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Giving to Melanoma Research

Monday, 17 June 2024

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Edith Cowan University (ECU) researchers have developed the world's first blood test capable of detecting melanoma in its early stages. This breakthrough will save thousands of lives and reduce healthcare costs significantly.

A new Australian is diagnosed with melanoma every 30 minutes. For one in ten patients, their melanoma diagnosis is unfortunately discovered too late.  Early detection and treatment of melanoma has a patient survival rate as high as 98%.

Melanoma Research at ECU 2024

Changing the way Melanoma is detected

In a world-first, ECU’s Melanoma Research team discovered a marker in blood that may detect early-stage melanoma. It means melanoma can be diagnosed through a quick and simple blood test rather than an invasive biopsy.

Our team of world-class researchers are now working to understand why certain tumours respond to treatment while others are resistant, improving the chances of survival for all patients, and stopping the cancer from spreading.

This ground-breaking research has the potential to save the lives of countless people impacted by cancer across the globe.

Early detection the key to survival

Australia has the second-highest rate of melanoma in the world, with 14,000 new diagnoses and almost 2,000 deaths each year.

Lead researcher of ECU’s Melanoma Research Group, Pauline Zaenker, emphasises the importance of early detection, noting that survival rates drop significantly if melanoma is not caught early.

"Patients who have their melanoma detected in its early stage have a survival rate between 90 and 99 per cent, whereas if it is not caught early and it spreads around the body, the survival rate drops to less than 50 per cent," she says.

"This is what makes this blood test so exciting as a potential screening tool, because it can pick up melanoma in its very early stages when it is still treatable."

The blood test aims to be a routine screening tool, especially for high-risk individuals, providing greater diagnostic certainty and monitoring.

Impact of Donor Support

Donor support has been crucial in advancing this research. It has funded state-of-the-art equipment, clinical trials, and international collaborations. This support has directly contributed to changing the landscape of melanoma treatment.

The tangible impact of donor funding is evident in the life-saving success stories of early detection survivors.

Our Need for Continued Funding

Despite significant progress, continued funding is essential for ongoing research activities, including laboratory work, data analysis, and patient recruitment.

Supporting ECU’s Melanoma Research Group means contributing to advancements that directly improve melanoma detection and treatment. Your generosity can make a life-saving difference.

For more information or to support ECU's melanoma research, please visit the Melanoma Research page.

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