new melanoma diagnostic test
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new melanoma diagnostic test

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › new melanoma diagnostic test

  • Post
    • November 18, 2016 at 8:26 am
    Jubes
    Participant

    ADVERTISEMENT

     

     

    Melanoma patients will be able to receive targeted treatment within hours with a Melbourne-developed new blood test that acts as a non-invasive biopsy. 

    Source: 

    AAP 

    18 NOV 2016 – 1:36 PM  UPDATED 5 HOURS AGO

    Advanced melanoma patients will be able to get a diagnosis of how far along their cancer is within hours, not weeks, thanks to a new blood test.

    The "liquid biopsy" blood test was pioneered in Victoria by the Melbourne Melanoma Project and has saved lives by telling doctors almost instantaneously what melanoma mutations exist in a patient's DNA.

    That information is then used to treat them with targeted medication for that strain of melanoma.

     

     

    Normally surgical biopsies can take up to three weeks to give doctors that information.

    The test is now available to advanced melanoma patients through the Olivia Newton John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre and has had impressive results.

    Medical Director of the centre, Professor Johnathan Cebon said a severely ill melanoma patient recently managed to get treated within hours after the centre did the test.

    "He was on death's door and literally on the following morning he was able to sit up and have breakfast," Prof Cebon told reporters on Friday.

    The test is also used to track how treatment is progressing, giving doctors a visible view of how many mutated genes exist in the blood stream over time, tracking the cancer's retreat.

    Researchers are confident the test can be applied for other cancers, with tests already underway to see if it can be used for lung cancer.

    Currently it is used on advanced melanoma patients but researchers believe the test will help in diagnosing early stage melanoma too.

    Touring the facility on Friday, Health Minister Jill Hennessy called the test a "very important breakthrough".

    About 1400 people die from melanoma in Australia every year.

     

Viewing 5 reply threads
  • Replies
      • November 18, 2016 at 2:42 pm
      Bubbles
      Participant

      Hey Anne Louise!

      Hope you are feeling betterer and betterer! HA!

      As for your post….LOVE it. I have been waiting and hoping for these sorts of tests be adopted. Here's a couple of posts (with links within) that demonstrate more of the beauty and value of these tests:

      http://chaoticallypreciselifeloveandmelanoma.blogspot.com/2016/08/melanoma-antigens-in-blood-are.html

      http://chaoticallypreciselifeloveandmelanoma.blogspot.com/2016/06/braf-testing-via-blood-rather-than.html

      Thanks for sharing. Have a great weekend. Celeste

      • November 18, 2016 at 2:42 pm
      Bubbles
      Participant

      Hey Anne Louise!

      Hope you are feeling betterer and betterer! HA!

      As for your post….LOVE it. I have been waiting and hoping for these sorts of tests be adopted. Here's a couple of posts (with links within) that demonstrate more of the beauty and value of these tests:

      http://chaoticallypreciselifeloveandmelanoma.blogspot.com/2016/08/melanoma-antigens-in-blood-are.html

      http://chaoticallypreciselifeloveandmelanoma.blogspot.com/2016/06/braf-testing-via-blood-rather-than.html

      Thanks for sharing. Have a great weekend. Celeste

        • November 18, 2016 at 7:48 pm
        Jubes
        Participant

        Celeste! I am feeling fabulous!

        Although Since yesterday I have a sharp pain in my side like he left a razor blade next to my right kidney…i went to the Australian open golf on Thursday and walked around for a couple of hours ( plus a nice lunch in the clubhouse) maybe I overdid it?! 

        the next day I woke up with this pain and have had to be careful how I move to not tweak it. I am thinking the pain is referring down, as the actual wound site is improving all the time  I can lie on both sides and it just feels like it's pulling a bit. Or it could just be a digestive thing….well now it's the weekend so I'll try to lie low  and hope it goes away  last night I took some lyrica and that put me to sleep ok   I am doing deep breathing exercises so maybe that's it. Also while he was there the doctor fixed that my diaphragm was attached to the lung, so maybe that's it  Just strange that it should start 10 days after the operation

        Apart from that I am just so amazed and astounded that you can be in icu one day and walking around doing your chores the next!! I don't even feel like I need the panadol

        thanks for the links  I find them quite hard to understand with all the percentages etc  I need to read a few times!! But I understand good news when I see it and when I look at my scan box which I is now too heavy for me to carry, I just think how wonderful that these amazing people have come up with this test !!

        anne-Louise 

         

        • November 18, 2016 at 7:48 pm
        Jubes
        Participant

        Celeste! I am feeling fabulous!

        Although Since yesterday I have a sharp pain in my side like he left a razor blade next to my right kidney…i went to the Australian open golf on Thursday and walked around for a couple of hours ( plus a nice lunch in the clubhouse) maybe I overdid it?! 

        the next day I woke up with this pain and have had to be careful how I move to not tweak it. I am thinking the pain is referring down, as the actual wound site is improving all the time  I can lie on both sides and it just feels like it's pulling a bit. Or it could just be a digestive thing….well now it's the weekend so I'll try to lie low  and hope it goes away  last night I took some lyrica and that put me to sleep ok   I am doing deep breathing exercises so maybe that's it. Also while he was there the doctor fixed that my diaphragm was attached to the lung, so maybe that's it  Just strange that it should start 10 days after the operation

        Apart from that I am just so amazed and astounded that you can be in icu one day and walking around doing your chores the next!! I don't even feel like I need the panadol

        thanks for the links  I find them quite hard to understand with all the percentages etc  I need to read a few times!! But I understand good news when I see it and when I look at my scan box which I is now too heavy for me to carry, I just think how wonderful that these amazing people have come up with this test !!

        anne-Louise 

         

        • November 18, 2016 at 9:06 pm
        Bubbles
        Participant

        YAY!!!  Though I am sorry about the sharp pain currently.  Sometimes nerves that have been aggravated by such procedures perk up a few days later and let us know they are unhappy, then get better gradually.  But, I'm not sure exactly what you are dealing with.  Hope some rest improves things and you have a wonderful weekend.  C

        • November 18, 2016 at 9:06 pm
        Bubbles
        Participant

        YAY!!!  Though I am sorry about the sharp pain currently.  Sometimes nerves that have been aggravated by such procedures perk up a few days later and let us know they are unhappy, then get better gradually.  But, I'm not sure exactly what you are dealing with.  Hope some rest improves things and you have a wonderful weekend.  C

        • November 19, 2016 at 3:26 am
        Jubes
        Participant

        You are right. That pain passed after 24 hours. Xx

        • November 19, 2016 at 3:26 am
        Jubes
        Participant

        You are right. That pain passed after 24 hours. Xx

        • November 19, 2016 at 3:26 am
        Jubes
        Participant

        You are right. That pain passed after 24 hours. Xx

        • November 18, 2016 at 9:06 pm
        Bubbles
        Participant

        YAY!!!  Though I am sorry about the sharp pain currently.  Sometimes nerves that have been aggravated by such procedures perk up a few days later and let us know they are unhappy, then get better gradually.  But, I'm not sure exactly what you are dealing with.  Hope some rest improves things and you have a wonderful weekend.  C

        • November 18, 2016 at 7:48 pm
        Jubes
        Participant

        Celeste! I am feeling fabulous!

        Although Since yesterday I have a sharp pain in my side like he left a razor blade next to my right kidney…i went to the Australian open golf on Thursday and walked around for a couple of hours ( plus a nice lunch in the clubhouse) maybe I overdid it?! 

        the next day I woke up with this pain and have had to be careful how I move to not tweak it. I am thinking the pain is referring down, as the actual wound site is improving all the time  I can lie on both sides and it just feels like it's pulling a bit. Or it could just be a digestive thing….well now it's the weekend so I'll try to lie low  and hope it goes away  last night I took some lyrica and that put me to sleep ok   I am doing deep breathing exercises so maybe that's it. Also while he was there the doctor fixed that my diaphragm was attached to the lung, so maybe that's it  Just strange that it should start 10 days after the operation

        Apart from that I am just so amazed and astounded that you can be in icu one day and walking around doing your chores the next!! I don't even feel like I need the panadol

        thanks for the links  I find them quite hard to understand with all the percentages etc  I need to read a few times!! But I understand good news when I see it and when I look at my scan box which I is now too heavy for me to carry, I just think how wonderful that these amazing people have come up with this test !!

        anne-Louise 

         

      • November 18, 2016 at 2:42 pm
      Bubbles
      Participant

      Hey Anne Louise!

      Hope you are feeling betterer and betterer! HA!

      As for your post….LOVE it. I have been waiting and hoping for these sorts of tests be adopted. Here's a couple of posts (with links within) that demonstrate more of the beauty and value of these tests:

      http://chaoticallypreciselifeloveandmelanoma.blogspot.com/2016/08/melanoma-antigens-in-blood-are.html

      http://chaoticallypreciselifeloveandmelanoma.blogspot.com/2016/06/braf-testing-via-blood-rather-than.html

      Thanks for sharing. Have a great weekend. Celeste

      • November 18, 2016 at 4:07 pm
      SOLE
      Participant

      I was about to post this!

       

      Here is something pro active for us Stage 3! Knowing if you have any/and what type of cancer cells are in your bloodstream, you get the right drug, hopefully you respond (check blood again, if not, try another?) and you remain.. STAGE 3!

      THIS IS IMPORTANT NEWS FOR ALL OF US!

      I am willing to pay a visit to Melbourne for Xmas.

       

      • November 18, 2016 at 4:07 pm
      SOLE
      Participant

      I was about to post this!

       

      Here is something pro active for us Stage 3! Knowing if you have any/and what type of cancer cells are in your bloodstream, you get the right drug, hopefully you respond (check blood again, if not, try another?) and you remain.. STAGE 3!

      THIS IS IMPORTANT NEWS FOR ALL OF US!

      I am willing to pay a visit to Melbourne for Xmas.

       

        • November 18, 2016 at 7:52 pm
        Jubes
        Participant

        I hope you can get it in Canada sole but if not  the Olivia newton john center is on the border of NSW and Queensland here and is an amazing facility ( like holiday resort). Plus I'm sure they have it in the USA already! Celeste had posts about it from June this year  

        anne-Louise 

        • November 18, 2016 at 7:52 pm
        Jubes
        Participant

        I hope you can get it in Canada sole but if not  the Olivia newton john center is on the border of NSW and Queensland here and is an amazing facility ( like holiday resort). Plus I'm sure they have it in the USA already! Celeste had posts about it from June this year  

        anne-Louise 

        • November 20, 2016 at 11:05 pm
        SOLE
        Participant

        Anne Louise,

        I have just reached the ONJ center and was transfered to a Karen Galagher who was not available. I spoke with a lady and she told me to send my requests to an email adress, which I did.

        Do you know more? I am eager to just get this blood test done to confirm the presence or not of cancer cells in my blood and what genes are involved. I could get targeted therapy right away before there is more spread!!!

        I dont want to burden you but is there a way you could help? Do you know a direct phone number to the lab doing these tests? A contact person?

        This is already awfully difficult here to get any support…

        Your help would be so appreciated… if you can…

         

        • November 20, 2016 at 11:05 pm
        SOLE
        Participant

        Anne Louise,

        I have just reached the ONJ center and was transfered to a Karen Galagher who was not available. I spoke with a lady and she told me to send my requests to an email adress, which I did.

        Do you know more? I am eager to just get this blood test done to confirm the presence or not of cancer cells in my blood and what genes are involved. I could get targeted therapy right away before there is more spread!!!

        I dont want to burden you but is there a way you could help? Do you know a direct phone number to the lab doing these tests? A contact person?

        This is already awfully difficult here to get any support…

        Your help would be so appreciated… if you can…

         

        • November 20, 2016 at 11:05 pm
        SOLE
        Participant

        Anne Louise,

        I have just reached the ONJ center and was transfered to a Karen Galagher who was not available. I spoke with a lady and she told me to send my requests to an email adress, which I did.

        Do you know more? I am eager to just get this blood test done to confirm the presence or not of cancer cells in my blood and what genes are involved. I could get targeted therapy right away before there is more spread!!!

        I dont want to burden you but is there a way you could help? Do you know a direct phone number to the lab doing these tests? A contact person?

        This is already awfully difficult here to get any support…

        Your help would be so appreciated… if you can…

         

        • November 18, 2016 at 7:52 pm
        Jubes
        Participant

        I hope you can get it in Canada sole but if not  the Olivia newton john center is on the border of NSW and Queensland here and is an amazing facility ( like holiday resort). Plus I'm sure they have it in the USA already! Celeste had posts about it from June this year  

        anne-Louise 

      • November 18, 2016 at 4:07 pm
      SOLE
      Participant

      I was about to post this!

       

      Here is something pro active for us Stage 3! Knowing if you have any/and what type of cancer cells are in your bloodstream, you get the right drug, hopefully you respond (check blood again, if not, try another?) and you remain.. STAGE 3!

      THIS IS IMPORTANT NEWS FOR ALL OF US!

      I am willing to pay a visit to Melbourne for Xmas.

       

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