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Early nicotinamide use reduces risk of aggressive skin cancers
Research Published: 25th September 2025Importance:
Nicotinamide supplementation has been studied as a chemopreventive medication for reducing skin cancer risk, but large-scale data are limited.
Objective:
To determine the clinical effica…
Interlaboratory variability of SPF results is considerable and likely greater than expected
Research Published: 20th September 2025Objective:
Determination of the sunburn protection provided by a sunscreen product is required globally for sales of these products. Over the past 80 years, many aspects of determining the protection…
Management of Skin Toxicities in Cancer Treatment: An Australian/New Zealand Perspective
Research Published: 19th September 2025Cancer systemic therapeutics and radiotherapy are often associated with dermatological toxicities that may reduce patients’ quality of life and impact their course of cancer treatment. These toxiciti…
Pre- and post-treatment care for actinic keratoses: An Australian and New Zealand perspective
Research Published: 19th September 2025Background:
Actinic keratoses (AKs), also known as solar keratoses, are precancerous skin lesions that typically occur following long-term exposure to ultraviolet radiation. AKs can evolve into cutane…
Cutaneous melanoma management — Update and narrative review for the General Surgeon
Research Published: 17th September 2025Background and Aims:
The multidisciplinary management of cutaneous melanoma is advancing rapidly. Surgeons remain a key entry point for melanoma patients into specialist care and their up-to-date kno…
Dynamic recurrence risk prediction tool for adjuvant therapy in stage III melanoma empowering informed decision-making
Research Published: 17th September 2025Background:
Prognosis for AJCC stage III melanoma varies significantly. Adjuvant therapies, including pembrolizumab, nivolumab, and dabrafenib/trametinib, have markedly reduced recurrence risk, as sho…
Regular sunscreen users may need supplementary vitamin D
Research Published: 17th September 2025Background:
Sunscreen reduces vitamin D production in experimental studies. It is uncertain whether this translates to ‘real-world’ settings.
Objectives:
We aimed to dtermine if routinely applying hi…
Is wide local excision after primary excision of melanoma in situ unnecessary?
Research Published: 10th September 2025Dessinioti and coauthors1 present a retrospective study undertaken in Greece reporting the clinical outcomes for 401 people diagnosed and treated for melanoma in situ from 1991 to 2023 at a major mela…
Sentinel lymph node biopsy review: historical trajectory, current guidelines and controversies, future directions
Research Published: 3rd September 2025Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has transformed the management of cutaneous melanoma, emerging as a cornerstone in evaluating regional lymphatic spread while minimizing surgical morbidity. From its …
MIA podcast: Utilising melanoma risk prediction tools for newly diagnosed patients
News Published: 3rd September 2025This episode from Melanoma Institute Australia's podcast Melanoma Insights for Professionals explores how melanoma risk prediction tools are transforming clinical decision-making for newly diagnosed p…
Higher serum 25(OH)D levels associated with increased skin cancer risk, likely reflecting cumulative UV exposure
Research Published: 3rd September 2025Background and objectives:
Skin cancer, the most common global malignancy, is linked to ultraviolet (UV)-driven serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D)synthesis, with its controversial role possibly refle…
The epiMelanoma test enables plasma-based detection of melanoma and prediction of immunotherapy response
Research Published: 25th August 2025Background:
Melanoma is one of the most serious skin cancers worldwide, often progressing without obvious symptoms. Early detection is crucial to enable timely intervention, reducing morbidity and mor…
Systematic review of molecular basis of BRAF inhibitor resistance in melanoma
Research Published: 25th August 2025Background:
Melanoma, the deadliest human skin cancer, frequently harbors activating BRAF mutations, with V600E being the most prevalent. These alterations drive constitutive activation of the MAPK p…
COVID‐19 pandemic contributed to delayed melanoma diagnoses and shift towards more advanced disease at presentation
Research Published: 25th August 2025Background:
The COVID‐19 pandemic has significantly disrupted global healthcare systems. Melanoma, a highly aggressive skin cancer whose prognosis is closely tied to early detection, has been particu…
Comparison between cutaneous, mucosal, acral, nail, and ocular melanoma malignancy
Research Published: 25th August 2025A melanoma is a malignant neoplasm that originates from melanocytes. Melanocytes are found in various body sites—they are most commonly found in the skin (including acral sites and nail units), ocular…
A diagnosis of dysplastic naevus has no clinical relevance and unnecessarily confounds therapeutic decision-making
Research Published: 25th August 2025The term ‘dysplastic naevus’ first introduced in 1980, has since engendered considerable debate regarding its ontological legitimacy, the appropriateness of its nomenclature, and its potential prognos…
Low triglyceride levels are associated with increased risk of immune-related adverse events in patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors
Research Published: 21st August 2025Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have revolutionized cancer therapy by enhancing anti-tumor immune responses, yet their use can lead to immune-related adverse events (irAE), including neurological c…
Solid phase micro extraction of volatile organic compounds (VOC) shows promise for future study of VOC skin cancer biomarkers
Research Published: 21st August 2025Introduction:
Skin cancer sites are known to release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and these compounds can be collected and analysed to aid in the chemical profiling of skin cancers.
Patients an…
Benefits of spectral CT imaging for assessment of metastases in melanoma patients dependent on assessed tissue
Research Published: 19th August 2025Background:
Pilot studies have indicated diagnostic benefits from using dual-energy CT (DECT) for staging and follow-up of melanoma patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the sensitiv…
C5aR1 promotes invasion, metastasis, and poor prognosis in cSCC
Research Published: 19th August 2025Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is the most common metastatic skin cancer, and the metastatic from is associated with a poor prognosis. Here, the role of the complement C5a receptor C5aR1 was…
Cancer vaccine trials in advanced melanoma show promising efficacy
Research Published: 19th August 2025Background:
The emergence of checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs) has significantly improved survival outcomes in later-stage melanoma. However, the efficacy of these treatments remains limited, with around …
Evaluation of nivolumab and ipilimumab for the treatment of resectable stage III melanoma: Improved outlook for patients with Stage III melanoma
Research Published: 18th August 2025Introduction:
Twenty years ago, surgery was the centerpiece of treatment for cutaneous melanoma, including for resectable stage III and IV patients. The arrival of effective systemic therapies in the…
Clinicopathologic gene expression profile (CP-GEP) model can reduce number of unnecessary SLNBs performed
Research Published: 18th August 2025Context & aim:
Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is an invasive procedure that detects microscopic nodal metastasis, crucial for accurate staging and optimal management. In melanoma, most patients wh…
Outcomes of pembrolizumab in advanced melanoma by age and sex
Research Published: 18th August 2025Background:
Immune checkpoint inhibitors are standard treatment for advanced melanoma. Pembrolizumab (programmed cell death-1 inhibitor) monotherapy is recommended as first-line treatment. However, r…
Clinical perspective on the current burden of melanoma overdiagnosis and its future value for progress in the field of melanoma
Research Published: 15th August 2025Overdiagnosis in melanoma is a nuanced and evolutionary issue. It may appear to be an epidemic from an epidemiological point of view; however, it is important to appreciate all perspectives. We consid…
Phase 1b study of tovorafenib, plozalizumab or vedolizumab plus standard-of-care immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with advanced melanoma
Research Published: 15th August 2025Background:
Novel advanced melanoma therapy combinations may increase treatment efficacy and reduce treatment-related toxicities.
Methods:
This open-label, nonrandomized, multicenter, phase 1b, 3-a…
Upskilling primary care nurses working in regional Australia in skin cancer prevention education and early detection provides innovative solution to meet screening needs of high-risk individuals
Research Published: 15th August 2025Background:
Early detection of skin cancer is critical for improved health outcomes. Many Australians living in regional and rural areas are at an increased risk of skin cancer yet face significant b…
Serum metabolome serves as diagnostic biomarker and discriminates patients with melanoma from healthy individuals
Research Published: 14th August 2025Melanoma is a deadly cancer with increasing incidence and mortality rates, and biomarkers for diagnosis are urgently needed. The impact of the microbiome, genetic factors, and immunologic markers on d…
Review of immune checkpoint inhibitors in non-melanoma malignancies
Research Published: 14th August 2025Over the last decade, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been established as an integral component of the contemporary anticancer armamentarium. In dermatology, ICIs are most established as trea…
CtDNA detection after surgery can identify melanoma patients with worse prognosis
Research Published: 14th August 2025Background:
Locally advanced melanoma has a variable prognosis. Currently, there are no reliable criteria to stratify the risk of disease relapse and identify those patients who will benefit the most …
Therapeutic approaches to mucosal melanoma
Research Published: 14th August 2025Mucosal melanoma (MM) is a rare and aggressive subtype of melanoma arising from mucosal tissues, with distinct genomic and clinical characteristics compared with cutaneous melanoma (CM). Despite thera…
Novel patient-derived primary cell line MelT79 represents valuable model for understanding cutaneous melanoma heterogeneity, progression, and resistance mechanisms
Research Published: 6th August 2025Introduction:
Cutaneous melanoma (CM) is an aggressive form of skin cancer, with rising incidence and poor prognosis at advanced stages. While early-stage CM typically carries a favorable prognosis, a…
Dr Sam Mayhew one of 12 GPs dedicated to improving health outcomes recognised with Community Service Medal
News Published: 28th July 2025MelNet Executive Committee member Dr Sam Mayhew is one of twelve GPs awarded the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners Community Service Medal for outstanding contributions to general pra…
Wide local excision beyond the subcutaneous fat not associated with survival benefit of acral melanoma of the sole
Research Published: 28th July 2025Background:
Preservation of plantar subcutaneous fat is crucial for cushioning in the surgical treatment of acral melanoma of the sole. However, no studies exist on the relationship between deep marg…
Review: global trends in melanoma incidence and mortality, effects of screening programs, consequences of overdiagnosis
Research Published: 28th July 2025Melanoma incidence has increased over recent decades, yet mortality has been relatively stable. This pattern has raised concern that many newly diagnosed melanomas, particularly melanoma in situ, may …
Elevated emotional distress before tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes therapy is associated with reduced therapeutic outcomes
Research Published: 18th July 2025Aims:
Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) using tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) has demonstrated benefit for patients with advanced melanoma refractory to first-line immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).…
Specific gut microbial taxa and immune-related gene expression patterns may be associated with differential responses to BRAF/MEK-targeted therapy in metastatic melanoma
Research Published: 18th July 2025Gut microbiota has been associated with carcinogenesis and immune regulation. While there is evidence supporting its influence on immunotherapy response in melanoma, its impact on BRAF/MEK-targeted th…
Distinct risk factor profiles for nevus-associated and de novo melanomas, particularly polygenic risk and nevus propensity
Research Published: 15th July 2025Importance:
No prospective epidemiologic studies have investigated genetic vs environmental factors on the risks of nevus-associated melanoma (NAM) and de novo melanoma.
Objective:
To determine whe…
AI-driven tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes quantification tool may provide consistent, reliable assessments with strong potential for clinical integration into melanoma management
Research Published: 7th July 2025Importance:
Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are a provocative biomarker in melanoma, influencing diagnosis, prognosis, and immunotherapy outcomes; however, traditional pathologist-read TIL ass…
Administration of nivolumab plus ipilimumab: Infusion of the fixed‐ratio combination versus sequential infusions in two randomized controlled trials of metastatic melanoma (CheckMate 742) and renal cell carcinoma (CheckMate 800)
Research Published: 7th July 2025Background:
Immune checkpoint inhibitors can be coadministered as a fixed‐ratio combination (FRC) or administered as sequential infusions (ASI). Two randomized, open‐label trials compared nivolumab þ…
Longitudinal cohort study: Nearly half of patients treated for skin cancer will develop at least one more
Research Published: 1st July 2025Background:
Many patients will develop more than one skin cancer; however, most research to date has examined only case status.
Objective:
Describe the frequency and timing of the treatment of multip…
Dissecting response to neoadjuvant immunotherapy-treated melanoma using cancer-immunity cycle-associated signatures
Research Published: 30th June 2025Neoadjuvant combination therapy with anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA4 agents has significantly improved long-term survival in patients with metastatic melanoma, yet not all patients respond to treatment. Resp…
Mitochondrial proteome landscape unveils key insights into melanoma severity and treatment strategies
Research Published: 27th June 2025Background:
Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, exhibits resistance to conventional therapies, particularly in advanced and metastatic stages. Mitochondrial pathways, including oxidative phos…
Treatment with encorafenib plus binimetinib study: brain metastasis response rate of over 60% in patients with unresectable metastatic BRAF V600-mutant melanoma with brain metastases
Research Published: 16th June 2025POLARIS was a study to evaluate different doses of encorafenib plus binimetinib for people with BRAF V600-mutant melanoma with brain metastasis. The first part, known as the safety lead-in, looked at …
Margins in head and neck non-melanoma skin cancer surgery: clinical/pathological criteria and their impact on oncological outcomes and therapeutic choices
Research Published: 29th May 2025Introduction:
Non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSCs), including basal (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), are the most prevalent malignancies affecting the skin, with the head and neck region being th…
Older population is facing a substantial growing burden of skin cancer
Research Published: 22nd May 2025Importance:
Skin cancer is a significant public health threat in the aging population, yet data on its burden and trends are limited.
Objective:
To evaluate the global burden of skin cancer among…
EGFR overexpression emerges as potential predictive biomarker for responsiveness to second-line ICIs in BRAFi/MEKi-resistant melanoma
Research Published: 19th May 2025Background:
Resistance to BRAF and MEK inhibitors (BRAFi/MEKi) in metastatic melanoma frequently results in cross-resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), limiting effective treatment option…
Toolbox for prevention of skin cancer among outdoor workers led to reduction of internal UVR exposure, consistent with self-reported increase in sunscreen use
Research Published: 19th May 2025Introduction:
Due to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure at work, outdoor workers face a higher risk of keratinocyte carcinoma (KC) than indoor workers. This study evaluates the short-term effective…
Sun safety policy implementation in Aotearoa New Zealand: current landscape and progress
Research Published: 15th May 2025Skin cancer is a critical public health issue in Aotearoa New Zealand (A/NZ), with alarming incidence rates and substantial economic costs. Excessive solar ultraviolet radiation is the primary modifia…
Immune checkpoint inhibition in metastatic or non-resectable melanoma after failure of adjuvant anti-PD-1 treatment
Research Published: 12th May 2025Background:
Adjuvant immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) with anti-PD-1 antibodies in high-risk resected melanoma has been shown to improve recurrence-free survival. It is unclear whether prior adjuvan…
Trial offering new treatment combination for melanoma brain metastases
News Published: 12th May 2025The BETTER trial, recently activated in Australia, is testing a new treatment combination for melanoma that has spread to the brain, with the goal of improving outcomes for patients facing a poor prog…
Melanoma in England: incidence is up, mortality is down
Research Published: 12th May 2025In recent decades, the epidemiology of cutaneous melanoma has undergone profound changes in many populations around the world, with steep rises in incidence set against recent declines in mortality. I…
Prognostic and predictive value of IDO expression in metastatic melanoma treated with Ipilimumab
Research Published: 12th May 2025Background:
The tumor microenvironment is crucial for prognosis and response to immunotherapy in several tumor entities.
Methods:
In a multicenter retrospective study, a total of 86 tumor samples f…
Training lifeguards to assist in skin cancer prevention
Research Published: 8th May 2025Lifeguards play a crucial role in ensuring water safety, but they also are uniquely positioned to promote skin cancer prevention and proper sunscreen use.1,2 There are several benefits and challenges …
Recent advances in epigenetic mechanisms in melanoma development and progression
Research Published: 8th May 2025Knowledge of cancer development and progression gained over the last few decades has enabled mapping of genetic and epigenetic changes unique to different phases of tumor evolution. Here we focus on e…
Significant increase in mesenteric panniculitis development following BRAFi/MEKi treatment compared to ICI in patients with melanoma
Research Published: 5th May 2025Objectives:
BRAF/MEK inhibitors (BRAFi/MEKi) and PD-1 and CTLA-4 immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have revolutionized malignant melanoma treatment and improved patients’ clinical outcome significan…
Rechallenge of ipilimumab and nivolumab in advanced melanoma patients after previous ipilimumab-based therapy had a considerable response rate, acceptable safety profile, and potential for a durable response
Research Published: 2nd May 2025Background:
Ipilimumab+nivolumab (IPINIVO) can induce durable responses in advanced melanoma, but many patients experience progression at some point. It is currently unknown to what extent these pati…
Histological deep margins in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the scalp and risk of recurrence
Research Published: 1st May 2025Background:
Consensus is lacking on adequate deep histological margins in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). Deep clearance for tumours located on the scalp is limited by anatomic constraints.
…
Self-assessed improved sun protection after diagnosis of melanoma is associated with improved survival
Research Published: 1st May 2025Background:
Although ultraviolet radiation is the most important risk factor for skin cancer in general, its role in disease control after the diagnosis of melanoma remains to be elucidated.
Objectiv…
Enhancing skin cancer prevention and awareness in the Italian population: Insights from the “Save Your Skin” screening campaign
Research Published: 30th April 2025Introduction:
Skin cancer prevention campaigns aim to reduce modifiable risk factors, yet high-risk groups often maintain inadequate protection practices.
Objectives:
This study analyzed data from …
Majority of patients with melanoma experience substantial atherosclerotic plaque growth during ICI therapy
Research Published: 30th April 2025Background:
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are effective anticancer agents but significantly increase cardiovascular risk. This could be due to its potential to induce or worsen atherosclerosis.…
Genetic test for skin cancer shows potential for accelerating early personalized chemoprevention in ultra-high risk transplant patients
Research Published: 25th April 2025Background:
Transplant patients are at extreme risk of multiple invasive skin cancers. Chemopreventive medication can reduce this risk by ∼50%, but clinicians are unable to identify high-risk patient…
Neoadjuvant treatment with cobimetinib and atezolizumab±vemurafenib associated with low rate of distant metastasis in patients with high-risk stage III melanoma
Research Published: 21st April 2025Background:
Neoadjuvant treatment has become standard for patients with high-risk operable stage III melanoma, but the optimal regimen is unknown. Targeted therapy approaches yield high pathological …
Clinical validation of droplet digital PCR assays in detecting BRAFV600-mutant circulating tumour DNA as a prognostic biomarker in patients with resected stage III melanoma receiving adjuvant therapy
Research Published: 21st April 2025Background:
Cell-free, circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) is an established measure of minimal residual disease; however, it is not utilised in melanoma management. We investigated whether ctDNA measurem…
Longitudinal analysis reveals dynamic changes in histopathologic features in responders to neoadjuvant treatment in a stage III BRAF-mutant melanoma cohort
Research Published: 18th April 2025Despite advances in systemic therapies, cutaneous melanoma remains a highly deadly disease. Patients with high-risk stage III melanoma have a significant likelihood of recurrence following surgery. Al…
Peripheral positioning of lysosomes supports melanoma aggressiveness
Research Published: 18th April 2025Emerging evidence suggests that the function and position of organelles are pivotal for tumor cell dissemination. Among them, lysosomes stand out as they integrate metabolic sensing with gene regulati…
Integrated analysis of molecular and clinical features associated with overall survival in melanoma patients with brain metastasis
Research Published: 18th April 2025Melanoma brain metastases (MBMs) are diagnosed in up to 60% of metastatic melanoma patients. Previous studies have identified clinical factors that correlate with overall survival (OS) after MBM diagn…
Metabolic reprogramming of dendritic cells as a new approach for melanoma immunotherapy
Research Published: 18th April 2025Melanoma, being one of the most dangerous forms of skin cancer, is characterized by its aggressive and metastatic nature, with the potential to develop resistance to various treatments. This resistanc…
Relevance and need of gender-sensitive psychosocial-care in long-term survivors of malignant melanoma
Research Published: 17th April 2025Background:
Optimism and pessimism are stable, overarching dispositions that influence mental health, especially in stressful life situations, such as cancer survival. They have been associated with m…
Predictive factors for sentinel lymph node positivity in melanoma patients: the role of liquid biopsy, microRNA and gene expression profile panels
Research Published: 14th April 2025The identification of predictive factors for sentinel lymph node (SLN) positivity in melanoma patients is crucial for accurate staging, prognosis, and personalized therapeutic decisions. This review s…
Roadmap for a National Targeted Skin Cancer Screening Program in Australia
News Published: 14th April 2025Recently a grant was awarded to Melanoma Institute Australia to lead the development of a Roadmap for a National Tareted Skin Cancer Screening Program.
The Roadmap will set out an evidence-based pro…
Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is an effective treatment for melanoma brain metastases, with low risk of haemorrhage after SRS
Research Published: 7th April 2025Purpose:
Melanoma brain metastases (MBM) pose significant challenges in management due to their propensity for intralesional haemorrhage. This retrospective analysis aims to evaluate the oncological o…
Molecular analysis of cutaneous sarcomatoid neoplasms frequently identifies melanoma driver variants
Research Published: 7th April 2025Primary cutaneous neoplasms that lack definitive histologic and immunophenotypic evidence of differentiation are a heterogeneous group of tumors with diverse prognoses and management options. These in…
Wide local excision does not significantly improve recurrence-free survival in patients with completely excised cutaneous superficial spreading and nodular melanoma on trunk or extremities
Research Published: 4th April 2025Objectives:
This study examines whether wide local excision (WLE) after complete diagnostic excision improves recurrence-free survival (RFS) in clinical stage I/II primary cutaneous melanoma.
Backgro…
Nurse-led models of service delivery for skin cancer detection demonstrate potential for high diagnostic accuracy, effective treatment delivery and enhanced patient education on skin self-examination
Research Published: 4th April 2025Aim:
To consolidate evidence on nurse-led models for skin cancer detection by focusing on their roles, comparing their effectiveness to physician-led care and highlighting any value-added benefits.
D…
Updated melanoma guidelines from ESMO: Clinical Practice Guideline for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up
News Published: 1st April 2025The European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) has recently published updated guidelines for cutaneous melanoma, replacing the previous (2019) guidelines. The Clinical Practice Guideline provides dia…
FDG-PET associations with pathological response and survival with neoadjuvant immunotherapy for melanoma
Research Published: 31st March 2025Background:
Neoadjuvant immunotherapy has become the new standard of care for stage III melanoma. This study sought to describe the metabolic changes seen with fludeoxyglucose-18-positron emission to…
Circulating MicroRNAs: functional biomarkers for melanoma prognosis and treatment
Research Published: 31st March 2025MicroRNAs (miRNAs) hold significant promise as circulating cancer biomarkers and unlike many other molecular markers, they can provide valuable insights that extend beyond tumour biology. The expressi…
3D total-body photography in patients at high risk for melanoma: randomized clinical trial
Research Published: 31st March 2025Importance:
Three-dimensional (3D) total-body photography (TBP) can support clinicians in monitoring and identifying changes to skin lesions in patients at high risk of melanoma.
Objective:
To as…
Cost-effectiveness analysis of 3D total-body photography for people at high risk of melanoma
Research Published: 31st March 2025Importance:
Greater use of novel digital technologies could be associated with improved health outcomes and save health care costs by detecting smaller melanomas earlier (needing less treatment) or b…
Specific pathways and marker genes in peripheral CD4+T-cells may predetermine melanoma staging and immunotherapy resistance
Research Published: 24th March 2025Background and purpose:
Promoting adaptive immunity with ICIs has drastically improved melanoma prognosis, but not for all patients. Some cases relapse in the first few months, while others keep dura…
Patients with resected stage IIB/C melanoma treated with adjuvant nivolumab demonstrated stable health-related quality of life, minimal bother from side effects
Research Published: 24th March 2025Background:
In the phase 3 CheckMate 76 K trial, adjuvant nivolumab significantly improved recurrence-free survival and distant metastasis-free survival versus placebo in patients with resected stage …
Significant reduction in surgical interventions for melanoma in upcoming years
Research Published: 24th March 2025Melanoma surgery has evolved from elective lymph node dissection (ELND) to sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and wide local excision (WLE) margins have come down from 5 cm to nowadays 1 – 2 cm. Recent…
Real-life cohort of patients with resected high-risk melanoma treated by adjuvant anti-PD1 therapy: nearly half of patients underwent recurrences, RFS at 24 months was 64%
Research Published: 21st March 2025Background:
Programmed cell death protein-1 (PD1) antibodies are currently the standard treatment for resected high-risk melanoma, yet recurrence rate remains high.
Objectives:
This real-life observa…
Benefits of photoprotection should be taught early to children, caregivers, and parents of all skin tones
Research Published: 14th March 2025Background:
Early childhood sun exposure contributes to lifetime risk of skin cancer. Many individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds believe their skin tone confers immunity to sun damage; however,…
Predictive factors for development of in-transit metastasis in patients with melanoma
Research Published: 14th March 2025Background:
In patients with melanoma, in-transit metastasis (ITM) can develop. This study aimed to identify the risk for a first recurrence of ITM and associated predictive clinical factors in a larg…
ZEB1-mediated regulation of PD-L1 tumor expression could contribute to immune escape in melanoma
Research Published: 12th March 2025Tumor cells can evade antitumor immune response by expressing the PD-L1 ligand, leading to the inhibition of PD-1-expressing T lymphocytes. The mechanisms that regulate PD-L1 expression in cancer cell…
Study on sun exposure and associated risks in the Canadian population
Research Published: 6th March 2025Objective:
To evaluate the awareness of and attitudes toward various aspects of sun-exposure risks and protection methods among Canadians.
Methods:
An online survey conducted from September 28 to O…
pTERT mutational status is associated with survival in stage IV melanoma patients receiving first-line immune therapy
Research Published: 6th March 2025Background:
TERT promoter mutations are the most prevalent mutations in melanoma. In this study, we investigated clinical characteristics and survival after first line therapies in a cohort of melanom…
Patients’ perceptions and attitudes regarding the use of AI in skin cancer screening and diagnosis
Research Published: 3rd March 2025Artificial intelligence (AI) could enable early diagnosis of skin cancer; however, how AI should be implemented in clinical practice is debated. This narrative literature review (16 studies; 2012–2024…
Effect of prior and first-line immunotherapy on baseline immune biomarkers and modulation of the tumor microenvironment in response to nivolumab and relatlimab combination therapy in patients with melanoma from RELATIVITY-020
Research Published: 1st March 2025Background:
Some patients with melanoma experience disease progression during immunotherapy (IO) and may benefit from novel combinations of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). We report results from…
AI-generated cancer prevention influencers can target risk groups on social media at low cost
Research Published: 28th February 2025Background:
This study explores the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated social media influencers to disseminate cancer prevention messages. Utilizing a Generative AI (GenAI) applicatio…
Review of participant recruitment and retention in randomised controlled trials of melanoma surveillance
Research Published: 24th February 2025Background:
This scoping review aims to collate and describe data on recruitment, retention, and strategies used to improve these, in randomised controlled trials of melanoma surveillance.
Methods:
W…
Health-related Quality of Life and hospital costs of Finnish melanoma patients participating in the second Multicenter Selective Lymphadenectomy Trial (MSLT-II)
Research Published: 14th February 2025Background and purpose:
After reports that complete lymph node dissection (CLND) did not improve melanoma-specific survival of sentinel lymph node (SLN)-positive patients, the use of CLND has diminis…
Genomic mediators of acquired resistance to immunotherapy in metastatic melanoma
Research Published: 14th February 2025Although some patients with metastatic melanoma experience durable responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), most exhibit intrinsic or acquired resistance to these therapies. Here, we compare …
Melanoma patients receiving combination anti-PD-1/CTLA-4 immunotherapy have greater longterm risk of neurologic immune-related adverse events than patients receiving anti-PD-1 monotherapy
Research Published: 11th February 2025Background:
Over the past decade, novel immune checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized melanoma treatment. These new therapies are associated with complex immune-related adverse events. This study e…
Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes in primary melanoma associated with better prognosis
Research Published: 11th February 2025Background:
The relationship between tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) and survival in melanoma is poorly understood. We present a large multicenter study assessing the association between TIL and …
Benefit of adjuvant pembrolizumab on recurrence-free survival and distant metastasis-free survival in patients with resected high-risk stage II melanoma, irrespective of primary tumor location
Research Published: 5th February 2025Background:
Previous results from the KEYNOTE-716 trial demonstrated significantly improved recurrence-free survival (RFS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) with adjuvant pembrolizumab versu…
Melanomas associated with pre-existing nevi appear to be an independent favorable prognostic factor for recurrence and survival
Research Published: 5th February 2025Background:
Although most melanomas develop de novo, about 30% are nevus-associated melanomas, where the prognostic value is unclear. Our study aimed to determine whether nevus-associated melanoma is …
Sun protection apps emphasizing knowledge, ease of use, tailored advice, and proactive features likely to encourage sustained engagement
Research Published: 30th January 2025Background:
Sunburn and intermittent sun exposure elevate melanoma skin cancer risk. Sun protection behaviours, including limiting sun exposure, seeking shade, wearing protective gear, and using suns…
Biofeedback information can increase risk perceptions related to skin cancer and initiate intended behaviour change
Research Published: 30th January 2025Background:
The incidence of skin cancer among Danes is one of the highest in the world. Most skin cancers are, however, avoidable with sun protection and reduction of exposure. One way to increase aw…
Androgen receptor aids diagnostic guidance in melanoma
Research Published: 24th January 2025Malignant melanoma represents the fifth most common cancer in the world and its incidence is rising. Novel therapies targeting receptor tyrosine kinases, kinases and immune checkpoints have been emplo…
Importance of patient education on cumulative lifetime UV exposure through car windows
Research Published: 21st January 2025UV-A exposure is a major risk factor for melanoma, nonmelanoma skin cancer, photoaging, and exacerbation of photodermatoses. Since people spend considerable time in cars daily, inadequate UV-A attenua…
Increased risk of developing skin cancer in organ transplant recipients receiving immunosuppressive therapy with azathioprine
Research Published: 21st January 2025Background:
Immunosuppression might increase the risk of skin cancer in organ transplant recipients (OTRs), with azathioprine (AZA), exerting a fundamental role in the carcinogenesis of those tumors. …
Comparison of real-world data on adjuvant treatment in patients with stage III BRAF V600 mutated melanoma
Research Published: 20th January 2025Background:
Over the past decade, PD-1-based immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) and targeted therapies (TT) with BRAF and MEK inhibitors transformed melanoma treatment. Both are widely used in the adj…
High variability in diagnoses highlights diagnostic challenges of early-stage melanomas and a need to reconsider how ground truth is established in routine care and AI research
Research Published: 20th January 2025Accurate melanoma diagnosis is crucial for patient outcomes and reliability of AI diagnostic tools. We assess interrater variability among eight expert pathologists reviewing histopathological images …
Female survival advantage in melanoma largely a result of indirect effect of sex mediated by clinicopathologic features
Research Published: 16th January 2025Sex differences in melanoma are prominent, with female having a significant survival advantage. However, it is unclear why we see this survival advantage. Here, we investigate the relationship between…
Ferroptosis: a targetable vulnerability for melanoma treatment
News Published: 12th January 2025Melanoma is a devastating form of skin cancer characterized by a high mutational burden, limited treatment success, and dismal prognosis. Although immunotherapy and targeted therapies have significant…
T helper 2 cell–directed immunotherapy eliminates precancerous skin lesions
Research Published: 9th January 2025The continuous rise in skin cancer incidence highlights an imperative for improved skin cancer prevention. Topical calcipotriol-plus–5-fluorouracil (calcipotriol-plus–5-FU) immunotherapy effectively e…
Association between low vitamin D status and both increased melanoma risk and worsened prognosis
Research Published: 3rd January 2025Background/Aim:
Solar ultraviolet radiation represents the most important environmental risk factor for skin cancer. However, vitamin D synthesis from sun exposure has been reported to exert anti-car…
TGFβ signaling sensitizes MEKi-resistant human melanoma to targeted therapy-induced apoptosis
Research Published: 24th December 2024The TGFβ signaling pathway is known for its pleiotropic functions in a plethora of biological processes. In melanoma, TGFβ signaling promotes invasiveness and metastasis formation. However, its involv…
Short-term effectiveness of a stepped-care model to address fear of cancer recurrence in patients with early-stage melanoma
Research Published: 20th December 2024Objective:
To investigate the effectiveness of the Melanoma Care Programme when implemented into routine clinical practice coupled with fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) screening and a stepped-care mo…
Consistently younger age at melanoma diagnosis of women vs. men suggests a need for tailored approaches to melanoma control
Research Published: 20th December 2024Background:
Understanding the factors that influence age at melanoma diagnosis by sex and anatomical site is crucial for developing effective prevention and early detection strategies. While previous …
Three-year overall survival with nivolumab plus relatlimab in advanced melanoma from RELATIVITY-047
Research Published: 17th December 2024Nivolumab plus relatlimab demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival (PFS), along with a clinically meaningful, but not statistically significant improvement in …
Effectiveness of cross-sector collaboration in strategy implementation and impact: Evaluation of the NSW Skin Cancer Prevention Strategy 2016-2022
Research Published: 16th December 2024Issues addressed:
Australia continues to have one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world. In NSW, melanoma is the third most common cancer diagnosed. At least 95% of skin cancers are caused…
Prognostic significance of miRNA subtypes in melanoma
Research Published: 16th December 2024Background and Objectives:
Melanoma remains a leading cause of skin cancer mortality despite advancements in targeted therapies and immunotherapies. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as potential bioma…
0.8-mm threshold for guiding the care of patients with thin primary melanomas
Research Published: 16th December 2024Importance:
Most patients who present with primary cutaneous melanomas have thin tumors (≤1.0 mm in Breslow thickness, ie, pT1a and pT1b). Although their prognosis is generally considered to be excel…
Outcomes following long-term disease control with immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with advanced melanoma
Research Published: 13th December 2024Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) can achieve durable responses in patients with advanced melanoma, and results from clinical trials suggest cure may be possible for a subset of patients. Despite cli…
Treatment sequence with tebentafusp and immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with metastatic uveal melanoma and metastatic GNA11/GNAQ mutant melanocytic tumors
Research Published: 3rd December 2024Background:
Metastatic uveal melanoma (mUM) is rare. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have shown modest efficacy in mUM. Tebentafusp prolonged overall survival (OS) in a phase 3 study. We aimed to …
Improved survival of advanced melanoma patients receiving immunotherapy with concomitant antithrombotic therapy
Research Published: 3rd December 2024Background:
Cancer immunotherapy has revolutionized melanoma treatment, but the high number of non-responders still emphasizes the need for improvement of therapy. One potential avenue for enhancing a…
Circulating tumor DNA assessment shows promising results in predicting and reflecting disease status during adjuvant therapy
Research Published: 2nd December 2024Background:
The introduction of adjuvant therapies for patients with resected cutaneous melanoma (CM) has increased the need for sensitive biomarkers for risk stratification and disease monitoring. Th…
Melacare nurse-led intervention feasible and acceptable for use with patients treated for early-stage melanoma
Research Published: 28th November 2024Background and purpose:
We developed the Melacare nurse-led intervention, which combines education
in skin self-examination as a resource-conscious approach to detecting recurrence and management of …
PDE4D drives rewiring of MAPK pathway in BRAF-mutated melanoma resistant to MAPK inhibitors
Research Published: 25th November 2024Background:
Phosphodiesterase type 4D (PDE4D) breaks down cyclic AMP (cAMP) reducing the signaling of this intracellular second messenger which plays a major role in melanocyte pathophysiology. In adv…
Relapse-free survival with adjuvant dabrafenib/trametinib therapy after relapse on a prior adjuvant CPI in BRAF V600-mutated stage III/IV melanoma
Research Published: 22nd November 2024Background:
In BRAF-mutated high-risk melanoma, targeted therapy (BRAF/MEK inhibitors) and checkpoint inhibitor (CPI) immunotherapy have durable benefits as first-line (1L) adjuvant therapy. Based on …
Impact of personalized response-directed surgery and adjuvant therapy on survival after neoadjuvant immunotherapy in stage III melanoma: Comparison of 3-year data from PRADO and OpACIN-neo
Research Published: 22nd November 2024Background:
Pathologic response following neoadjuvant immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) in stage III melanoma serves as a surrogate marker for long-term outcomes. This may support more personalized, re…
E-cigarettes may contribute to the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma
Research Published: 21st November 2024Electronic cigarettes are widely used by young adults, yet their impact on oral health, specifically in the context of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), is poorly understood. This study aimed to ev…
Molecular insights into the role of electronic cigarettes in oral carcinogenesis
Research Published: 20th November 2024Electronic cigarette (EC) usage or vaping has seen a significant rise in recent years across various parts of the world. They have been publicized as a safe alternative to smoking; however, this is no…