Queensland records the highest rates of melanoma in the world and while incidence continues to increase, with mortality now stabilised, we are now witnessing an increasing number of long-term melanoma survivors. While melanoma is one of the most common cancers in Queensland, surprisingly little is known about the psychosocial outcomes patients and their families experience following a melanoma diagnosis, particularly for long-term survivors.

The Viertel Centre for Research in Cancer Control is conducting a study to investigate levels of psychological distress, physical and emotional well-being, quality of life, and health behaviours of long-term melanoma survivors. Additionally, this project will address the important issue of clinical surveillance including the frequency of follow-up, consultation procedures, the number of patients who suffer a recurrence and/or develop additional primary melanoma(s).

Staff involved: Pip Youl, Suzanne Chambers, Joanne Aitken, Carla Shield, Rachel Austin.

Collaborators: Mark Elwood (British Columbia Cancer Agency, Canada).

Contact: Carla Shield

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Australia and rates are continuing to rise. In 2002 it was estimated that over 374,000 individuals were treated for non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) with approximately 36 per cent of these cases occurring in Queensland individuals. The cost of treating skin cancer is enormous with an estimated $300 million spent in Australia each year.

Traditionally GPs have diagnosed and treated the vast majority of skin cancer in their day-to-day general practice. However with the recent growth in the number of GPs working primarily in skin cancer medicine, changes in the way skin cancer is managed in the primary care setting are now evident.

Building on the VCRCC's previous work with mainstream GPs and skin cancer clinics, this project is examining how skin cancer and suspicious skin lesions are managed and treated in primary care skin cancer clinics and in mainstream general practice in urban and regional areas of Queensland.

Staff involved: Pip Youl, Peter Baade, Joanne Aitken, Carla Shield.

Collaborators: David Whiteman (Queensland Institute of Medical Research), Chris Del Mar (Bond University).

Funded by: Cancer Australia.

Contact: Pip Youl

Skin cancer accounts for approximately 80 per cent of all new cancers diagnosed annually in Australia. As the performance of sun safe practices is dependent on individual decision-making processes, it is vital to understand the motivations underlying people’s sun-protective actions.

There is a paucity of research to enhance our understanding of the motivations underlying people’s decisions to sun protect. This research includes four studies in total (Study 1, 2, 3a and 3b) to examine people’s sun-protective attitudes, norms, and control perceptions, with a focus on social influences (media images and referent group norms) on intentions and behaviour. Study 1 will identify people’s beliefs about sun safe decisions to inform a predictive model (Study 2). Interventions will then be designed and evaluated for students in class (Study 3a) and for adults using the internet (Study 3b).

Identification of the important predictors of motivations to sun-protect will assist in developing specific in-class and online intervention strategies to increase people’s performance of sun safety behaviours. The results of the proposed research have significant implications for reducing the incidence of non-melanoma and melanoma skin cancer and sun-related damage in a high risk context, ultimately reducing skin-cancer morbidity and mortality rates.

This project will be a valuable contribution to the Cancer Council’s SunSmart Program and will lead to improved and targeted educational resources for the community as part of the SunSmart Program.

Staff involved: Anna Hawkes.

Collaborators: Katherine White and Ross Young, (Queensland University of Technology).

Funded by: Australia Research Council (ARC) Linkage scheme with Cancer Council Queensland as the industry partner.

Contact: Anna Hawkes