Breakthrough in melanoma treatment

A cancer drug which has been hailed as a miracle treatment will now be offered to Australia's most advanced melanoma patients.

The PD-1 drug will be administered for free to sufferers with no other options available under a special access program by manufacturer Merk Sharp and Dohme, while clinical trials continue.

Results so far have shown that up to half of all advanced melanoma patients who received the drug, known as MK-3475, responded to the treatment.

Following a recent campaign by cancer doctors, support groups and the drug company itself, the Therapeutic Good Administration last week approved limited release of the drug.

The treatment will be granted to a handful of extreme cases each month.

Former Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Ron Walker, was one of the first Australians to be given the drug and told News Corp that without it he "wouldn't be here".

"Before I had the drug and I was diagnosed, I had a group of four doctors talk to me and Barbara and the consequences were very clear: it was just a matter of time,” Mr Walker said.

"I was offered the opportunity to be part of the experiment and I seized upon it straight away, and just look at what happened to me.

"It won't be 100 percent successful, but it provides people with a chance and that is what they deserve, a chance to get better."

Melanoma is the fastest-growing cancer in Australia.

The release of the drug in Australia comes following a similar move in the US, where it was hailed as a "breakthrough" and fast tracked by the Food and Drug Administration.

Source: News Corp

Author: Natasha Lee, Approving editor: Matthew Henry