Overview
Background
Dr. Lachlan McDowell (B.App.Sc, MB BS, FRANZCR, PhD) is a radiation oncologist and clinical researcher specializing in head and neck cancer (HNC), with a focus on human papillomavirus-associated oropharyngeal cancer (HPV-OPC). His work combines clinical expertise with innovative research to improve patient outcomes and quality of life.
Dr. Lachlan McDowell's research addresses critical aspects of HNC including:
- Identifying latent patterns of quality of life in cancer survivors
- Understanding the differing impacts of different radiation treatments
- Understanding and quantifying unmet needs in HNC survivors, including sexual health, emotional distress, fear of cancer recurrence and return to work
He completed his PhD at the University of Melbourne in 2024 with a Dean’s Research Award.
A significant part of his academic contributions comes from secondary analyses of clinical trials, such as TROG 12.01, which provide valuable insights into the evolving management of HPV-OPC cancers. Dr. McDowell also collaborates internationally and has developed an emerging global profile in head and neck oncology through his editorial roles and positions in the Trans Tasman Radiation Oncology Group (TROG) and the Head and Neck Cancer International Group (HNCIG)
Keywords: head and neck cancer, HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer, radiation oncology, survivorship, quality of life, sexual health, TROG, clinical trials.
Availability
- Dr Lachlan McDowell is:
- Available for supervision
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy of Oncology, University of Melbourne
Works
Search Professor Lachlan McDowell’s works on UQ eSpace
2024
Journal Article
Assessment of endpoint definitions in curative-intenttrials for mucosal head and neck squamous cell carcinomas: Head and Neck Cancer International Group consensus recommendations
Lim, Annette M., McDowell, Lachlan, Hurt, Chris, Le Tourneau, Christophe, Homma, Akihiro, Shenouda, George, Thomson, David J., Moya-Plana, Antoine, Henson, Christina, Szturz, Petr, Day, Andrew, Bates, James E., Lazarakis, Smaro, Thariat, Juliette, Psyrri, Amanda, Mehanna, Hisham, Yom, Sue S. and HNCIG, on behalf of the (2024). Assessment of endpoint definitions in curative-intenttrials for mucosal head and neck squamous cell carcinomas: Head and Neck Cancer International Group consensus recommendations. Lancet Oncology, 25 (7), e318-e330.
2024
Journal Article
Assessment of endpoint definitions in curative-intent trials for mucosal head and neck squamous cell carcinomas: Head and Neck Cancer International Group consensus recommendations
Lim, Annette M, McDowell, Lachlan, Hurt, Chris, Le Tourneau, Christophe, Homma, Akihiro, Shenouda, George, Thomson, David J, Moya-Plana, Antoine, Henson, Christina, Szturz, Petr, Day, Andrew T, Bates, James E, Lazarakis, Smaro, Thariat, Juliette, Psyrri, Amanda, Mehanna, Hisham and Yom, Sue S (2024). Assessment of endpoint definitions in curative-intent trials for mucosal head and neck squamous cell carcinomas: Head and Neck Cancer International Group consensus recommendations. The Lancet Oncology, 25 (7), e318-e330. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(24)00067-6
2024
Journal Article
Essential data variables for a minimum dataset for head and neck cancer trials and clinical research: HNCIG consensus recommendations and database
Baliga, Sujith, Abou-Foul, Ahmad K., Parente, Pablo, Szturz, Petr, Thariat, Juliette, Shreenivas, Aditya, Nankivell, Paul, Bertolini, Federica, Biau, Julian, Blakaj, Dukagjin, Brennan, Sinead, Brunet, Aina, De Oliveira, Thiago Bueno, Burtness, Barbara, Maseda, Alberto Carral, Chow, Velda Ling-Yu, Chua, Melvin LK, de Ridder, Mischa, Garikipati, Satya, Hanai, Nobuhiro, Ho, Francis Cho Hao, Huang, Shao Hui, Kiyota, Naomi, Klinghammer, Konrad, Kowalski, Luiz P., Kwong, Dora L, McDowell, Lachlan J, Merlano, Marco Carlo, Nair, Sudhir ... Mehanna, Hisham (2024). Essential data variables for a minimum dataset for head and neck cancer trials and clinical research: HNCIG consensus recommendations and database. European Journal of Cancer, 203 114038, 114038. doi: 10.1016/j.ejca.2024.114038
2024
Journal Article
Carotid artery stenosis and ischemic stroke in patients with head and neck cancer treated with radiotherapy: a critical review
Smith, Justin, Margalit, Danielle, Golledge, Jonathan, Nastasi, Domenico, Nohria, Anju and McDowell, Lachlan (2024). Carotid artery stenosis and ischemic stroke in patients with head and neck cancer treated with radiotherapy: a critical review. International Journal of Radiation: Oncology - Biology - Physics, 119 (5), 1437-1454. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2024.03.044
2024
Journal Article
A Longitudinal Study Evaluating Sexual Health Outcomes and Prioritization in Patients Undergoing Chemoradiation for Human Papillomavirus-Associated Oropharyngeal Cancer
McDowell, Lachlan, Gough, Karla, Fua, Tsien, Coleman, Andrew, Drosdowsky, Allison, Rischin, Danny and Corry, June (2024). A Longitudinal Study Evaluating Sexual Health Outcomes and Prioritization in Patients Undergoing Chemoradiation for Human Papillomavirus-Associated Oropharyngeal Cancer. International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, 118 (4), 1018-1028. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2023.10.006
2024
Journal Article
Radiotherapy quality assurance in the TROG 12.01 randomised trial and its impact on loco-regional failure
Corry, June, Moore, Alisha, Kenny, Liz, Wratten, Chris, Fua, Tsien, Lin, Charles, Porceddu, Sandro, Liu, Chen, Ruemelin, Michael, Sharkey, Amy, Mcdowell, Lachlan, Wilkinson, Dean, Tiong, Albert and Rischin, Danny (2024). Radiotherapy quality assurance in the TROG 12.01 randomised trial and its impact on loco-regional failure. Frontiers in Oncology, 13 1333098, 1333098. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1333098
2023
Journal Article
Comprehensive profiling identifies tumour and immune microenvironmental differences in clinical subsets of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma
Thai, Alesha A, Young, Richard J, Bressel, Mathias, Angel, Christopher, McDowell, Lachlan, Tiong, Albert, Bucknell, Nicholas W, Fellowes, Andrew, Xu, Huiling, Trigos, Anna, Rischin, Danny and Solomon, Benjamin J (2023). Comprehensive profiling identifies tumour and immune microenvironmental differences in clinical subsets of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. British Journal of Dermatology, 189 (5), 588-602. doi: 10.1093/bjd/ljad250
2023
Journal Article
Patient-Reported Symptom Severity, Health-Related Quality of Life, and Emotional Distress Trajectories During and After Radiation Therapy for Human Papillomavirus–Associated Oropharyngeal Cancer: A TROG 12.01 Secondary Analysis
McDowell, Lachlan, Bressel, Mathias, King, Madeleine T., Corry, June, Kenny, Lizbeth, Porceddu, Sandro, Wratten, Christopher, Macann, Andrew, Jackson, James E. and Rischin, Danny (2023). Patient-Reported Symptom Severity, Health-Related Quality of Life, and Emotional Distress Trajectories During and After Radiation Therapy for Human Papillomavirus–Associated Oropharyngeal Cancer: A TROG 12.01 Secondary Analysis. International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics, 116 (5), 1110-1125. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2023.02.041
2023
Journal Article
Return to work in head and neck cancer survivors: a systematic review
Zecena Morales, Claudia, Lisy, Karolina, McDowell, Lachlan, Piper, Amanda and Jefford, Michael (2023). Return to work in head and neck cancer survivors: a systematic review. Journal of Cancer Survivorship, 17 (2), 468-483. doi: 10.1007/s11764-022-01298-6
2023
Journal Article
Diagnostic challenges and prognostic implications of extranodal extension in head and neck cancer: a state of the art review and gap analysis
Henson, Christina E., Abou-Foul, Ahmad K., Morton, Daniel J., McDowell, Lachlan, Baliga, Sujith, Bates, James, Lee, Anna, Bonomo, Pierluigi, Szturz, Petr, Nankivell, Paul, Huang, Shao Hui, Lydiatt, William M., O’Sullivan, Brian and Mehanna, Hisham (2023). Diagnostic challenges and prognostic implications of extranodal extension in head and neck cancer: a state of the art review and gap analysis. Frontiers in Oncology, 13 1263347, 13. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1263347
2023
Journal Article
Treatment outcomes of standard (high dose) cisplatin and non-standard chemotherapy for locally advanced head and neck cancer
Alamgeer, Muhammad, Coleman, Andrew, McDowell, Lachlan, Giddings, Charles, Safdar, Adnan, Sigston, Elizabeth, Wang, Yang and Subramaniam, Ashwin (2023). Treatment outcomes of standard (high dose) cisplatin and non-standard chemotherapy for locally advanced head and neck cancer. Cancer Reports, 6 (1) e1674, 1. doi: 10.1002/cnr2.1674
2023
Journal Article
A change in surgical margin: do wider surgical margins lead to decreased rates of local recurrence in T1 and T2 oral tongue cancer?
Daniell, J. R., Rowe, D., Wiesenfeld, D., McDowell, L., Hall, K. A., Nastri, A., Iseli, T. A. and Wong, T. (2023). A change in surgical margin: do wider surgical margins lead to decreased rates of local recurrence in T1 and T2 oral tongue cancer?. International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 52 (1), 19-25. doi: 10.1016/j.ijom.2022.04.008
2022
Journal Article
Study protocol for the evaluation of Fear-Less: a stepped-care program for fear of cancer recurrence in survivors with early-stage disease
Tran, Mei Jun, Jefford, Michael, Smith, Ben, Lynch, Fiona, Dhillon, Haryana M., Shaw, Joanne, McDowell, Lachlan, White, Alan, Halloran, Clare, Wiesenfeld, David and Ftanou, Maria (2022). Study protocol for the evaluation of Fear-Less: a stepped-care program for fear of cancer recurrence in survivors with early-stage disease. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 8 (1) 177, 1. doi: 10.1186/s40814-022-01123-y
2022
Journal Article
The impact of travel distance to treatment centre on oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma survival and recurrence
Daniell, J. R., Dolja-Gore, X., McDowell, L., Udovicich, C., Rowe, D., Iseli, T. A., Wong, T., Magarey, M. J.R. and Wiesenfeld, D. (2022). The impact of travel distance to treatment centre on oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma survival and recurrence. International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 51 (7), 854-861. doi: 10.1016/j.ijom.2021.08.026
2022
Journal Article
A Bit More Here and a Little Less There: The Trials (and Tribulations) of Adjuvant and Neoadjuvant Head and Neck Studies in 2021
McDowell, Lachlan, Chua, Melvin L.K., Beadle, Beth M., Ma, Daniel J., Mierzwa, Michelle, Thomson, David J. and Margalit, Danielle N. (2022). A Bit More Here and a Little Less There: The Trials (and Tribulations) of Adjuvant and Neoadjuvant Head and Neck Studies in 2021. International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics, 113 (2), 243-251. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2022.02.016
2022
Journal Article
The Burning Question: Prophylactic Gabapentin for Mucositis-Related Pain in Patients Undergoing Chemoradiation Therapy for Head and Neck Cancer?
McDowell, Lachlan and Bossi, Paolo (2022). The Burning Question: Prophylactic Gabapentin for Mucositis-Related Pain in Patients Undergoing Chemoradiation Therapy for Head and Neck Cancer?. International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics, 112 (4), 938-941. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2021.12.004
2022
Journal Article
Health-Related Quality of Life, Psychosocial Distress and Unmet Needs in Older Patients With Head and Neck Cancer
McDowell, Lachlan, Rischin, Danny, Gough, Karla and Henson, Christina (2022). Health-Related Quality of Life, Psychosocial Distress and Unmet Needs in Older Patients With Head and Neck Cancer. Frontiers in Oncology, 12 834068. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2022.834068
2022
Journal Article
Transoral Surgery and Deintensified Adjuvant Therapy: Another Step in Determining Its Role in the Management of Human Papillomavirus Oropharyngeal Cancer
McDowell, Lachlan, Magarey, Matthew J.R. and Rischin, Danny (2022). Transoral Surgery and Deintensified Adjuvant Therapy: Another Step in Determining Its Role in the Management of Human Papillomavirus Oropharyngeal Cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 40 (2), 114-117. doi: 10.1200/JCO.21.02364
2022
Journal Article
Patient- and Clinician-Reported Outcomes in Human Papillomavirus-Associated Tonsillar Carcinoma Treated With Unilateral and Bilateral Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy–A Substudy From TROG12.01
McDowell, Lachlan, Rischin, Danny, King, Madeleine, Kenny, Lizbeth, Porceddu, Sandro, Wratten, Christopher, Macann, Andrew, Jackson, James E., Bressel, Mathias, Fua, Tsien, Lin, Charles, Liu, Chen and Corry, June (2022). Patient- and Clinician-Reported Outcomes in Human Papillomavirus-Associated Tonsillar Carcinoma Treated With Unilateral and Bilateral Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy–A Substudy From TROG12.01. International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics, 115 (1), 174-188. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2022.08.006
2021
Journal Article
Fear of Cancer Recurrence in Survivors of Human Papillomavirus–Associated Oropharyngeal Carcinoma
Casswell, Georgina, Gough, Karla, Drosdowsky, Allison, Bressel, Mathias, Coleman, Andrew, Shrestha, Sudi, D'Costa, Ieta, Fua, Tsien, Tiong, Albert, Liu, Chen, Rischin, Danny and McDowell, Lachlan (2021). Fear of Cancer Recurrence in Survivors of Human Papillomavirus–Associated Oropharyngeal Carcinoma. International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics, 111 (4), 890-899. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2021.07.006
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Lachlan McDowell is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Master Philosophy
PET images as predictor of outcome following Radiotherapy
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Lena Oestreich
Media
Enquiries
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