HealthMatters August 2012 - Sydney Local Health District

Research M a t t e r sSkin cancer researcher wins Premier’s AwardRichard Scolyer may be the NSW Premier’s choice as the Outstanding Cancer Research Fellow for 2012but he knows his days are numbered.As a clinician at the forefront of research intomelanoma, long known as one of Australia’sbiggest killers, Professor Scolyer predicts a curecould be on the horizon within 10 years.That will be music to the ears of the more than11,000 people newly diagnosed each year, but itmight also put him out of a job.“I would not be complaining at all about that.This is what we have been working toward forquite a while,” he says.It is the second time in three years that ProfessorScolyer, a staff specialist and clinical researchfellow in Royal Prince Alfred Hospital’sDepartment of Tissue Pathology and DiagnosticOncology, has won the Premier’s Award and itis a fitting honour for a man considered a worldleader in skin cancer.But he knows the best is yet to come, and isconvinced the next 10 years will be the ride ofhis life, thanks to recent breakthroughs in cancerresearch which are proving to be the biggestadvances in decades.“In the past, melanoma was thought to be onedisease but we now know through research thereare different subtypes,” he says.“As a result, we have new drugs whichspecifically target certain subtypes and this hasgiven hope to melanoma patients for the firsttime, particularly those with metastatic disease.”Research has also shown that patients’ ownimmune systems rally to help these new drugsshrink tumours.“Taking biopsies of the tumours before we startthe patient on these drugs, then during treatmentand after treatment we see that the body’s ownimmune system is fighting. It’s not just the drug,the body is recruiting lymphocytes,” he says.“And because of this there’s also been shownto be a drug which stimulates the immunesystem and attacks the tumour, so we’ve createda rationale to try and combine these two agentsand boost the effectiveness of them.“We now have personalised medicine andtailored treatment which gives the best chanceof cure. This is the most promising thing that hasever happened.”In addition, Professor Scolyer and colleaguesare preparing to launch the Australian MelanomaGenome Project where 500 tumours will besequenced for the first time in the world.“This will change the face of the diseaseinternationally. We know the driver mutations inabout 70 per cent of cases but we don’t knowthe cause behind the remaining 30 per cent. Inthe next five years, we can have a profile of everytumour.”Professor Scolyer’s award, one of only eightstatewide, means he can devote the $20,000prize money to more research, but he is quick toacknowledge the real honour goes to a close-knitmultidisciplinary team of surgeons, oncologists,immunologists, basic scientists “and hundredsof others who work behind the line”.“I might be the person who stands up and getsit but I’m a small cog in a much bigger team ofpeople who are doing this work.”Within a few years, that team will have theopportunity to see its endeavours help halt adisease which now claims about 1300 Australianlives a year.“Exciting times indeed,” Professor Scolyer says.Professor Richard Scolyer (second from left), with international scientist Atul Butte, NSW Minister for Health and Medical Research, Jillian Skinner, and Cancer Institute CEO David Currow.Photo courtesy of Cancer Institute NSW.4 HealthMatters Sydney – it’s your local health district

Spotlight on NGO partnerships:Thalassaemia CentreLisa Malaxos, left, her daughter Ariah, and Thalassaemia Centre coordinator Nancy LucichWhen Lisa Malaxos learned that herthree year old daughter, Ariah, had agenetic disorder that would requireregular blood transfusions to keepher alive, the single mum drew on apreviously untapped inner-strength toprocess the news before embarkingdown the road of twice-monthlyhospital visits alone.Her burden was lightened however, when she wasput in contact with the Thalassaemia Society, anon-government organisation located within theDistrict’s King George V Building, dedicated tosupporting patients and their families, as well aseducation and research.“I was reluctant to make contact initially – Iwanted space to get used to the diagnosis,” MsMalaxos said.“I received so much important information fromthe doctors, but nothing could prepare me for thestrain and the risks of Ariah’s treatment.“But I’m so glad I reached out. It is reassuring andit’s like there’s now a light in such a dark tunnel,”she said.“It’s like there’s nowa light in such a darktunnel,” Lisa MalaxosThalassaemia is a blood disorder where the bodydestroys red blood cells almost as soon as theyare produced, affecting oxygen delivery to themain organs. In the case of Thalassaemia-majorpatients, treatment consists of regular bloodtransfusions and injections of a drug to preventdangerous build-up of iron.The Thalassaemia Centre is one of 30 nongovernmentorganisations (NGOs) that benefitfrom funding under the Sydney Local HealthDistrict NGO Program. The grant helps to employCentre Coordinator Nancy Lucich – who is alsoa Thalassaemia patient – three days a week.The Centre also employs a psychologist to offercounselling and other support to patients andfamilies.“It’s been an inspiration to meet adultThalassaemia patients like Nancy. They’re outthere living life and having children despite thecondition, and that gives me hope for my Ariah”,Ms Malaxos said.NGO Partnerships:SLHD provided $16 millionin grants to 30 nongovernmentorganisations(NGOs) in 2011-12The Thalassaemia Centreis on Level 7, King GeorgeV Building, MissendenRoad, Camperdown.Ph: 9550 4844HealthMatters5