Translational & Clinical Research
Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) Thesis
Emergence and Margins in Head and Neck Cancer: A new understanding
Cancer has been widely accepted as a genetic disease. This thesis challenges this assumption and proposes that cancer be considered as an emergent complex system. A new framework for carcinogenesis and cancer progression is presented. This framework is applied to identify biological markers with the potential to predict recurrence in oral cancer. A simple dual staining technique is developed to test the identified biomarkers. The results support the use of these biomarkers as a predictor of recurrence over and above traditionally measured cancer clearance.
Research Grants & Clinical Trials
October 2020
Advancing Women in Healthcare Leadership
Grant:
NHMRC Partnership Projects
Funding:
Project Grant AUD 752,694
Principal Investigator:
Professor Helena Teede
Professor Helen Skouteris
A/Professor Jacqueline Boyd
Professor Kathleen Riach
Professor Caroline Homer
Professor Ian Mcloughlin
Professor Julian Smith
Professor Nickolajs Zeps
Principle Institution:
Monash University (VIC, Australia)
(continued.....)
October 2019
Nyxoah BETTER SLEEP Trial
Trial:
Nyxoah BETTER SLEEP Trial
Trial Summary:
The BETTER SLEEP trial was designed to assess the long-term safety and performance of the Genio® bilateral hypoglossal nerve stimulation system (the “Genio® system”) in 42 adult OSA patients with and without Complete Concentric Collapse (CCC) of the soft palate.
Role:
Primary Investigator and implant
surgeon for Monash University Site
Primary Investigators:
Principle Institution:
Monash University (VIC, Australia)
April 2015
Blood serum micro RNA biomarkers for detection of oropharyngeal cancer
Grant:
Garnett Passe and Rodney Williams Memorial Foundation Conjoint Grant
Funding:
Project Grant AUD 371,375
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Eng Ooi,
Dr. Damian Hussey
Principle Institution:
Flinders Medical Centre (SA, Australia)
Co-investigators:
Dr. Elizabeth Sigston
Secondary Institutions:
Monash Health (VIC, Australia)
October 2020 (..continued)
Advancing Women in Healthcare Leadership
(continued)
Associate-investigators:
A/Professor Elizabeth Sigston
Professor Lee Boyd
Dr Anju Joham
Professor Bernard Crump
Dr Anjali Dhulia
Ms Ann Maree Keenan
Professor Jacinta Elston
Dr Christine Lai
Ms Tanya Duffy
Dr Rosalie Grivell
Major Partners:
Monash Health (VIC, Australia)
Epworth
Impact Partners:
Cabrini Health
Australian College of Nursing
AMA
Eastern Health
December 2018
3D Printing for Reconstruction in Head & Neck Cancer
Grant:
Garnett Passe and Rodney Williams Memorial Foundation Conjoint Grant
Funding:
Project Grant AUD 374,500
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Elizabeth Sigston,
Dr. Andrey Molotnikov
Principle Institution:
Monash University (VIC, Australia)
Co-investigators:
Professor Laurence Meagher,
Professor Chris Davies,
Mr Felix Sim
Secondary Institutions:
Monash Health (VIC, Australia)
March 2011
The Role of Laminin γ2 in oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma as a prognostic marker, Laminin γ2 Serum levels as a measure of effective treatment of oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma
Grant:
Victorian Cancer Agency Fellowship Grant*
Funding:
Fellowship and Project Grant AUD 300,000
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Elizabeth Sigston
Principle Institution:
Monash Health (VIC, Australia)
Co-investigators:
Dr. Neil Watkins,
Dr. Ben Solomon
Secondary Institutions:
Monash Institute of Medical Research (MIMR), Monash University (VIC, Australia)
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre (VIC, Australia)
*Grant declined due to support issues at Monash Health & personal circumstances
January 2020
Validation of p63/vimentin co-staining to predict recurrence in HNSCC
Grant:
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Small Project Grant
Funding:
Project Grant AUD 10,000
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Elizabeth Sigston,
Principle Institution:
Monash University (VIC, Australia)
Co-investigators:
Megan Blom
Secondary Institutions:
Monash Health (VIC, Australia)
January 2016
3D Printing for Reconstruction in Head & Neck Cancer
Grant:
MIME Seed Funding: Monash Institute Of Medical Engineering (MIME)
Funding:
Project Grant AUD 50000
PhD Student Scholarship AUD 90000 (30000 x 3 years)
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Elizabeth Sigston,
Dr. Andrey Molotnikov
Principle Institution:
Monash University
Co-investigators:
Professor George Simon,
Professor Nick Birbilis,
Professor Xinhua Wu,
Professor Chris Davies
Secondary Institutions:
Monash Health (VIC, Australia)
April 2007
Emergence and Margins in Head and Neck Cancer: An Emergence Framework for Carcinogenesis and its Application in Translational Research
Grant:
Garnett Passe and Rodney Williams Memorial Foundation Project Grant
Funding:
Project Grant AUD 258,309
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Elizabeth Sigston,
Principle Institution:
Department of Molecular and Translational Sciences, Monash University (VIC, Australia)
Co-investigators:
Professor Bryan Williams
Secondary Institutions:
Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Monash University (VIC, Australia)
Department of Surgery, School
of Clinical Sciences at Monash
Health, Monash University (VIC, Australia)
Monash Health (VIC, Australia)
Publications
Elizabeth A W Sigston, Bryan R G Williams: An Emergence Framework for carcinogenesis. Frontiers Of Oncology 09/2017; DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2017.00198
Reads: 8,000 + Downloads: 1,000 + Citations: 22
Elizabeth Sigston, Erwan de Mones, Emmanuel Babin, Stéphane Hans, Dana M Hartl, Philippe Clement, Daniel F Brasnu: Early-Stage Glottic Cancer: Oncological Results and Margins in Laser Cordectomy. Archives of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery 03/2006; 132(2)., DOI:10.1001/archotol.132.2.147
Citations: 147
E Babin, E Sigston, M Hitier, D Dehesdin, J P Marie, O Choussy: Quality of life in head and neck cancers patients: Predictive factors, functional and psychosocial outcome. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2008 Mar;265(3):265-70. DOI:10.1007/s00405-007-0561-0
Citations: 120
Annette M Lim, Hongdo Do, Richard J Young, Stephen Q Wong, Christopher Angel, Marnie Collins, Elena A Takano, June Corry, David Wiesenfeld, Stephen Kleid, Elizabeth Sigston, Bernard Lyons, Stephen B Fox, Danny Rischin, Alexander Dobrovic, Benjamin Solomon: Differential mechanisms of CDKN2A (p16) alteration in oral tongue squamous cell carcinomas and correlation with patient outcome. International Journal of Cancer 08/2014; 135(4). DOI:10.1002/ijc.28727
Citations: 60
Ali A Arabi Mianroodi, Elizabeth A Sigston, Neil A Vallance: Frozen section for parotid surgery: Should it become routine?. ANZ Journal of Surgery 09/2006; 76(8)., DOI:10.1111/j.1445-2197.2006.03844.x
Citations: 43
Erin G. Brodie, Kye J. Robinson, Elizabeth Sigston, Andrey Molotnikov, Jessica E. Frith: Osteogenic Potential of Additively Manufactured TiTa Alloys. ACS Applied Bio Materials. 2021; 4(1): 1003-14. DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.0c01450
Reads: 9,000 + Citations: 2
G. C. Mayne, C. M. Woods, N. Dharmawardana, T. Wang, S. Krishnan, J. C. Hodge, A. Foreman, S. Boase, A. S. Carney, E. A. W. Sigston, D. I. Watson, E. H. Ooi, D. J. Hussey: Cross validated serum small extracellular vesicle microRNAs for the detection of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma J Transl Med. 2020; 18(1): 280. DOI: 10.1186/s12967-020-02446-1
Citations: 2
Rebecca S M Lim, Shakher Ramdave, Paul Beech, Baki Billah, Md Nazmul Karim, Julian A Smith, Adnan Safdar, Elizabeth Sigston: Utility of SUVmax on F-FDG PET in detecting cervical nodal metastases. Cancer imaging : the official publication of the International Cancer Imaging Society 11/2016; 16(1)., DOI:10.1186/s40644-016-0095-z
Citations: 12
R S Lim, L Evans, A P George, N de Alwis, P Stimpson, S Merriel, C E B Giddings, B Billah, J A Smith, A Safdar, E Sigston: Do demographics and tumour-related factors affect nodal yield at neck dissection? A retrospective cohort study. The Journal of Laryngology & Otology 10/2016; DOI:10.1017/S0022215116009208
Citations: 2
Elizabeth A W Sigston, Anthony Longano, Aneta T Strzelecki, Bryan R G Williams: Surgical margins in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: Effect of heat artifact on immunohistochemistry as a future tool for assessment. Head & Neck 04/2016; DOI:10.1002/hed.24450
Citations: 2
Annette M Lim, Ida Lm Candiloro, Nicholas Wong, Marnie Collins, Hongdo Do, Elena A Takano, Christopher Angel, Richard J Young, June Corry, David Wiesenfeld, Stephen Kleid, Elizabeth Sigston, Bernard Lyons, Danny Rischin, Benjamin Solomon, Alexander Dobrovic: Quantitative methodology is critical for assessing DNA methylation and impacts on correlation with patient outcome. Clin Epigenetics 12/2014; 6(1)., DOI:10.1186/1868-7083-6-22
Citations: 19
Rebecca Sin Mei Lim, Sam Flatman, Elizabeth Sigston, Anthony Longano: Lipoblastoma: An interesting differential of paediatric lipoma. ANZ Journal of Surgery 10/2013; 84(5)., DOI:10.1111/ans.12238
Citations: 6
Annette M Lim, Hongdo Do, Richard J Young, Stephen Q Wong, Christopher Angel, Marnie Collins, Elena A Takano, June Corry, David Wiesenfeld, Stephen Kleid, Elizabeth Sigston, Bernard Lyons, Stephen B Fox, Danny Rischin, Alexander Dobrovic, Benjamin Solomon: Characterization of the differential mechanisms of CDKN2A (p16) inactivation in oral tongue squamous cell carcinomas and correlation with patient outcome. Cancer Research 04/2013; 73(8) (Supplement), DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-4693
Citations: 1
Richard J Young, Annette M Lim, Christopher Angel, Marnie Collins, Siddhartha Deb, June Corry, David Wiesenfeld, Stephen Kleid, Elizabeth Sigston, Bernard Lyons, Prudence A Russell, Gavin Wright, Grant A McArthur, Stephen B Fox, Danny Rischin, Benjamin Solomon: Frequency of Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 1 gene amplification in oral tongue squamous cell carcinomas and associations with clinical features and patient outcome. Oral Oncology 02/2013; 49(6)., DOI:10.1016/j.oraloncology.2013.01.006
Citations: 33
Truong An Pham, Yi Zhao, Elizabeth Sigston: Schwannoma of the Palatine Tonsil: A Rare Entity in an Eight Year Old Girl. 01/2013; 02(02)., DOI:10.4172/2324-9110.1000107
Citations: 1
Truong An Pham, Ryan De Freitas, Elizabeth Sigston, Neil Vallance: Factors leading to the use of alternate treatment modalities following transoral laser excision of T1 and T2 glottic squamous cell carcinoma. ANZ Journal of Surgery 08/2012; 82(10)., DOI:10.1111/j.1445-2197.2012.06138.x
Citations: 12
Mateya E Trinkaus, Andrew Coleman, Ieta D'Costa, Elizabeth Sigston, Danny Rischin: Recurrent intestinal type sinonasal adenocarcinoma treated with FOLFOX6 chemotherapy: Case report and review of literature. International Journal of Case Reports and Images 2012;3(8):17–20. DOI:10.5348/ijcri-2012-08-158-CR-5
Citations: 1
Ronald Chin, Phoebe Roche, Elizabeth Sigston, Neil Valance: Malignant otitis externa: An Australian case series. The surgeon: journal of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons of Edinburgh and Ireland 10/2011; 10(5)., DOI:10.1016/j.surge.2011.09.004
Citations: 17
Jason A Roth, Elizabeth Sigston, Neil Vallance: Endoscopic stapling of pharyngeal pouch: A 10-year review of single versus multiple staple rows. Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery 02/2009; 140(2)., DOI:10.1016/j.otohns.2008.10.035
Citations: 19
Philippe Clément, Stéphane Hans, Erwan de M: Dilatation for Assisted Ventilation‐Induced Laryngotracheal Stenosis. The Laryngoscope ones, Elizabeth Sigston, Ollivier Laccourreye, Daniel Brasnu: Dilatation for Assisted Ventilation‐Induced Laryngotracheal Stenosis. The Laryngoscope 10/2005; 115(9)., DOI:10.1097/01.mlg.0000172040.02154.00
Citations: 28
E Babin, E Sigston, J-Y Bigeon, M-A Doppia, E Edy: How we do it: management of tracheobronchial foreign bodies in children. Clinical Otolaryngology 01/2005; 29(6)., DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2273.2004.00921.x115(9)., DOI:10.1097/01.mlg.0000172040.02154.00
Citations: 22
Elizabeth A.W. Sigston, Claire E Iseli, Tim A Iseli: Concha bullosa: Reducing middle meatal adhesions by preserving the lateral mucosa as a posterior pedicle flap. The Journal of Laryngology & Otology 11/2004; 118(10)., DOI:10.1258/0022215042450814
Citations: 18
Michael P Colreavy, Elizabeth Sigston, Peter D Lacy, Gnaneswary S Balasubramaniam, Bernard M Lyons: Post-nasal space oncocytoma: A different approach to a rare tumour. The Journal of Laryngology & Otology 02/2001; 115(1)., DOI:10.1258/0022215011906812
Citations: 9