Annual Report
2025
A better future for people with GI cancer
Since 1991, we have been committed to building a better future for people with gastro-intestinal (GI) cancer. Our diverse network of medical specialists, scientists, nurses, allied health professionals, and community advocates, work together to deliver clinical trials that lead to better treatments, improved quality of life, and longer survival.
Introducing our new name
At the 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM), we announced an important milestone in the history of the Australasian Gastro-Intestinal Trials Group (AGITG) – our new name GI Cancer Trials.
For over three decades, our clinical trials were conducted as AGITG. To support this work, the GI Cancer Institute was established as a public and fundraising arm in the early 2000s.
This dual branding caused confusion, duplicated effort and diluted recognition. By uniting under one clear and memorable identity, we have made it easier for partners, collaborators and the public to understand who we are and the vital role we play.
While our name has changed, what matters most has not: running vital trials for GI cancer patients and the incredible community of members who make this work possible. Together, we remain committed to driving progress for people living with GI cancer.
Recapping 2025
From our Chair,
Professor Lorraine Chantrill
2025 was a year of transformation and meaningful progress for our organisation – and one that positions us strongly for the decades ahead.
This year we launched our new vision: a better future for people with GI cancer. It is simple, clear and powerful – and it captures exactly what drives every decision we make, every trial we open, and every partnership we build. Paired with our new 2025–2030 strategy, our organisation has a compelling way forward. I am grateful to the Board, staff, members and community for the energy and insight that shaped both.
One of the most significant milestones of 2025 was the announcement of our new name: GI Cancer Trials. This rebrand clearly and confidently reflects who we are and what we do. After more than three decades operating under the AGITG name, the decision to adopt a name that speaks more directly to patients, partners and the public was not taken lightly. I am proud of the thoughtful process that led us here and know that this new clarity of purpose will strengthen our ability to attract supporters and partners for years to come.
Our research portfolio continued to grow in depth and reach in 2025, marked by the highest number of presentations at the world’s leading oncology conferences in our organisation’s history – including important findings from the ASCEND, INTEGRATE IIb and DYNAMIC-III studies. We opened vital new trials including MR STAR, Neo-POLEM and PemOla, and reached an extraordinary milestone: the enrolment of our 10,000th trial participant since our establishment in 1991.
Perhaps the most striking example of our research impact this year came from the TOPGEAR trial. The findings from this global study have helped change the international best practice guidelines, which could improve quality of life for thousands of people with stomach cancer by reducing unnecessary – and often harsh – treatment. This is exactly the kind of practice-changing research our organisation exists to deliver.
Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion remained a guiding principle throughout the year. The launch of Seedpod of Yarns – a video resource library created by Gadigal Traditional Owner Madison Shakespeare – and the continued expansion of our teletrial model are just two examples of how we work to ensure our research is increasingly accessible to all Australians and New Zealanders, regardless of where they live.
None of this is possible without the extraordinary generosity of our community of fundraisers, donors and partners. Events like the Kangaroo Island Gutsy Challenge, the Blue Mountains Gutsy Challenge, and the many golf days and galas held in honour of loved ones raised vital funds and remind us why this work matters so deeply to so many people.
In May 2026, my tenure as Chair will come to a close and I will hand over to Geoff Parnell. Geoff has generously contributed to our research since 2020, serving on both the Community Advisory Panel (CAP) and the Board, and he brings great experience and insight for this next chapter of the organisation.
As I prepare to hand over this role, I reflect with deep gratitude on the privilege of leading this organisation for the last six years. I have been inspired, time and again, by the commitment of our members, staff, donors and partners – and above all by the patients who place their trust in our trials.
We are grateful to you, and we are here for you.
Chair
From our Chief Executive Officer,
Joanne Cory
What a year 2025 has been. From a landmark rebrand to our 10,000th trial participant, this has been a year of milestones that reflect the incredible momentum of our organisation and the community behind it.
The year began with building our new five-year strategy. Every four to five years, we take the opportunity to step up out of the day-to-day detail and think boldly about where we are heading as an organisation.
Our strategic planning process brings together members, committee leaders, Board directors, and staff. Through collaboration and open conversation, we reflect on our progress, identify emerging opportunities, and shape the next phase of our organisation’s direction. The 2025–2030 strategy that emerged from this process is a clear and focused roadmap to strengthen our impact across the clinical trials ecosystem.
At its heart, the strategy sharpens our focus on what we do best: using our scale, our multidisciplinary nature, and our connections to run large, impactful trials and tackle the critical questions that only an independent, collaborative group like ours is uniquely positioned to lead.
We have already begun progressing several key priorities under the new strategy.
First, we are strengthening how we develop new trials by streamlining processes and introducing prioritisation earlier. This enables us to focus our resources on the studies with the greatest potential to secure funding and deliver meaningful clinical outcomes. The establishment of the Research Executive Committee (REC), formed by merging the Research Operations and Scientific Advisory Committees, reflects this focus on strategic leadership of our research.
Second, we invested further in our in-house trial coordination capabilities to improve efficiency and accelerate trial delivery. We welcomed five new Community Advisory Panel (CAP) members: Melissa Bodenham, Gemma Farquhar, Katrina Kendall, Nicole Kroesche and Nick Verry. This approach is already delivering results, with the STOPNET and Neo-POLEM trials now recruiting and fully funded through the Medical Research Future Fund and industry partnerships.
Third, we successfully launched our new organisational name, a significant milestone that reflects our strategic ambition to unify and strengthen our brand. Our new brand is modern, accessible and clear, and it opens doors to new audiences who might not previously have understood who we are or what we do. I am enormously proud of the team that brought this to life, and of the members and community who embraced it with such enthusiasm.
These three initiatives position us strongly for the future, as will the new initiatives to come during this strategic period. By strengthening our capabilities and deepening collaboration across our community, we are well placed to deliver meaningful outcomes for people affected by GI cancer.
I am deeply thankful to our members - the researchers, clinicians, nurses, allied health professionals and community members from across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand whose expertise and dedication drive our research forward. We are incredibly fortunate to bring together such a diverse and talented network, and it is a privilege to support them in conducting research that improve outcomes for people with GI cancer.
I am equally grateful to our staff, donors, and partners, and to our five new Community Advisory Panel (CAP) members: Gemma Farquhar, Katrina Kendall, Melissa Bodenham, Nick Verry and Nicole Kroesche. Our CAP is an essential voice in everything we do, bringing invaluable insight from lived experience with GI cancer.
Above all, I thank every patient who has placed their trust in our trials. You are why we are here, and your participation is what makes the difference.
I look forward to everything 2026 will bring as we continue to build on this strong and remarkable foundation.
Chief Executive Officer
2025 Highlights
2025 Reports
Everything we do is underpinned by our vision to create a better future for people with GI cancer.
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Events and educationconnect our members, attract new researchers and spark collaboration for new ideas.
Our collaborative network of people and partners enables progress in GI cancer research.
The GI cancer community of donors, supporters and advocates make new trials possible through fundraising.
Our research delivers innovative, practice-changing clinical trials that improve outcomes for people with GI cancer.