Clinical trials are a crucial part of the research undertaken at Melanoma Institute Australia. They are coordinated from The Poche Centre in Wollstonecraft and conducted at locations throughout our network.

MIA has an extensive suite of clinical trials available for patients with melanoma and other skin cancers. If you, or someone you know, has been diagnosed with melanoma or skin cancer, you may want to know about clinical trials available at MIA.

Download our Clinical Trial brochure by clicking on the cover image below to find out more about clinical trials. The brochure is available in English and Simplified Chinese.

Clinical Trials – English

Clinical Trials – Simplified Chinese

People choose to participate in trials for different reasons. There are benefits and risks involved in joining any trial, including:

• You have an active role in your own healthcare.
• You can access new research treatments.
• You may experience a treatment benefit.
• You will possibly help others, including your own children and grandchildren, by contributing to medical research.
• You will experience increased personalised care and attention.
• You will increase your knowledge about melanoma and its treatment.
• You may find some of your treatment costs are covered.

• The experimental treatment may not be effective for you.
• You may experience side effects of the experimental treatment.
• The trial may require more of your time and attention, including more trips to the study site, more treatments and more investigations.
• To join a clinical trial you may be required to meet certain criteria. For example, this could relate to age, cancer type or medical history etc. These criteria help ensure the safety of those participating in the clinical trial. Some people may be unable to join a certain clinical trial because they do not meet the criteria.
• During the clinical trial we will monitor your health and wellbeing very closely. This may require you to complete more tests and paperwork than you would normally expect.
• We cannot say whether you should join a specific clinical trial or not. You need to discuss this with your treating team, your own doctor, family and friends to see if a clinical trial is a right fit for you.

One third of patients in MIA clinical trials travel more than 100km for their treatment. MIA has partnered with Cancer Council NSW and Cancer Institute NSW to run a Clinical Trials Pilot Financial Assistance program to reduce the financial burden, stress, and worry about travel and accommodation, and improve clinical trial accessibility for patients in remote areas. The program has so far assisted 23 patients in gaining access to trials at MIA.

In addition, following MIA’s merger with the Amie St Clair organisation in Wagga Wagga, MIA has now opened a clinical trial in this region and will use this model for other regions across NSW and Australia.

If you would like further information on a clinical trial or would like to join a clinical trial, please speak with your treating medical team to arrange a referral to an MIA clinician. Referrals can come from your general practitioner or specialist.

1. Discuss with your treating medical team
Discuss with your cancer specialist about being referred to MIA to join a clinical trial.

2. Be Referred
Ask your current treating doctor to send through a referral letter including:
•   A clinical trial consideration request
•   Medical history
•   Most recent scan and blood test results
•   Biopsy results
•   Contact details of referring cancer specialist (email and phone)

Head of Clinical Trials
Maria Gonzalez
Email Maria.Gonzalez@melanoma.org.au
For more information for your treating doctor refer to our referral page.

3. Next steps
Your referral will be reviewed by the MIA Clinical Trials Manager and forwarded to an appropriate specialist. Details of your first appointment to see the specialist will be shared with you via phone or email.