MIA shines in poster session
22 November 2019
MIA is well-represented in the poster sessions at the Society for Melanoma Research 2019 Congress in the USA, with four poster presentations being given by members of our translational research lab.
PhD student Grace Attrill presented her work on possible biomarkers of response in Stage III melanoma patients treated with anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. She has found that a specific population of immune cell appears in higher numbers in patients who were treated with anti-PD-1 and did not recur. Her research also found that another subpopulation of immune cells may be associated with increased risk of melanoma recurrence. Grace’s poster notes that these immune cells could be a possible biomarker that may indicate which patients will respond well to immunotherapy.
Recent PhD graduate Dr Tuba Nur Gide, also presented a poster on immune cells in melanoma patients treated with immunotherapy. Dr Gide looked at the distribution of specific immune cells in relation to patient response. She found a significant association between response to immunotherapy and a very short distance between immune cells and melanoma cells. A higher amount of these immune cells that were close to patient melanoma cells also related to better progression-free survival for patients on immunotherapy. These findings could also be used to create better biomarkers of patient response.
Another PhD student, Jarem Edwards, presented his research on tumour mutation burden as a possible factor in patient survival. He found that the number of mutations in a patient’s melanoma was not predictive of the amount of immune cells, nor did they predict response or survival in melanoma patients.
Finally, medical oncology fellow, Dr Lalit Pallan, presented his poster on clinical predictors of outcome in melanoma patients with brain metastases treated with combination immunotherapy. Clinicopathological characteristics of patients are those that can be observed by clinicians through minimally invasive techniques such as scans and blood tests. Dr Pallan found that levels of LDH (an enzyme regularly tested for in the blood of melanoma patients), the number of brain metastases, and prior treatments may be factors that could help clinicians determine the likely outcome of treatment. Notably, patients with a lower burden of brain metastases that are asymptomatic and are treated for the first time with combination immunotherapy are more likely to respond to their treatment and have longer progression-free and overall survival.
Melanoma meets its match.
A must-read personal account by Garry Maddox in The Sydney Morning Herald of how immunotherapy is revolutionising melanoma treatment.
Next Steps for National Screening Program for Melanoma
On Friday, a publication that lays out the steps needed to find out if a systematic screening program for melanoma would benefit all Australians was published in the Australia & New Zealand Journal of Public Health.
Melanoma March Update
Melanoma March events have been cancelled. A Virtual March will be held on Sunday 29th March. Read this statement from MIA CEO Matthew Browne.
Saving lives this summer: 'Game On Mole!'
Thank you to the thousands of Aussies who bought ‘Game On Mole‘ t-shirts, took selfies, shared t-shirt pics on social media and started lifesaving conversations around sun safety and skin health.
PBS boost for melanoma patients
Melanoma patients now have greater access to subsidised immunotherapy thanks to additional treatments today being listed on the PBS.
An open letter to all young Australians
Brisbane couple Leon and Tamra Betts were, like thousands of others around Australia, on the couch watching MAFS when newlywed Natasha ran through her weekly beauty routine. When they heard the 26-year-old mention solarium use, they were shocked, and then saddened, prompting this open letter to all young Australians.
MIA leads world-class skin tumour pathology conference
Professor Richard Scolyer, Co-Medical Director of Melanoma Institute Australia, will welcome international attendees this weekend to a sold-out, two-day course on ‘Pigmented Lesions and Other Hot Topics in Dermatopathology’.
MAFS, it is time for a reality check on solariums.
It is time for a reality check on solariums.
They have no place in anyone’s beauty routine.
Community Fundraising January Wrap-Up
Throughout January our community created, hosted and participated in some amazing events, each of them helping us on our quest to reach zero deaths from melanoma.
Kyly Clarke urges Aussies to step up to save lives from melanoma
Australian television presenter, interior designer and mother Kyly Clarke has been announced as the new Ambassador for Melanoma Institute Australia (MIA) and its national awareness and fundraising campaign Melanoma March.
Improving support for our patients across Australia.
Melanoma Institute Australia has recently partnered with three other organisations to boost support for melanoma patients and their carers across Australia.
Boost to melanoma support in WA
Melanoma patients and their families across Western Australia will benefit from strengthened and expanded services with the merging of melanomaWA and Melanoma Institute Australia.
New Test to Predict Primary Melanoma Progression
Australian researchers have played a critical role in the discovery of a potential new test to predict which early stage melanoma patients are at high risk of their disease recurring and progressing.
Community Fundraising December Wrap-Up
We are extremely grateful for our community fundraisers, who, even in this difficult time, have given up their time and effort to fundraise so we can continue to work towards our goal of zero deaths from melanoma.
Two melanoma treatments approved for PBS listing
Melanoma patients are set to benefit from subsidised access to immunotherapy treatment for high risk early-stage and advanced-stage melanoma patients.
Immunotherapy: the decade's biggest health advance
An informative article on how immunotherapy is revolutionising cancer treatment, written by Jill Margo and featured in the Australian Financial Review.
Boost to Melanoma Services in the Riverina
Melanoma patients and their families in the Riverina will benefit from strengthened and sustained melanoma services with the merger of the Amie St Clair Melanoma Trust and Melanoma Institute Australia.
Winner of the SunSafe Student Ambassador Program announced
Belmont High School at Lake Macquarie has been announced winner of the 2019 SunSafe Student Ambassador Program video competition.
Community Fundraising November Wrap-Up
It’s time again to say thank you to our amazing community fundraisers!
MIA & MPA Patient Information Evening videos now available
Videos of the sessions at the recent Patient Information Evening co-hosted by Melanoma Institute Australia (MIA) and Melanoma Patients Australia (MPA) are now available for viewing.