Abstract
The SOCRATES HCC clinical trial is a randomized controlled study led by Professor Alan Wigg that investigates the efficacy of stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) compared to current standard-of-care treatments for early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a form of liver cancer. This trial is crucial for First Nations patients who face disproportionately rising rates of HCC yet remain underrepresented in mainstream clinical trials, resulting in a lack of data tailored to their unique needs.
Madison Shakespeare and Professor Wigg yarn about the critical challenges First Nations cancer patients encounter, including the historic harms related to clinical research and Western medicine. The yarn addresses how the SOCRATES trial centers on cultural safety, ethical practices, and accountability, aiming to redress these past injustices and foster trust within First Nations communities. This clinical trial exemplifies how culturally specific and responsive trial design can improve engagement, recruitment, and retention of Indigenous patients, ensuring equitable access to potentially life-saving treatments. The film offers valuable insight for researchers and healthcare clinicians committed to ethical, community-centered cancer research and treatment for Indigenous Australians.
Madison Shakespeare and Professor Wigg yarn about the critical challenges First Nations cancer patients encounter, including the historic harms related to clinical research and Western medicine. The yarn addresses how the SOCRATES trial centers on cultural safety, ethical practices, and accountability, aiming to redress these past injustices and foster trust within First Nations communities. This clinical trial exemplifies how culturally specific and responsive trial design can improve engagement, recruitment, and retention of Indigenous patients, ensuring equitable access to potentially life-saving treatments. The film offers valuable insight for researchers and healthcare clinicians committed to ethical, community-centered cancer research and treatment for Indigenous Australians.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Place of Publication | https://gicancer.org.au/resources/seedpod-of-yarns/yarns-for-first-nations-patients-kin-and-community/ |
| Publisher | GI Cancer Institute AGITG |
| Edition | 1 |
| Media of output | Film |
| Size | 6 min 48 sec |
| Publication status | Published - Mar 2025 |
Bibliographical note
This Non-Traditional Research Output (NTRO), created by Indigenous scholar Madison Shakespeare as part of the Seedpod of Yarns series, exemplifies a decolonising Indigenist research approach grounded in Indigenous methodologies such as yarning. The series amplifies the voices and perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by centering Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing. Through culturally safe and accessible audio-visual storytelling, it bridges Western medical science with Indigenous lived experience, fostering knowledge-sharing and cultural expression.In the context of liver cancer research, including the SOCRATES HCC clinical trial led by Professor Alan Wigg and coordinated by the Australasian Gastro-Intestinal Trials Group (AGITG), Shakespeare’s work plays a critical role in promoting culturally responsive and ethically sound translational medicine. The NTRO foregrounds Indigenous cultural protocols and accountability, addressing historic harms and fostering trust and engagement with First Nations communities traditionally underrepresented in clinical trials. By embedding Indigenous-centered principles, Seedpod of Yarns contributes to systemic change, advancing Indigenous self-determination and health equity in cancer care.
Research Statement
The SOCRATES HCC clinical trial, led by Professor Alan Wigg and coordinated by the Australasian Gastro-Intestinal Trials Group (AGITG), is a landmark multicentre, randomized controlled study evaluating the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) versus current standard-of-care therapies in patients with early-stage, inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Addressing the rapidly rising incidence and mortality of liver cancer, particularly among First Nations Australians, the trial fills a critical evidence gap by tailoring treatment options to this population’s unique needs.This Non-Traditional Research Output (NTRO), created by Indigenous scholar Madison Shakespeare as part of the Seedpod of Yarns series, underscores the transformative role of Indigenous-led creative practice in health research. Through culturally grounded, accessible audio-visual storytelling, the series bridges clinical science and Indigenous lived experience, providing rich insights into cancer treatment journeys for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The SOCRATES trial is situated within this broader Indigenous research paradigm, emphasizing culturally safe, ethical engagement to overcome historic underrepresentation and mistrust of clinical research by First Nations communities.
By embedding Indigenous perspectives and knowledge-sharing in its dissemination, this NTRO serves as a methodological innovation and advocacy tool that catalyzes systemic change in cancer care. Widely shared through digital health platforms, it contributes meaningfully to closing the health outcome gap and reshaping clinical trials and treatments for Indigenous Australians. Together, the SOCRATES HCC trial and Seedpod of Yarns embody a culturally responsive approach to translational medicine that advances equity, self-determination, and better health outcomes for Indigenous cancer patients.