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
2021
Journal Article
Locoregional Radiation Therapy for De Novo Metastatic Nasopharyngeal Cancer: One Size Fits All?
McDowell, Lachlan, Rischin, Danny and Lee, Anne W.M. (2021). Locoregional Radiation Therapy for De Novo Metastatic Nasopharyngeal Cancer: One Size Fits All?. International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics, 109 (1), 131-133. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2020.10.001
2021
Journal Article
Enhanced toxicity with CDK 4/6 inhibitors and palliative radiotherapy: Non-consecutive case series and review of the literature
David, Steven, Ho, Gwo, Day, Daphne, Harris, Marion, Tan, Jennifer, Goel, Shom, Hanna, Gerard G., Srivastava, Ranjana, Kruss, Gill, McDowell, Lachlan and White, Michelle (2021). Enhanced toxicity with CDK 4/6 inhibitors and palliative radiotherapy: Non-consecutive case series and review of the literature. Translational Oncology, 14 (1) 100939, 1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.tranon.2020.100939
2020
Journal Article
Impact of histological Oral Tongue Cancer margins on locoregional recurrence: a multi-centre retrospective analysis
Daniell, James, Udovicich, Cristian, Rowe, David, McDowell, Lachlan, Vital, Domenic, Bressel, Mathias, Magarey, Matthew J.R., Iseli, Tim A., Wong, Tim, Lekgabe, Ernest, Cavanagh, Karda, Fua, Tsien, Rischin, Danny and Wiesenfeld, David (2020). Impact of histological Oral Tongue Cancer margins on locoregional recurrence: a multi-centre retrospective analysis. Oral Oncology, 111 105004, 1-6. doi: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2020.105004
2020
Journal Article
Number of nodal metastases and the American Joint Committee on cancer staging of head and neck cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: a multicenter study
Ebrahimi, Ardalan, Gupta, Ruta, Luk, Peter, Low, Tsu-Hui (Hubert), McDowell, Lachlan, Magarey, Matthew J.R., Smith, Paul N., Perriman, Diana M., Schulte, Klaus-Martin, Veness, Michael, Porceddu, Sandro V. and Clark, Jonathan R. (2020). Number of nodal metastases and the American Joint Committee on cancer staging of head and neck cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: a multicenter study. Oral Oncology, 111 104855, 104855. doi: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2020.104855
2020
Journal Article
The American Joint Committee on Cancer staging for metastatic head and neck cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: a multi-institutional study of within-stage heterogeneity and impact on prognostic performance
Ebrahimi, Ardalan, Luk, Peter P., Low, Hubert, McDowell, Lachlan, Magarey, Matthew J. R., Smith, Paul N., Perriman, Diana M., Shadbolt, Bruce, Veness, Michael, Gupta, Ruta and Clark, Jonathan R. (2020). The American Joint Committee on Cancer staging for metastatic head and neck cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: a multi-institutional study of within-stage heterogeneity and impact on prognostic performance. Head and Neck, 42 (11), 3235-3242. doi: 10.1002/hed.26369
2020
Journal Article
COVID-19—An Opportunity for Optimizing Surveillance Protocols During and Beyond the Pandemic: HPV-Associated Oropharyngeal Cancer as an Example of Response-Based Local Surveillance
McDowell, Lachlan, Ng, Sweet Ping and Corry, June (2020). COVID-19—An Opportunity for Optimizing Surveillance Protocols During and Beyond the Pandemic: HPV-Associated Oropharyngeal Cancer as an Example of Response-Based Local Surveillance. International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics, 108 (2), 400-403. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2020.06.001
2020
Journal Article
Sexual satisfaction in nasopharyngeal carcinoma survivors: rates and determinants
McDowell, Lachlan, So, Nathaniel, Keshavarzi, Sareh, Xu, Wei, Rock, Kathy, Chan, Biu, Waldron, John, Bernstein, Lori J, Huang, Shao Hui, Giuliani, Meredith, Hope, Andrew, O'Sullivan, Brian, Bratman, Scott V., Cho, John, Kim, John, Jang, Raymond, Bayley, Andrew and Ringash, Jolie (2020). Sexual satisfaction in nasopharyngeal carcinoma survivors: rates and determinants. Oral Oncology, 109 104865, 1-6. doi: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2020.104865
2020
Journal Article
Quality of life, toxicity and unmet needs in nasopharyngeal cancer survivors
McDowell, Lachlan, Corry, June, Ringash, Jolie and Rischin, Danny (2020). Quality of life, toxicity and unmet needs in nasopharyngeal cancer survivors. Frontiers in Oncology, 10 930, 1-21. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2020.00930
2020
Journal Article
Adapting to a global pandemic through live virtual delivery of a cancer collaborative trial group conference: the TROG 2020 experience
McDowell, Lachlan, Goode, Susan and Sundaresan, Puma (2020). Adapting to a global pandemic through live virtual delivery of a cancer collaborative trial group conference: the TROG 2020 experience. Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology, 64 (3), 414-421. doi: 10.1111/1754-9485.13047
2020
Journal Article
Patient-reported quality of life and toxicity in unilateral and bilateral radiotherapy for early-stage human papillomavirus associated tonsillar carcinoma
McDowell, Lachlan, Casswell, Georgina, Bressel, Mathias, Gough, Karla, Drosdowsky, Allison, Coleman, Andrew, Shrestha, Sudi, D'Costa, Ieta, Fua, Tsien, Tiong, Albert, Liu, Chen, Ng, Sweet Ping, Solomon, Benjamin and Rischin, Danny (2020). Patient-reported quality of life and toxicity in unilateral and bilateral radiotherapy for early-stage human papillomavirus associated tonsillar carcinoma. Clinical and Translational Radiation Oncology, 21, 85-90. doi: 10.1016/j.ctro.2020.01.004
2020
Journal Article
Treatment package time in node-positive cutaneous head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Daniels, Christopher P., Bressel, Mathias, Corry, June, Cole, Aidan, Chua, Margaret S.-T., Tiong, Albert, Hirshoren, Nir, Dixon, Ben and McDowell, Lachlan (2020). Treatment package time in node-positive cutaneous head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Practical Radiation Oncology, 10 (1), 29-35. doi: 10.1016/j.prro.2019.09.009
2020
Journal Article
The prevalence and determinants of return to work in nasopharyngeal carcinoma survivors
So, Nathaniel, McDowell, Lachlan J., Lu, Lin, Xu, Wei, Rock, Kathy, Waldron, John, Bernstein, Lori J., Chan, Hon Biu, Huang, Shao Hui, Giuliani, Meredith, Hope, Andrew, O'Sullivan, Brian, Bratman, Scott V., Cho, John, Kim, John, Jang, Raymond, Bayley, Andrew and Ringash, Jolie (2020). The prevalence and determinants of return to work in nasopharyngeal carcinoma survivors. International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics, 106 (1), 134-145. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2019.09.008
2020
Journal Article
Return to work in survivors of human papillomavirus–associated oropharyngeal cancer: an australian experience
Morales, Claudia Zecena, McDowell, Lachlan, Lisy, Karolina, Piper, Amanda and Jefford, Michael (2020). Return to work in survivors of human papillomavirus–associated oropharyngeal cancer: an australian experience. International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics, 106 (1), 146-156. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2019.09.001
2019
Journal Article
Locally advanced non-melanomatous skin cancer: contemporary radiotherapeutic management
McDowell, Lachlan and Yom, Sue S. (2019). Locally advanced non-melanomatous skin cancer: contemporary radiotherapeutic management. Oral Oncology, 99 104443, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2019.104443
2019
Journal Article
Setting the stage: contemporary staging of non-melanomatous skin cancer and implementation of the new American Joint Committee on cancer eighth edition staging manual
Casswell, Georgina, Cavanagh, Karda, Ravi Kumar, Aravind S., Giddings, Charles and McDowell, Lachlan (2019). Setting the stage: contemporary staging of non-melanomatous skin cancer and implementation of the new American Joint Committee on cancer eighth edition staging manual. Oral Oncology, 98, 102-108. doi: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2019.09.020
2019
Journal Article
Positive survival trend in metastatic head and neck cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma over four-decades: multicenter study
Hasmat, Shaheen, Ebrahimi, Ardalan, Luk, Peter P., Low, Tsu-Hui, McDowell, Lachlan, Magarey, Matthew J. R., Veness, Michael, Gupta, Ruta and Clark, Jonathan (2019). Positive survival trend in metastatic head and neck cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma over four-decades: multicenter study. Head and Neck, 41 (11), 3826-3832. doi: 10.1002/hed.25912
2019
Journal Article
Comment on "Ipsilateral neck radiotherapy in N2b well-lateralized tonsil cancer—Approach with caution"
McDowell, Lachlan and Corry, June (2019). Comment on "Ipsilateral neck radiotherapy in N2b well-lateralized tonsil cancer—Approach with caution". Head and Neck, 41 (9), 3468-3469. doi: 10.1002/hed.25855
2019
Journal Article
Importance of timing in staging head and neck cancer: cervical adenopathy post-tonsillectomy mimicking malignancy
Bucknell, Nicholas W., Dixon, Ben J., Hoffman, Michael S. and McDowell, Lachlan J. (2019). Importance of timing in staging head and neck cancer: cervical adenopathy post-tonsillectomy mimicking malignancy. ANZ Journal of Surgery, 89 (9), 1167-1169. doi: 10.1111/ans.14509
2019
Journal Article
Dose to medium in head and neck radiotherapy: clinical implications for target volume metrics
Hardcastle, Nicholas, Montaseri, Atousa, Lydon, Jenny, Kron, Tomas, Osbourne, Glen, Casswell, Georgina, Taylor, David, Hall, Lisa and McDowell, Lachlan (2019). Dose to medium in head and neck radiotherapy: clinical implications for target volume metrics. Physics and Imaging in Radiation Oncology, 11, 92-97. doi: 10.1016/j.phro.2019.08.005
2019
Journal Article
Definitive radiotherapy for Merkel cell carcinoma in the setting of epidermolysis bullosa simplex
Ong, Wee Loon, Bailey, Eliza, McCormack, Christopher, Weston, Lauren, Morgan, Vanessa and McDowell, Lachlan (2019). Definitive radiotherapy for Merkel cell carcinoma in the setting of epidermolysis bullosa simplex. Australasian Journal of Dermatology, 60 (2), 153-154. doi: 10.1111/ajd.12960
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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