Latest news with #GeorginaLong
Sky News AU
21-06-2025
- Health
- Sky News AU
New melanoma therapy introduced by 2024 Australian of the Year
Australian of the Year 2024 Professor Georgina Long has pioneered a new treatment for melanoma. Certain cancer patients will be treated with immunotherapy before they undergo surgery. The approach is expected to improve survival rates of skin cancer.
News.com.au
20-05-2025
- Health
- News.com.au
‘Still keen to keep living': Eminent pathologist Professor Richard Scolyer reveals cancer has progressed
Acclaimed melanoma expert and former Australian of the Year Professor Richard Scolyer has shared a heartbreaking update on his battle with brain cancer – revealing the disease is advancing again. Professor Scolyer, 58, was diagnosed with the aggressive and incurable glioblastoma in 2023 and initially given just eight months to live. However, after undergoing experimental immunotherapy based on melanoma research, his cancer remained at bay for 18 months. In a social media post on Monday, Professor Scolyer confirmed a recent MRI scan had shown further progression of the tumour on the left side of his brain. 'While this may not be the best direction to be heading with my changes, amazingly (to me), I still seem keen to keep living, loving and having fun, whenever possible,' he wrote on social media. 'I feel like there are quite a few people on my team (including my family & friends) and they make me happy and proud.' The prominent cancer researcher, jointly named Australian of the Year in 2024 alongside fellow Melanoma Institute Australia co-director Professor Georgina Long, has remained remarkably candid and optimistic throughout his treatment journey. In February, Professor Scolyer announced the cancer had returned, prompting him to undergo surgery in March to remove as much of the tumour as possible. He later explained that while the procedure successfully removed a significant portion of the mass, 'little tentacles' remained and would require additional treatment to 'mop up' the remaining cancer cells. 'Depending on what the scan shows … that will help choose what are the next forms of therapy that I can have to see where we need to go from here,' he said at the time. He also acknowledged the emotional and physical toll of ongoing treatment, admitting he had been feeling 'a little up and down' due to side effects, though he continued to cherish time spent with his wife Katie and their children. 'Sometimes I'm happy to have fun, but some of the therapies have knocked me around a bit, so I can't do some of the things I love doing,' he said. 'I'm still having a fun time at home with my kids, they've been very kind, as well as my beautiful wife Katie has, who's been using her incredible intellect to help me speak to different doctors about various options that are available.' Professor Scolyer said he expects to undergo another operation and remains hopeful about future treatments. 'Fingers crossed this operation isn't so bad and we can move forward with the next form of therapy and hopefully push things along faster to try and get things open up for many, many patients who have got glioblastoma,' he said.
News.com.au
10-05-2025
- Health
- News.com.au
‘Worried': Australian of the Year, Richard Scolyer, provides sad cancer update
Former Australian of the Year Richard Scolyer has provided an update on his ongoing battle with brain cancer. Professor Scolyer was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour, glioblastoma, in 2023, and given only eight months to live. He was awarded Australian of the Year in 2024 alongside research partner Georgina Long for their pioneering research and treatment for melanoma. Amid his diagnosis Professor Scolyer conducted experimental treatment based on melanoma breakthroughs, including undergoing immunotherapy before removing the brain tumour. While the treatments kept his cancer at bay for nearly two years, in February he announced the tumour had returned. In an Instagram update, Professor Scolyer confessed he was 'a bit worried' about undergoing his first MRI scan since the recurrent brain surgery he had in early March. He explained while the surgery aimed to remove the majority of the tumour, there were 'little tentacles' left behind, requiring further treatments that can 'mop up' and destroy 'the wretched tumour cells'. 'Depending on what the scan shows ..... that will help choose what are the next forms of therapy that I can have to see where we need to go from here,' he said. Professor Scolyer explained he was feeling 'a little up and down' due to the ongoing treatments, describing it as a 'tough journey at times'. 'Sometimes I'm happy to have fun, but some of the therapies have knocked me around a bit, so I can't do some of the things I love doing,' he said. 'I'm still having a fun time at home with my kids, they've been very kind, as well as my beautiful wife Katie has, who's been using her incredible intellect to help me speak to different doctors about various options that are available.' He will undergo another operation and is hopeful 'things will move forward in the right direction'. 'Fingers crossed this operation isn't so bad and we can move forward with the next form of therapy and hopefully push things along faster to try and get things open up for many, many patients who have got glioblastoma,' he said.
The Australian
10-05-2025
- Health
- The Australian
‘Worried': Australian of the Year, Richard Scolyer, provides sad cancer update
Former Australian of the Year Richard Scolyer has provided an update on his ongoing battle with brain cancer. Professor Scolyer was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour, glioblastoma, in 2023, and given only eight months to live. He was awarded Australian of the Year in 2024 alongside research partner Georgina Long for their pioneering research and treatment for melanoma. Amid his diagnosis Professor Scolyer conducted experimental treatment based on melanoma breakthroughs, including undergoing immunotherapy before removing the brain tumour. Richard Scolyer was co-awarded Australian of the Year in 2024. Picture: Supplied. While the treatments kept his cancer at bay for nearly two years, in February he announced the tumour had returned. In an Instagram update, Professor Scolyer confessed he was 'a bit worried' about undergoing his first MRI scan since the recurrent brain surgery he had in early March. He explained while the surgery aimed to remove the majority of the tumour, there were 'little tentacles' left behind, requiring further treatments that can 'mop up' and destroy 'the wretched tumour cells'. 'Depending on what the scan shows ..... that will help choose what are the next forms of therapy that I can have to see where we need to go from here,' he said. He announced his cancer recurred in February 2025. Picture: Instagram Professor Scolyer Weil undergo further treatments to remove the remaining tumour. Picture: Instagram Professor Scolyer explained he was feeling 'a little up and down' due to the ongoing treatments, describing it as a 'tough journey at times'. 'Sometimes I'm happy to have fun, but some of the therapies have knocked me around a bit, so I can't do some of the things I love doing,' he said. 'I'm still having a fun time at home with my kids, they've been very kind, as well as my beautiful wife Katie has, who's been using her incredible intellect to help me speak to different doctors about various options that are available.' He is hopeful the treatments and operations will help 'push things along faster'. Picture: Supplied. He will undergo another operation and is hopeful 'things will move forward in the right direction'. 'Fingers crossed this operation isn't so bad and we can move forward with the next form of therapy and hopefully push things along faster to try and get things open up for many, many patients who have got glioblastoma,' he said.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Richard Scolyer gives cancer update
Former Australian of the Year Richard Scolyer has provided an update on his ongoing battle with brain cancer. Professor Scolyer was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour, glioblastoma, in 2023, and given only eight months to live. He was awarded Australian of the Year in 2024 alongside research partner Georgina Long for their pioneering research and treatment for melanoma. Amid his diagnosis Professor Scolyer conducted experimental treatment based on melanoma breakthroughs, including undergoing immunotherapy before removing the brain tumour. While the treatments kept his cancer at bay for nearly two years, in February he announced the tumour had returned. In an Instagram update, Professor Scolyer confessed he was 'a bit worried' about undergoing his first MRI scan since the recurrent brain surgery he had in early March. He explained while the surgery aimed to remove the majority of the tumour, there were 'little tentacles' left behind, requiring further treatments that can 'mop up' and destroy 'the wretched tumour cells'. 'Depending on what the scan shows ..... that will help choose what are the next forms of therapy that I can have to see where we need to go from here,' he said. Professor Scolyer explained he was feeling 'a little up and down' due to the ongoing treatments, describing it as a 'tough journey at times'. 'Sometimes I'm happy to have fun, but some of the therapies have knocked me around a bit, so I can't do some of the things I love doing,' he said. 'I'm still having a fun time at home with my kids, they've been very kind, as well as my beautiful wife Katie has, who's been using her incredible intellect to help me speak to different doctors about various options that are available.' He will undergo another operation and is hopeful 'things will move forward in the right direction'. 'Fingers crossed this operation isn't so bad and we can move forward with the next form of therapy and hopefully push things along faster to try and get things open up for many, many patients who have got glioblastoma,' he said.
