Melanoma SA

Melanoma SA is the first state-wide organisation serving the professional interests of clinicians caring for melanoma patients. It aims to:

  1. Promote best practice according to national (National Health &Medical Research Council) guidelines
  2. Educate melanoma professionals
  3. Advance recruitment of patients to clinical trials of new treatments for melanoma
  4. Provide input to the South Australian Government Cancer Clinical Network for the development of a melanoma patient pathway
  5. Liaise with state and national organisations including the Cancer Council South Australia, Melanoma Institute Australia, and the Australian and New Zealand Melanoma Trials Group
  6. Raise funds for melanoma research and education
What is Melanoma?

Melanoma is an aggressive type of skin cancer usually caused by too much sun exposure. It is the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia, which has the world’s highest incidence and mortality rate. Melanoma is the commonest cancer in the 15-24 year age group in Australia. Mean age at diagnosis is around 50 years, which is 10-15 years earlier than the commoner diagnoses of prostate, bowel, and lung cancer. Therefore, melanoma is second to breast cancer in the number of productive years lost.
It can be fatal. Please read more in detail at the Cancer Council South Australia website:
http://www.cancersa.org.au/aspx/melanoma.aspx

Melanoma Clinical Trials

The RAH Cancer Centre Clinical Trials Unit is the largest melanoma unit in SA. It offers clinical trials that address the needs of patients with all stages of melanoma. Some of these treatments are promising and may well improve outcomes for South Australian melanoma patients. The current clinical trials offered are:-

Locally Advanced
Patrys study: A Single Dose, Dose-Escalating, Phase I Clinical Trial of PAT-SM6 Monoclonal Antibody in Patients with Recurrent In-Transit Cutaneous Melanoma (For further information please contact Nancy Olszewski on 8222 4765)

Metastatic Disease
BRF113683: A study comparing Dacarbazine (DTIC) to GSK2118436 in BRAF mutant advanced or metastatic

TEAM: A randomized, phase III, open label, multi-centre, two-arm study to compare the efficacy of Tasigna® versus dacarbazine (DTIC) in the treatment of patients with metastatic and/or inoperable melanoma harboring a c-Kit mutation CAMN107B2031

For further information please contact Caroline Rawling on (08) 8222 4157

Advanced disease – phase I trials
NP25247: An open-label, Multiple Ascending Dose (MAD) study of the selective BRAF inhibitor RO5212054 (PLX3603) to evaluate safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics in patients with BRAF V600-mutated advanced solid tumours

Lipotek - A phase I open label study of the safety and immunogenicity of escalating doses of lipovaxin-mm, in patients with metastatic melanoma. 

For further information please contact Nancy Olszewski on 8222 4765

Expanded Access
MO25155: An open-label, multicenter expanded access study of RO5185426 in patients with metastatic melanoma

E7080: An Open-Label, 2-Cohort, Multicenter, Phase 2 Study of E7080 in Previously Treated Subjects With

Unresectable Stage III or Stage IV Melanoma

(Please contact Anne on ext 22702 for more information)

If you wish to donate money for melanoma research or to make a bequest, please enquire at


RAH Research Fund (Attention Mr. Mark Goldsmith)

Mail:

Sheridan Building
North Terrace
Adelaide SA 5000

Phone:

(08) 8222 5281

Fax:

(08) 8222 5932

 

For further Information

  1. Clinical  trials on Melanoma contact Nancy Olszewski on 82224765 or email:
  2. Laboratory research on melanoma http://www.hansoninstitute.sa.gov.au/aboutus/index.php

1. Australia and New Zealand Melanoma Trials Group
http://www.anzmtg.org/

2. Australian Clinical Trials
http://www.australiancancertrials.gov.au/

3. Cancer Australia
http://www.canceraustralia.gov.au/

4. National Comprehensive Cancer Network – Recent Updates to NCCN clinical practise guidelines in Oncology TM Melanoma version 1.2010
http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/f_guidelines.asp (needs log in or register)

5. NHMRC Clinical practise guidelines for the management of Melanoma in Australia and New Zealand (2008) http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/_files_nhmrc/file/publications/synopses/cp111.pdf

6.Melanoma Institute Australia
http://www.melanoma.org.au/

7. Melanoma patients Australia
http://www.melanomapatients.org/