Print this pageNSW Oncology Group: Melanoma
NSWOG Melanoma first met in March 2006 and was originally chaired by Professor John Thompson. The Group was established to determine best practice in NSW and is currently chaired by Dr Michael Hughes, Director, Surgical Oncology at Westmead Hospital.
Key activities of NSWOG Melanoma:
- NSWOG Priority Project: Recurrence of melanoma in NSW
In 2007, the Cancer Institute NSW supported a project defined by each invited NSWOG as the priority activity to improving cancer care and control in their clinical area. The selected project was supported by the NSWOG membership, aligned to the Terms of Reference of the Group.
NSWOG Melanoma identified the need to assess the feasibility of measuring the recurrence of melanoma in the NSW Central Cancer Registry (NSWCCR) as their Priority Project.
The project was conducted through the Melanoma Institute Australia in three distinct phases. Known recurrences were cross-validated between the Sydney Melanoma Unit (SMU) and notifications to the NSWCCR. Based on the findings of the cross- validation, protocols for measuring the recurrence of melanoma were developed. Finally, the protocol was tested with a pilot measurement of recurrence for a random sample of 300 patients from the registry who were diagnosed with primary invasive melanoma in 2001.
Click here to read the Project Summary Report.
Click here to read the full report here Melanoma Recurrence in NSW: Assessment of the feasibility of measuring melanoma recurrence in the NSW Central Cancer Registry.
- NSWOG Melanoma Cancer Draft Minimum Data Set Extension
NSWOG Melanoma, together with the NSW Melanoma Network, identified succinct dataset extensions as statewide standards to complement the core dataset with additional measures and indicators specific to tumour streams.
Click here to read the draft dataset: NSW Melanoma Minimum Data Set Extension Data Dictionary
- Synoptic Pathology Reporting
NSWOG Melanoma was among the four tumour stream NSWOGs that identified structured pathology as a high priority for improving clinical decision support. Collaborative projects have been established in this area, and more information is available on the Structured Pathology Reporting page of the Cancer Institute NSW site.
