News and Events

Key informants in Australia supportive in principle of risk-tailored melanoma screening

17 December 2023

According to this recent study, key informants in Australia were supportive in principle of risk-tailored melanoma screening (versus opportunistic screening). Considerations around risk assessment, policy and modelling the costs of current versus future approaches will help inform possible future implementation of risk-tailored population screening for melanoma.

CheckMate76K trial: Nivolumab is an effective and well-tolerated adjuvant treatment in patients with resected stage IIB/C melanoma

17 December 2023

The phase 3, double-blind CheckMate 76K trial assessed 790 patients with resected stage IIB/C melanoma randomized 2:1 (stratified by tumor category) to nivolumab 480 mg or placebo every 4 weeks for 12 months. The study concludes that nivolumab is an effective and generally well-tolerated adjuvant treatment in patients with resected stage IIB/C melanoma.

Demographics and socioeconomic disease trends of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) prevalence in New Zealand (2008-2022)

17 December 2023

This study aimed to determine the demographics and socioeconomic disease trends of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) prevalence in New Zealand over the last 15 years. According to its findings, NMSC imposes a significant disease burden on New Zealand, and the probability of developing skin cancer increases with age. The study concludes that more effective skin cancer prevention and treatment is needed.

Burdens of non-melanoma skin cancer attributable to occupational exposure to ultraviolet radiation

16 December 2023

According to this recent study, the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization estimate that occupational exposure to ultraviolet radiation is common and causes substantial, inequitable and growing attributable burden of non-melanoma skin cancer. Governments must protect outdoor workers from hazardous exposure to UVR and attributable NMSC burden and inequalities.

Immuno-metabolic dendritic cell vaccine signatures associate with overall survival in vaccinated melanoma patients

19 November 2023

This study has analysed the transcriptomic and immune-metabolic profiles of Dendritic Cells (DCs) from 35 subjects enrolled in a trial of Dendritic Cells (DC) vaccines in late-stage melanoma. The authors conclude that the metabolic profile of DC is tightly associated with the immunostimulatory potential of DC vaccines from cancer patients, and they link phenotypic and functional metabolic changes to immune signatures that correspond to suppressed DC differentiation.

International patterns and trends in the incidence of melanoma and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, 1989-2020

17 November 2023

The purpose of this recent study was to compare the trends in incidence rates of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) and melanoma, to provide insights into changing patterns of exposure to ultraviolet radiation. The study concludes that despite concerted international efforts to preserve the ozone layer over the past four decades resulting in significant reductions in surface UV-B at mid-latitudes, the incidence of skin cancer, particularly cSCC, continues to rise in those regions. 

Decoding the metastatic potential and optimal postoperative adjuvant therapy of melanoma based on metastasis score

17 November 2023

Authors of this recent study conducted comprehensive analyses of melanoma metastases using bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing data, enabling the construction of a metastasis score (MET score) through diverse machine-learning algorithms.The study concludes that the MET score is effective in predicting melanoma metastatic potential. For patients with low MET scores, a PD-1 therapy may be a potential treatment strategy to inhibit metastasis. Patients with high MET scores may benefit from combination therapies.