Trial status: Open

Treatment type: Biomarker

The purpose of this study is to investigate what changes in the biochemistry (“computer program”) of melanoma cells occur after a single dose of a chemotherapeutic or biologic agent used in melanoma treatment.

Pre-clinical studies indicate that some combination of these drugs may have activity in certain patients with metastatic melanoma although there is no evidence yet that any combination of these drugs prolongs life.

Doctors hope to use the information from serial biopsies to guide the selection of drugs in future large clinical trials by analysing the pattern of changes that occurs in these specimens.

Once consented, the patient’s surgeon will also remove one clinically benign normal mole before and after the melanoma drug treatment. This will assist the research team to determine what affects the drugs are having on the “computer program” of the cells that sometimes go on to form melanoma.

Anti-melanoma therapy will be selected by the treating clinician according to existing standard protocols. A single course of this anti-melanoma treatment will be administered.

All potentially eligible patients will be from the patient population of the Melanoma Institute Australia. These patients will be currently managed by the clinicians within the unit.

Contacts

Principal Investigator; Professor John Thompson

Maria Cronin – Trial Coordinator:       +61 2 9911 7302

Carolina Segovia – Trial Coordinator: +61 2 9911 7347