MELANOMA BLOOD TEST IN THE NEWS The following article appeared in The West Australian on 14 May 2014 (page 26) and provides insight into the research being undertaken by Professor Zilman and team at the Edith Cowan University. The need for invasive skin biopsies could be reduced extensively with Edith Cowan University researchers working on ways to detect melanoma in early stages, using a blood test in conjunction with visual scans. A $450,000 National Health and Medical Research Council development grant has enabled them to expand on a preliminary investigation that identified eight blood biomarkers that indicated the early presence of melanoma tumour. ECU School of Medical Sciences Professor Mel Zilman conducted the original investigation and is working with PhD student Pauline Zaenker and postdoctoral research fellow Dr Elin Gray on the latest study. Professor Zilman’s investigation in 2012 looked for circulating tumour cells as prognostic markers while the current research is assessing auto-antibodies as early diagnostic markers. Professor Zilman said the chance of a patient surviving melanoma was as high as 98 per cent if caught and removed before it spread. “Early diagnosis is the key to improving survival rates,” she said. “A reliable blood test could be used to screen at-risk patients annually, reducing the need for unnecessary surgical procedures.”
Posted on: Thu, 15 May 2014 04:56:03 +0000
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015