Media release

From: QIMR Berghofer

Know your own risk: Next-gen melanoma risk prediction calculator to help Australians act against deadly skin cancer

QIMR Berghofer has unveiled the next-generation of its world-leading melanoma risk prediction calculator to better help Australians take action against one of the country’s most deadly, costly, and common cancers that claims more lives each year than the national road toll.

Developed using a decade of data from more than 40,000 participants in the landmark QSkin Study, the online tool first launched seven years ago has undergone a major upgrade to now include 16 self-reported factors, such as age, skin type, hair colour and sunspot history.

The free online tool is available for use by the public as well as healthcare providers. Developed in collaboration with the QUT VISER team, it even accounts for regional differences in melanoma risk due to Australia’s diverse UV exposure levels.

SEE HOW THE MELANOMA RISK CALCULATOR WORKS HERE

The extensive statistical analysis and evidence that underpins the accuracy and effectiveness of the next-generation risk calculator is detailed in a scientific paper that has been published in the prestigious journal JAMA Dermatology.

QIMR Berghofer Professor David Whiteman AM, lead researcher and expert advisor to the roadmap for a national targeted screening program for skin cancer, said the new calculator allows every one of us to better understand and act on melanoma risk - whether at home, in a doctor’s office, or as part of community screening programs.

“Early identification of people who are high-risk can prompt more regular skin checks and targeted follow-up, while sparing lower-risk people from unnecessary screening or procedures. This tool is our best approach yet to allow our medical teams to focus on the people and areas of greatest need.”

The urgency around better risk assessment is due to the vast and growing financial toll on Australia’s healthcare system. QIMR Berghofer health economists have estimated the direct costs of treating melanoma via the Australian health system is more than $272 million per year and growing.*

Professor Whiteman says the risk calculator may help save lives, and potentially save money. “Improving how we target and treat melanoma isn’t just critical for people with melanoma; it’s also an important economic necessity. By helping to triage patients more effectively, this tool supports smarter use of healthcare dollars and could go some way to easing the burden on our healthcare system.”

Sunshine Coast woman Nadine Wilson, who was diagnosed with an early stage melanoma, is encouraging every Australian to hop online and assess their own risk. “It’s a really easy way to know your personal risk and take easy steps to protect yourself, and potentially limit the chance of having surgery, or undergoing treatment. Even if you’ve already had a skin cancer, it’s worth checking your risk moving forward.”

Tools such as the QIMR Berghofer Melanoma Risk calculator are key resources in the current discussions on whether Australia needs a targeted national melanoma screening program, aligning with control strategies for other common cancers like cervical, breast, bowel and lung cancer.

Future research plans include further upgrades to incorporate genetic data to boost prediction accuracy even further.

The researchers say that the risk calculator is not intended to replace medical advice, rather it is a guide to inform people about their individual risk so they can discuss this with their doctor.

About the Melanoma Risk Calculator:

- free and available at www.qimrb.edu.au/melanoma

- asks the 16 most scientifically relevant questions for melanoma risk

- factors in geographic locations as well as hereditary risk

- backed by 10 years of data from 40,000 participants in the QSkin study

Sources:

*Estimated healthcare costs of melanoma in Australia over 3 years post diagnosis https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28756584/