Complementary therapies are types of therapies not scientifically proven but accepted as ways that may help treat a certain condition.
Alternative therapies are used in place of conventional therapies and the risks may be unknown. You should always consult your treating clinician when considering complementary and/or alternative therapies.
The following complementary therapies are examples that can be used in combination with conventional medicine for those with melanoma.
To maintain energy levels and enhance your immune system it is important to have a nutritionally balanced diet. This should include fresh fruit and vegetables, healthy carbohydrates that are low in fats and sugar (bread, pasta, rice, cereals) and protein (lean meat, eggs, milk, beans/lentils). Alcohol and caffeine should be kept to a minimum. Discussing your diet with a dietitian may be helpful.
Dietitians Association of Australia www.daa.asn.au
Exercise can have a positive impact on your mood and wellbeing but you should be active at a level that is comfortable for you. Even small amounts of activity may make you feel better and improve your sleep.
Evidence shows that physical activity can be effective in lifting low mood, improving sleep, lowering blood pressure and reducing stress.
Discussing your physical activity with a physiotherapist may be helpful.
Australian Physiotherapy Association www.physiotherapy.asn.au
Fatigue is commonly experienced by people with melanoma and can be a side effect of melanoma treatments. It is important to allow yourself adequate time to rest and recuperate. To manage excessive fatigue you should talk with your treating clinician.
Research has shown that relaxation and mindfulness techniques can counter the harmful physical effects of stress. Methods to elicit deep relaxation include guided imagery, visualisation, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, massage, breathing techniques, yoga, Tai Chi and prayer.
Ensuring a healthy mind and spirit are important and self-care is essential, especially when dealing with the stress of melanoma. Self-care is any activity that helps you maintain your physical, mental or emotional health and is best when practised routinely.
Connecting with communities of faith or accessing local counsellors may also help in anxiety and stress reduction as well as enabling avenues to discuss difficult and often avoided issues such as the meaning of life, death and dying.
“By having a short walk outside each day I feel better in myself and have noticed that I am less stressed and sleeping better at night.” – Chris
Melanoma Patients Australia
Mater Foundation
620 Stanley Street
Woolloongabba
Brisbane, 4102
Brisbane Melanoma Information Forum - Thurs 25 July, 6pm to 9pm.
Join us for a light supper and hear about the latest information from experts including Professor Mark Smithers AM and Professor Euan Walpole. Updates on treatments, surgery and strategies for living well will be provided and a survivor story will be shared. There will also be plenty of time for questions.
Registrations are essential. Please follow link for details.
Ps Dates for our other Patient Information forums for 2019 across Australia will be released shortly.
Melanoma Information Forum - Brisbane - Melanoma Patients
melanomapatients.org.au
Join us for supper on Thursday 25 July to hear about the latest melanoma information.
Hello can you provide it on line so those of us in the regions can watch it. Thankyou
Bringing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to assist with early stage melanoma diagnosis.
One key method of checking for melanoma is through self-examination checking for new or changing spots/lesions/moles.
However, self-examinations can be subjective so new technology from a team from the Queensland University of Technology, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, could make it easier for people to detect skin cancer at an early stage.
The world-first technology aims to use a number of recent advances in imaging technology, computer vision and machine learning to automate skin self-examinations with AI.
This would allow people to carry out a full-body skin mapping scan of their moles and lesions in the comfort of their home via a smartphone or camera.
This study is in collaboration with dermatology and skin cancer experts Profs Peter Soyer and Monika Janda from the University of Queensland.
New technology could turn every smartphone into a skin cancer detector - Create
createdigital.org.au
Skin cancer accounts for one of the largest number of cancer diagnoses in Australia every year.
Narelle Grigoriou
Be wonderful asked gp about two weeks ago cursory glance it's dry skin. I thought no I know signs rang specialist as month to go got in early. Biopsies back one out of margins booked in for surgery on both.
Amazing ... it would save so much money to patients, government, and private health ... in the early detection !
Hope so
Alexander Luiten
Zenobia Weczorek
Harley Ambrose
Kurtis Brandt
Jim Cormack
Onkel Tom
Tumours release cells into the blood that can reveal if the cancer is growing and spreading to other parts of the body. Now, researchers have shown they can train a laser device on the hand of melanoma patients and detect these scarce tumor cells coursing through the bloodstream. It’s early days however this promising device could one day improve screening for melanoma and help doctors monitor whether treatments are working.
Laser detects tumor cells in bloodstream, potentially improving melanoma screening and treatment
sciencemag.org
Device picks up rare skin cancer cells missed by other tests
This is amazing!!! Rebecca Ann
Hoping all works as we must find a cure for this. Too many have passed.
whatever helps is a God send ❤️💕
Leigh Posa Kimberley Grant
Love that
😮😮😮😮
Maree Krause
Hope this happens soon!
Mary Rennie-Hynes interesting
We are entering a new and exciting frontier in the treatment for Stage III melanoma - neo adjuvant therapy.
According to data presented at the recent American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, Assoc Prof Alex Menzies from the Melanoma Insitiute Australia discusses neoadjuvant immuno and targeted therapies and that they have been linked to high pathological complete response rates in patients with clinical Stage III melanoma.
Neoadjuvant Therapy in Melanoma Tied to High Pathological Response Rates - Cancer Therapy Advisor
cancertherapyadvisor.com
Researchers concluded that the ability to achieve pCR correlated to improved recurrence-free survival in melanoma.Reminder:
Tomorrow is the last day to make a personal submission to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) regarding three important adjuvant treatments for resected Stage III and Stage IV patients.
The PBAC very much welcomes submissions from patients and others. We encourage all melanoma patients and those affected, to take this opportunity to provide their personal accounts and experiences detailing why these drugs should be considered for PBS listing.
It is estimated that 1725 people will die in 2019 from melanoma; this is your chance to make a difference and help many.
Closing date is Wed 12 June 2019 COB.
You can submit online comments directly to the PBAC for each drug via the link below:
1. For Dabrafenib (Tafinlar) in combination with Trametinib (Mekinist) it is the ONLY option in the drop-down box
2. For Nivolumab (Opdivo) please choose the FIRST option in the drop-down box.
3. For Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) please choose the FIRST option in the drop-down box.
With Thanks - Victoria Beedle CEO
Department of Health | Online Comments to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC)
health.gov.au
You are welcome to provide comments from a personal or group perspective for consideration by the PBAC when the submission is considered.
Please be advised the above link has crashed due to high volume. You can still make a submission by following these steps. 1. Google search ‘PBAC July 2019 agenda’ 2. Click on ‘PBAC Consumer Comments Submission Form’ 3. Scroll down and click on ‘PBAC online submission form’.
Done
Done!!
Done ✅
Done!
Submitted.
Justin Batrouney Rosie Clark Susan Clark Menzel Rod Pohlner Joanne Dowie Joanne Campbell Joan Roberts
Jay Allen Monique Bowland Lisa Hanlon
