What’s this project about?

The number of people diagnosed with malignant melanoma each year in the UK is increasing at an alarming rate. When detected early, there is a good chance of successful treatment. But if the cancer has spread, the outlook is much poorer.

Professor Peter Mortimer is investigating how melanoma spreads – research that could lead to new treatments in the future to slow down or prevent the spread of the disease.

Read more about this project

The difference you can make

Over the last 25 years, rates of malignant melanoma have risen faster than any other common cancer in Britain. Understanding how melanoma spreads could lead to new treatments in the future.

Please help us raise £60,000 to help fund approximately half of the laboratory running costs and researcher support salaries for Professor Mortimer’s research into melanoma.

Personalising treatment

The team will also keep track of the patients’ recovery after their treatment. They are aiming to identify clues that could help doctors predict how a person’s melanoma might behave, enabling them to select the most effective treatment for that individual.

For more information about melanoma skin cancer you can visit our CancerHelp UK website melanoma skin cancer pages.

Meet Carolyn

Carloyn Battrick discovered a mole on her leg. She visited the skin cancer clinic to have it removed. Before she had surgery she agreed to be part of Professor Mortimer’s clinical trial. Thankfully the melanoma had not spread and Carolyn still enjoys her games of tennis.

If you want to learn more about how to be SunSmart and find out the facts about skin cancer then visit our SunSmart site.

Donate now and you can help improve the outlook for people with melanoma.

Why Support George's 60th birthday?

Skin cancer is a disease on the increase. Caught early, it is treatable. However I was told nearly nine years ago that I had a 5% chance of re-occurrence, and here I am with late stage melanoma and no real prospect of successful treatment. It is a disease which we need to understand far better in order to have any prospect of beating it.