Melanoma & Skin Cancer

Skin cancers including melanoma are the most common human tumours in caucasians. In Queensland, Australia, the lifetime risk for melanoma, a particularly malignant form of skin cancer, is up to 15% and for non-melanoma skin tumours the lifetime risk is 70%.

Most skin tumours are squamous cell carcinomas or basal cell carcinomas which are generally not life threatening but consume considerable resources in management. Merkel cell or small cell cancer of the skin is a rare skin cancer being studied at QIMR. This is an aggressive disease with early metastasis and poor survival.

Our scientists continue to make significant discoveries in the fight against skin cancers using a number of integrated approaches. Significant issues include the genetic and environmental factors responsible for skin neoplasms, understanding the varied site distributions, improvement in solar protection and new treatments for local and systemic disease.

• Suncorp Skin Cancer Initiative
• Identification of tumour genes in cancer-prone families
• DNA damage and cell cycle growth control
• Development of animal models for melanoma
• Cell signalling and the effects of solar UV radiation on human skin
• Risk factors for melanoma
• Microarray gene profiling and high through-put mutation analysis
• Drug screening and development
• The genetics of Nevoid Basal Cell Carcinoma Syndrome and Basal Cell Carcinoma
• Safety and efficacy of sunscreens

In December 2004, QIMR formed a partnership with Suncorp as part of the Suncorp Skin Cancer Initiative.
QIMR benefits not only from Suncorp sponsorship, but from Suncorp's commitment to educating Queenslanders
about the dangers of sun exposure.