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Hope funds hunt for new Melanoma Blood test
18th May 2010
The Leicestershire and Rutland Charity, Hope Against Cancer, is delighted to announce a new two-year research fellowship in memory of one of its staunchest supporters, Wing Commander Rod Cassidy.
The research at the University of Leicester, will be breaking new ground in the search for a simple blood test that could tell whether a patient with melanoma has the condition in an aggressive form.
The project, led by histopathologist Dr Gerald Saldanha and Dr Howard Pringle, both in the Department of Cancer and Studies and Molecular Medicine, aims to assess whether the measurement of a certain class of molecule called microRNA can identify patients in whom the disease has already begun to spread. Such a test would enable more informed planning of treatment for patients who are found to be at greatest risk following diagnosis.
“Without funding from Hope we would not be able to carry out this research. Although melanomas continue to be less common that other cancers, such as, breast or prostrate, there has been a staggering 60% increase in the last decade. Many melanomas are very thin and treatment success in as high as 95%. However, some patients have thicker, more aggressive melanomas and in these cases the survival rates drop to around 50%. It is therefore important to look at this group more closely and establish who is more likely to succumb to the disease.” Dr Saldanha.
“Wing Commander Rod Cassady was a valued Trustee of Hope. Sadly, he died of liver cancer in 2007, but his memory will live on and give hope to other cancer sufferers through funds that have been raised in his name for research like Dr Saldanha’s.” Said Wendi Stevens, Hope Against Cancer Co-ordinator.
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