Primitive single-celled organisms had patches of photoreceptor proteins to detect light. The first eyes, developed over 550 million years ago, are now the second most complex organ after the brain, with over two million working parts and more than a million nerve fibres connecting each eye to the brain via the optic nerves.

Clinical problems related to the integument are very common and contribute up to 15% of all general practitioner presentations. Humans are predisposed to a multitude of skin diseases ranging from acne and atopic dermatitis to psoriasis, autoimmune diseases such as SLE, vasculitis, skin cancers, viral exanthems, drug eruptions and external manifestations of internal disease - which in the gastroenterology world have erythema nodosum and pyoderma gangrenosum as interesting examples of these.

Clinical problems related to the integument are very common and contribute up to 15% of all general practitioner presentations. Humans are predisposed to a multitude of skin diseases ranging from acne and atopic dermatitis to psoriasis, autoimmune diseases such as SLE, vasculitis, skin cancers, viral exanthems, drug eruptions and external manifestations of internal disease - which in the gastroenterology world have erythema nodosum and pyoderma gangrenosum as interesting examples of these.

Over the past decade there has been an emergence of literature pointing to potential clinical benefits for a range of disease states through the adoption of slow breathing techniques. The popularity worldwide of the Wim Hof method adopted from eastern techniques has done much to pique interest.

Over the past decade there has been an emergence of literature pointing to potential clinical benefits for a range of disease states through the adoption of slow breathing techniques. The popularity worldwide of the Wim Hof method adopted from eastern techniques has done much to pique interest. 

The illnesses and medical conditions that early colonial Australians faced has interested me for some time and after hearing a very interesting radio conversation with historian and constitutional lawyer Professor Chris Reynolds I was honoured to have him join our conversation exploring this subject further.

Chris has completed an excellent history of early colonised Australia called What a Capital Idea - Australia 1770-1901 available from Reynolds publishing (link in the show notes below). What a Capital Idea is essential reading for anyone interested in this period of Australian settlement, carefully researched, and written in colourful prose it affords an intimate familiarity with many famous characters, explorers, and events over those years.

The illnesses and medical conditions that early colonial Australians faced has interested me for some time and after hearing a very interesting radio conversation with historian and constitutional lawyer Professor Chris Reynolds I was honoured to have him join our conversation exploring this subject further.

Chris has completed an excellent history of early colonised Australia called What a Capital Idea - Australia 1770-1901 available from Reynolds publishing (link in the show notes below). What a Capital Idea is essential reading for anyone interested in this period of Australian settlement, carefully researched, and written in colourful prose it affords an intimate familiarity with many famous characters, explorers, and events over those years.

Leukemias are malignant progressive disease in which the bone marrow and other blood-forming organs produce increased numbers of immature or abnormal leucocytes. This is thought to occur after somatically acquired genetic mutations lead to dysregulation and clonal expansion of progenitor cells. Whilst most leukemias involve white blood cells, occasionally other cells are the primary leukemia cells such as red blood cells or platelets.  

As disease progression occurs, suppression of normal blood cell production leads to anemia and cytopenia with a host of attendant symptoms and clinical consequences.  

There are 14 new diagnoses of Leukaemia per day in Australia accounting for about 5200 diagnoses yearly and making up about 3.2 % of all new cancer diagnoses per year. Leukaemia is responsible for over 2100 deaths annually.  Men are slightly more likely to be affected in a 60: 40 split with women. By the age of 85 years, one has a 1: 50 chance of this diagnosis. With current treatment approaches overall 5-year survival sits at about 64 % but this figure is influenced by the subtype of Leukaemia diagnosed with aggressive forms of Leukaemia such as AML carrying a much worse prognosis than a diagnosis such as CLL which may run an indolent course for many years. 

Dividing adult Leukaemia into acute and chronic classification is most helpful and this podcast will approach the topic similarly over two episodes. 

The acute Leukaemias encompass acute myeloid leukemia (30 % of adult Leukaemia), acute lymphoblastic Leukaemia and Leukaemia's of ambiguous origin. 

The chronic Leukaemias include Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML) and Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) 

This is another vast subject, and it was a real honour to invite Professor Jake Shortt to the podcast. Jake is the Head of Haematology Research at the School of Clinical Sciences and clinical lead at Monash Haematology for Myeloid Leukaemia, myelodysplasia and T-cell lymphoma. He is the Principal Investigator on a range of clinical trials for T-cell lymphoma and myeloid malignancies, conducted through the Monash Haematology clinical trials unit and the recipient of a Medical Research Future Fund Career Development Fellowship. His work in the School of Clinical Sciences is focused on strategies incorporating epigenetic drugs with immunotherapy in haematological cancers, particularly Lymphoma and Multiple Myeloma. Jake heads the Blood Cancer Therapeutics laboratory within the Monash Health Translation Precinct and somehow also finds the time to be Chair of the Laboratory Sciences Working Party of the Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group (ALLG) and Deputy Chair of their Scientific Advisory Committee.  

Please welcome Professor Jake Shortt to the podcast. 

References :  

Haematology and Oncology Subspecialty Consult, 4th Ed, Cashen and Van Tine, Wolters Kluwer, Ch 31 

⁠www.leukaemia⁠.org.au 

www.cancer.org.au 

www.monashhealth.org/services/haematology/jake-shortt/