-Pancreas trial, which is led by the team at WEHI (Gibbs Laboratory) in collaboration with the Johns Hopkins University (Vogelstein Laboratory). This trial is investigating the use of circulating tumour DNA after curative intent surgery to personalise individual patient’s adjuvant chemotherapy strategies. The trial is projected to complete accrual by 2022.

In the following presentation, Dr. Belinda Lee discusses why the PURPLE registry has been developed, the types of information being collated and how data collected will be used to assist with future diagnosis, treatment and service delivery.

Learn more :
> Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR)

Research progress and outcomes:
> PURPLE Translational Registry

Help fund research that seeks to discover new and specialised treatments for upper gastrointestinal cancers.