An Overview of Updates on Melanoma Treatment

Melanoma is a kind of skin cancer that happens when the cells that give our skin its color, or melanocytes, start growing abnormally. This cancer type may be less common compared to other skin cancers, but more lethal when it spreads to other body parts. That often happens if the conditions aren’t detected early on and treated in time.

This is why you must visit a mole clinic in Melbourne to make sure you get treatment before it's too late. The adjuvant pembrolizumab is designed to cater to patients in the stages IIb and IIc categories. The condition of such patients in these two categories is far more aggressive compared to stage IIIa. this has been hailed as a landmark development in melanoma skin cancer cure.

It provides immunotherapy for patients at a much earlier stage. This can be effective in stopping the condition from worsening. It can also successfully prevent the recurrence of cancer which is common, and cancer from metastasizing. The new treatment for melanoma skin cancer has received much positive response in treating both pediatric and adult patients having stages IIb and IIc melanoma.

In mid-May, a new drug therapy had been submitted for review by Melanoma Canada to the pan-Canadian Oncology Drug Review (pCODR). This was for patients suffering from uveal melanoma, a rather rare form of the disease. This started in cells producing melanin or the dark-colored pigment inside the uvea of the eye. Canada gets almost 150 cases every year. 

At present, the most commonly-used form of treatment for uveal melanoma includes resection, radiation, and enucleation. These treatments can control the diseases locally, but the survival rate for people with this condition remains low. They are at risk of developing liver metastasis. In recent years, there have been many advancements in the initial diagnosis of this condition. Genetic tests are being conducted and it is hoped that survival rates will go up with small tumors getting treated successfully.

The newest drug treatment Tebentafusp (Kimmtrak) has been a landmark development in immunotherapy treatments for treating metastatic uveal melanoma. This shows positive results for many patients. Melanoma Canada has surveyed patients getting this treatment in its feedback to support approval for this new form of treatment.

This therapy has already been ratified by Health Canada but it needs to be recommended by pCODR. Only then can it undergo price negotiations with different provinces in Canada to make sure the therapy gets covered by the provinces. The good news is that there is short-term access via a bridging program as people wait for the approval. 

Given that Australians are prone to melanoma, it’s important that these new drug therapies get a go-ahead in Mole clinic so that patients can hope to recover sooner.

Are Whole-Body Scans Effective for Screening for Cancer?

There is a serious debate going on in the healthcare industry in Australia about how frequently can a healthy person go for a full body medical scan in order to screen for serious diseases like cancer and other conditions. 

The argument in favour of such full body screening is to get the advantage of early detection of a health condition like cancer. 

That sounds like a fair argument but if you are someone who hardly ever fell seriously ill and feels confident about your health in future, then such scans may not be for you. 

You might be asked in response “Many folks who were overconfident about their future good health, have suffered fatalities after their disease was detected too late.” 

Had they opted for a full body check much earlier these fatalities could have been averted or reduced significantly. 

Those who live healthy lives and maintain a strong immune system overall may go for an annual full body scan just to make sure everything’s alright in their bodies. 

Don’t take chances with Skin Cancer in Australia 

Australia has one of the highest incidences of skin cancer clinics in the world. It is a sun-rich country which gives it many advantages but in matters of skin cancer, exposure to the ultraviolet radiation of the sun can give you the disease. 

Skin cancer actually begins from tiny moles on the body but don’t panic if there are moles on your body. Most if not all of your moles may not be cancerous. 

The major question is, how would you know which ones are cancerous? It’s of little use learning about it when it has already matured. 

To beat cancer, you need to learn about its existence at an early stage and that can happen with a full-body computed tomography (CT) scan.  

Early Detection is the only way to Tackle and Cure Cancer 

A CT scan done at the right time helps doctors identify cancerous moles or tumours much more easily. 

A good quality CT scan in any of the reputed Skin Cancer Clinics in Australia will help save your life if a cancerous tumour is detected so early.  

Once it is detected early, the staff at the clinics or hospitals will start your treatment immediately.  

Just remember that you need to answer questions regarding any medical condition or allergies that you may have before you go for the full body scan. 

Cancer treatment has made a lot of progress than what it used to be even a decade ago but one outcome tends to remain constant – early detection is the key to cure or marginalization of the virus. That can only happen with a full-body CT scan.