News

Non-melanoma skin cancer clinical trial: first Perth patients undergo treatment

Jul 18, 2022

Hollywood Private Hospital is the first medical facility in WA to participate in the global phase IV EPIC-Skin Study (efficacy of personalised irradiation with Rhenium-SCT®) for the treatment of non-melanoma skin cancers.

Nuclear medicine physician Associate Professor Joe Cardaci said Rhenium-SCT® allows for a targeted and non-invasive treatment of non-melanoma skin cancers, without damaging the surrounding healthy tissue.

The treatment is applied to the affected area like a paste, but does not come into contact with the patient’s skin.

“The EPIC-Skin study offers the opportunity to further demonstrate the efficacy of this new epidermal radioisotope therapy,” Assoc. Prof Cardaci said.

“With non-melanoma skin cancers very prevalent in Australia, it's important that as a medical community we continue to investigate new treatment options to ensure we are improving patient outcomes.”

The first Perth patients were treated at Hollywood in June. They are among 210 adults participating in the study and their progress will be followed for 24 months.

Non-melanoma skin cancers, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, are the most common cancers in Australia.

The current treatment options for non-melanoma skin cancer patients include surgery or radiation therapy, which can involve multiple treatments.

OncoBeta is the sponsor of the international EPIC-skin study.  Dr Sam Vohra, Medical Director at OncoBeta Australia said, “The aim of the EPIC-Skin Study is not to reverse the existing treatment options but rather to show Rhenium-SCT® is a patient friendly treatment alternative for NMSCs.”

The EPIC-Skin Study is one of many high-profile international clinical trials underway at Hollywood.

Hollywood Private Hospital Chief Executive Officer Andrew Tome said the facility is investing heavily in medical research and was well placed to offer more novel therapies in the future.

Hollywood Private Hospital nuclear medicine physician Associate Professor Joe Cardaci.