Drug Discovery of the Year awarded to the team behind the development of trametinib

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) have been awarded ‘Drug Discovery of the Year’ by the British Pharmacological Society for 2013.

The Drug Discovery of the Year award celebrates the role of pharmacologists in the development of new medicines. With 12,000 cases of malignant melanoma diagnosed every year in the UK and 1,202 cases being diagnoses in Scotland, trametinib has been a welcome addition in the fight against melanoma and other skin cancers. 

Dr Ann Hayes, Fellow of the British Pharmacological Society and chair of the judging panel, confirms: 

“This year’s nominees for Drug Discovery of the Year all demonstrated excellence in pharmacology and were difficult to separate. Trametinib was distinguished by its novel translational pharmacology, but undoubtedly the judges were also impressed by the GSK team’s ambition to address the impact of malignant melanoma on the lives of so many patients and their families.”

Melanoma & Skin Cancer News Round Up: 20/12/13

A collection of links to stories and articles concerning melanoma and skin cancer:

Immunotherapies Will Continue to Dominate the Malignant Melanoma Drug Market with Sales of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Accounting for Majority of Sales in this Drug Class in 2022

BRAF/MEK Inhibitor Combination Therapy Will Become Treatment of Choice for BRAF-Mutation-Positive Unresectable Malignant Melanoma, According to a New Report from Decision Resources

Source: MarketWatch

Registry offers insights into pediatric melanoma outcomes

Tumor thickness, lymph node status, ulceration and disease stage significantly predicted survival among pediatric patients with melanoma, according to results of a retrospective review.

Source: Healio

Melanoma patients may benefit from electroporation

Once it spreads, this type of skin cancer is extremely difficult to treat. But now researchers say a new therapy is helping them shock away some of the most stubborn tumors.

Source: ABC

Seemingly pan-negative melanomas may be sensitive to MEK inhibitor

A small subset of patients with supposedly nongenetically driven melanomas respond to molecularly targeted treatment with an MEK inhibitor, according to recent findings released today.

Source: Oncology Practice

Colchester Hospital: NHS England probe finds five cancer areas 'unsafe'

NHS England found five areas - including skin cancer and urology - were unsafe. The hospital said the main issues found were with the "processes".

Source: BBC

Tests begin on skin cancer detection website

A team of dermatologists is beta testing a website designed as a tool to provide early detection of skin cancer. 

Source: Dermatology Times

Another UCLA stem cell breakthrough on skin cancer

Investigators at UCLA’s Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research have discovered how tissue-specific hair follicle stem cells promote the development of squamous cell skin cancer. They note that understanding the mechanism of stem cell cancer suppression could lead to the development of preventive measures for individuals susceptible to squamous skin cancer. The study was published online on December 15 in the journal Nature Cell Biology.

Source: Examiner

Vancouver skin cancer detection device ready for market; Nobel Prize-winning research behind it

Is a real-time skin-cancer detector a suitable substitute — or a solid second opinion — for dermatologists, since such specialized doctors are in such short supply around the world? And will B.C. patients with worrisome lesions ever even benefit from the BC Cancer Agency/University of B.C.-patented device?

Source: Vancouver Times

Skin cancer breakthrough to be developed in Brisbane

A strategic partnership between The University of Queensland and global pharmaceutical company LEO Pharma will investigate the genetic causes of squamous cell carcinoma, the world’s second most common skin cancer.

Source: University of Queensland

Melanoma & Skin Cancer News Round Up: 11/12/2013

A collection of links to articles referring to melanoma and skin cancer:

Skin cancer drug Vemurafenib approved for use

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-25310860

• http://www.donsidepiper.co.uk/news/scottish-headlines/cancer-drug-approved-for-nhs-use-1-3226066

• http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/scots-back-new-cancer-drug-move-144985n.22899193

Stage III/IV melanoma patients at risk for new primaries

• Patients with stage III or IV melanoma who have not received treatment with BRAF inhibitors remain at risk for developing new primary melanomas (NPMs), although the incidence rates are lower than those observed in studies of dabrafenib and vemurafenib, according to research published online Dec. 2 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-12-stage-iiiiv-melanoma-patients-primaries.html

Positive interim results reported for DNA-based therapy for advanced melanoma

• Ziopharm Oncology announced encouraging interim results from a phase 1/2 multicenter trial of a novel DNA-based therapeutic candidate being studied with veledimex in patients with advanced melanoma.

http://www.healio.com/dermatology/cutaneous-oncology/news/online/%7B2cd1c434-712f-43f2-8e72-c99a1b06e8df%7D/positive-interim-results-reported-for-dna-based-therapy-for-advanced-melanoma

Hopeful trials see firm's cancer vaccine bid reach the next level

• CANCER vaccines developed by a Nottingham science firm are helping patients fight their tumours and survive longer, tests suggest.

http://www.nottinghampost.com/Hopeful-trials-firm-s-cancer-vaccine-bid-reach/story-20306034-detail/story.html#ixzz2n9sQpp00

Minorities and melanoma

• Southern California has the third highest rate of melanoma in the world, only behind Australia and New Zealand. These statistics fly in the face of long-held conventional wisdom that skin cancer preys only on people with fair complexions. More than half of Southlanders are Latino, and nearly 10 percent are African-American.

http://www.healthcanal.com/cancers/skin-cancer/45755-minorities-and-melanoma.html

U.S. midfielder Sacha Kljestan treated for pre-cancerous spots on face 

• US men's national team footballer treated for Skin Cancer.

http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2013/12/10/u-s-midfielder-sacha-kljestan-treated-for-skin-cancer/

Melanoma & Skin Cancer News Round Up: 05/12/2013

A selection of website links which reference melanoma or skin cancer.

Melanoma risk linked with IVF treatment and birth

An investigation into the association between IVF treatment and melanoma found women who had IVF treatment and gave birth to one or two children had an increased rate of invasive melanoma compared with those who did not have children.

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-12-melanoma-linked-ivf-treatment-birth.html

Nivolumab induced responses in melanoma refractory or naïve to ipilimumab

Patients with ipilimumab-refactory or ipilmumab-naïve melanoma demonstrated response to nivolumab with or without peptide vaccine, according to study results.

http://www.healio.com/hematology-oncology/melanoma-skin-cancer/news/online/%7Bb54cc5ce-625c-4661-a558-df052b0c0d44%7D/nivolumab-induced-responses-in-melanoma-refractory-or-naive-to-ipilimumab

PCa Raises Melanoma risk

Men with a history of prostate cancer (PCa) are at increased risk of melanoma, a new study suggests.

http://www.renalandurologynews.com/pca-raises-melanoma-risk/article/322787/

Severity of sleep apnoea is directly proportional to the aggressiveness of melanoma

The severity of sleep apnoea can independently predict the aggressiveness of malignant skin melanoma, according to a new study.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-09/elf-sos090513.php

Tommy Burns Skin Cancer Trust Charity Dinner

The Tommy Burns Skin Cancer Trust will be holding a charity dinner on Saturday the 1st of March 2014, at the Thistle Hotel, Glasgow. The dinner will commence at 7pm.

The past few months have seen members and friends of the trust take part in a cycle around all the SPL grounds in the UK. From Dingwall to Glasgow, they completed the mammoth task of visiting all the grounds over 4 days, covering 400 miles in the process. To supplement the funds raised from the cycle ride they will hold a dinner with tickets priced at £50 + VAT with tables of 10 available for £500 + VAT.

Your £50 + VAT ticket for the night will consist of a drink on arrival, a sit down three course meal with plenty of entertainment taking place throughout the night to keep everyone dancing into the wee hours of the morning.

Sound good? Email galadinnertbsct@hotmail.co.uk to book your place.