Age-standardised rates for keratinocyte cancers are relatively stable in South Australia, however regional variations are evident, according to this recent report.
Higher densities of primary care providers may be linked to increased diagnosis of early-stage melanoma, according to this recent study.
Using integrated genomic analysis, this recent study identified that global DNA methylation influences PD-L1 expression in melanoma, and hence melanoma's ability to evade anti-tumor immune responses. These results have implications for combining epigenetic therapy with immunotherapy.
Current guidelines from the World Health Organization that state sun protection is required only when the UV Index is 3 or greater are not evidence based and are somewhat simplistic. New evidence that suggests the UV Index is a continuous scale and more comprehensive sun protection is required as the UV Index increases should inform the revision of these guidelines for the future, according to this recent study.
The use of antigen-specific immunotherapeutic alone is not efficacious in patients with stage IIIB or IIIC melanoma, according to this recent study. As a result the development of the MAGE-A3 immunotherapeutic for use in melanoma has been stopped.
Testing of genomic variants can identify people who are susceptible to melanoma despite not having a traditional phenotypic risk profile, according to this recent study which analysed data from Australia and the UK.
Melanoma responses to interferon-y are heterogeneous, frequently downregulated in immune checkpoint inhibitor-naïve melanoma and potentially predictive of response to immunotherapy, according to this recent study.
Carcinogenic risk from UV nail lamps is low, however broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF >30, or protective gloves before UV nail lamp exposure is recommended, according to this recent study.
This feasibility study undertaken by the Australia and New Zealand Melanoma Trials Group (ANZMTG) was a phase III randomised control trial investigating 1cm vs 2cm wide excision margins for primary cutaneous melanoma.
Results demonstrate the feasibility of a large international randomised control trial to provide a definitive answer to the optimal excision margin for patients with intermediate to high-risk primary cutaneous melanoma. Results also showed the rate of reconstruction is significantly increased when a wider margin is employed, which is consistent with previous randomised control trials.Cemiplimab induced a response in approximately half the patients treated for advanced cutaneous squamous-cell carcinoma and was associated with adverse events that usually occur with immune checkpoint inhibitors, according to this recent study.