Australia/New Zealand Join Forces On New Treatment Guidelines For Melanoma

Main Category: Melanoma / Skin Cancer
Also Included In: Cancer / Oncology
Article Date: 19 Nov 2008 - 3:00 PDT

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In a cross-Tasman first, Australia and New Zealand have collaborated with a joint approach to the development of treatment guidelines for cancer, to be launched today (19/11) at the Clinical Oncological Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting in Sydney.

Convenor of the 51 member working party that produced Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Melanoma in Australia and New Zealand, Emeritus Professor Tom Reeve from the Australian Cancer Network, said the development marked a new chapter in efforts to achieve consistent best practice in cancer management across the Tasman.

"Achieving comprehensive, evidence based guidelines that can be applied across both countries is a significant achievement," Professor Reeve said. "The guidelines are cutting-edge and include new areas such as psychosocial issues and new techniques like dermoscopy to refine diagnosis."

The working party, chaired by Director of the Sydney Melanoma Unit, Professor John Thompson, and comprising melanoma experts and consumers, took two and a half years to develop the guidelines, which have been approved by the National Health and Medical Research Council and New Zealand Guidelines Group.

A practice guide and GP card will also be released for the treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer.

Presentation: 9.45am, Auditorium

Australia's leading meeting of cancer experts
Clinical Oncological Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting
Sydney Convention Centre - November 18-20, 2008