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
2023
Journal Article
The Interplay Between Radiation Dose, Volume, and Systemic Therapy
Thomson, David J., Henson, Christina, Huang, Shao Hui, McDowell, Lachlan J., Mierzwa, Michelle, Wilke, Christopher and Margalit, Danielle N. (2023). The Interplay Between Radiation Dose, Volume, and Systemic Therapy. International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics, 116 (5), 967-971. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2023.02.047
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
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. 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, 1-10. 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, 1-32. 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
2021
Journal Article
Randomized trial of radiation therapy with weekly cisplatin or cetuximab in low-risk HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer (TROG 12.01) – A Trans-Tasman Radiation Oncology Group Study
Rischin, Danny, King, Madeleine, Kenny, Lizbeth, Porceddu, Sandro, Wratten, Christopher, Macann, Andrew, Jackson, James E., Bressel, Mathias, Herschtal, Alan, Fisher, Richard, Fua, Tsien, Lin, Charles, Liu, Chen, Hughes, Brett G.M., McGrath, Margaret, McDowell, Lachlan and Corry, June (2021). Randomized trial of radiation therapy with weekly cisplatin or cetuximab in low-risk HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer (TROG 12.01) – A Trans-Tasman Radiation Oncology Group Study. International Journal of Radiation: Oncology - Biology - Physics, 111 (4), 876-886. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2021.04.015
2021
Journal Article
Radiation Recall Phenomenon Following COVID-19 Vaccination
Stewart, Rachel and McDowell, Lachlan (2021). Radiation Recall Phenomenon Following COVID-19 Vaccination. International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics, 111 (3), 835-836. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2021.06.023
2021
Journal Article
Symptom burden, quality of life, functioning and emotional distress in survivors of human papillomavirus associated oropharyngeal cancer: an Australian cohort
McDowell, Lachlan, Casswell, Georgina, Bressel, Mathias, Drosdowsky, Allison, Rischin, Danny, Coleman, Andrew, Shrestha, Sudichhya, D'Costa, Ieta, Fua, Tsien, Tiong, Albert, Liu, Chen and Gough, Karla (2021). Symptom burden, quality of life, functioning and emotional distress in survivors of human papillomavirus associated oropharyngeal cancer: an Australian cohort. Oral Oncology, 122 105560, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2021.105560
2021
Journal Article
In the Hot Seat
McDowell, Lachlan J. (2021). In the Hot Seat. International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics, 111 (2), 307-308. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2018.02.163
2021
Journal Article
Regarding “Comparing unilateral vs. bilateral neck management in lateralized oropharyngeal cancer between surgical and radiation oncologists: An international practice pattern survey” – Intra- and inter-specialty variability and the underutilisation of unilateral radiotherapy as treatment de-intensification
McDowell, Lachlan and Corry, June (2021). Regarding “Comparing unilateral vs. bilateral neck management in lateralized oropharyngeal cancer between surgical and radiation oncologists: An international practice pattern survey” – Intra- and inter-specialty variability and the underutilisation of unilateral radiotherapy as treatment de-intensification. Oral Oncology, 119 105248, 105248. doi: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2021.105248
2021
Journal Article
Patient-reported quality of life and symptom burden measures in human papillomavirus associated oropharyngeal cancer – a review of the literature and PRO methodology
McDowell, Lachlan, Gough, Karla, King, Madeleine, Corry, June and Rischin, Danny (2021). Patient-reported quality of life and symptom burden measures in human papillomavirus associated oropharyngeal cancer – a review of the literature and PRO methodology. Oral Oncology, 118 105309, 1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2021.105309
2021
Journal Article
Recommendations for postoperative radiotherapy in head & neck squamous cell carcinoma in the presence of flaps: a GORTEC internationally-reviewed HNCIG-endorsed consensus
Carsuzaa, Florent, Lapeyre, Michel, Gregoire, Vincent, Maingon, Philippe, Beddok, Arnaud, Marcy, Pierre-Yves, Salleron, Julia, Coutte, Alexandre, Racadot, Severine, Pointreau, Yoann, Graff, Pierre, Beadle, Beth, Benezery, Karen, Biau, Julian, Calugaru, Valentin, Castelli, Joel, Chua, Melvin, Di Rito, Alessia, Dore, Melanie, Ghadjar, Pirus, Huguet, Florence, Jardel, Pauline, Johansen, Jorgen, Kimple, Randall, Krengli, Marco, Laskar, Sarbani, Mcdowell, Lachlan, Nichols, Anthony, tribius, Silke ... Thariat, Juliette (2021). Recommendations for postoperative radiotherapy in head & neck squamous cell carcinoma in the presence of flaps: a GORTEC internationally-reviewed HNCIG-endorsed consensus. Radiotherapy and Oncology, 160, 140-147. doi: 10.1016/j.radonc.2021.04.026
2021
Journal Article
Contralateral neck failure in oral tongue cancer: outcomes from two centers using predefined treatment criteria
Udovicich, Cristian, Daniell, James, Wiesenfeld, David, Bressel, Mathias, Rowe, David, Vital, Domenic, Cavanagh, Karda, Lekgabe, Ernest, Wong, Tim, Magarey, Matthew J. R., Iseli, Tim A., Fua, Tsien, Rischin, Danny and McDowell, Lachlan (2021). Contralateral neck failure in oral tongue cancer: outcomes from two centers using predefined treatment criteria. Head and Neck, 43 (7), 2024-2031. doi: 10.1002/hed.26671
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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