Melanoma News
We bring you the most current announcements, campaign launches and global initiatives from the world of melanoma. From breakthrough policy changes to community-driven awareness events, we cover all the headlines.
All the latest news from Melanoma UK, including latest breakthroughs, support, fundraising events and news at Melanoma UK
Patient Stories
Behind every statistic is a person, a family, a journey. Our Patient Stories bring those journeys to life. Real voices, raw honesty and inspiring resilience — from diagnosis to recovery, from treatment navigation to advocacy, we shine a spotlight on lived experience. Because together we can transform personal stories into collective hope. Our patient stories bring you first hand experience of people dealing with melanoma and make them accessible to other people.
Reports, Science & Research
Our Reports section delivers in-depth, evidence-based insights into melanoma research and care. Covering national incidence trends, genomic profiling, treatment advances and survivorship outcomes, we turn complex clinical trials, laboratory research and emerging technologies into clear, accessible summaries. At the heart of Melanoma UK is a strong commitment to science, ensuring the latest evidence—from biomarker studies, immunotherapy advances and long-term outcome data.
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🔬 New research led by King`s College London is helping scientists understand why.
Researchers mapped how B cells behave inside melanoma tumours, including how they develop and interact with other immune cells before and after immunotherapy.
They identified a previously unrecognised “inflamed” or activated B cell state and found differences in B cell populations between people who responded to immunotherapy and those who didn’t.
Why does this matter?
There are currently no reliable biomarkers that can predict who is most likely to respond to immunotherapy.
The researchers hope these findings could contribute to future biomarkers that help predict treatment response and support more personalised treatment decisions.
This is early research, and larger studies are needed to confirm the findings. But it offers another important insight into how melanoma and the immune system interact.
Research like this could help us move towards a future where melanoma treatment is increasingly personalised to the individual. 🧡
🔗 Read the full article via the link in our Stories.
@lifeatkings
#Melanoma #MelanomaResearch #Immunotherapy #CancerResearch #SkinCancer MelanomaUK
"I couldn’t curl up in a ball and let it defeat me.”
That determination is at the heart of Luke’s story.
When life dealt Luke Rogers a second cancer diagnosis before the age of 38, he could have been forgiven for feeling completely crushed.
But instead, Luke decided to keep moving forward.
After battling melanoma while his wife was pregnant, Luke was diagnosed with kidney cancer - something he says came “completely out of the blue”.
While recovering from surgery in hospital over Christmas, he decided that 2026 would be a year of challenges.
And he set himself a huge one: become a qualified diver and swim with great white sharks in Australia. 🦈
Luke will travel to the Neptune Islands in South Australia for a four-day expedition, taking on months of training, exams and theory before getting into the cage with one of the ocean’s most iconic predators.
But this challenge is about much more than ticking something off a bucket list.
Luke is aiming to raise £20,000 for four cancer charities - @macmillancancer @cr_uk @kidneycanceruk and @melanomauk turning an incredibly difficult chapter in his life into something that could help others facing their own battles.
We`ve shared his fundraising page in our Stories.
Sometimes moving forward means setting yourself something to focus on, something that gives you purpose, and something that reminds you there is still plenty of life to live.
Good luck from all of us, Luke. 🦈 🧡
A huge thank you to Sarah Julian @bbcwm @bbcnews and @bbcsounds for helping us to raise awareness of Luke’s story and challenge.
#LukesSharkChallenge #SwimmingWithSharks #Fundraising #MelanomaUK
A huge thank you and an enormous well done to Julie Worboys, who yesterday took on an incredible 24 hour physical challenge alongside the community at @valkyrie.hq in memory of her sister, Marie. 🧡
Marie sadly died from melanoma on 11 March 2026, aged just 38.
Julie took on this challenge not only to honour her much loved baby sister, but to raise vital awareness of melanoma and help ensure more people understand just how serious this disease can be.
In Julie`s words:
"Marie was only diagnosed in late December 2025. By the time she received that diagnosis, the cancer had already spread throughout her body - to her liver, her lungs, and her brain. We went from learning she was sick to losing her in just eleven weeks.
She fought so hard. She underwent immunotherapy treatment, and the day before she passed away, we received the most incredible news. It was working. So much of the cancer had gone. We went to bed that night full of hope.
That same evening, Marie suffered a bleed on the brain. It was inoperable. And devastatingly, she was gone.
Marie’s story shows just how quickly and silently this disease can take hold. I want to do everything I can to make sure no other family has to face what ours has.
My world is changed forever now that she is no longer in it, and this is the least I can do. To keep moving, keep going, and carry her with me every single mile.
Every pound raised matters, and every step I take, I take for Marie.”
Julie, what an incredible way to honour your sister. We are so grateful to you and everyone at Valkyrie HQ who supported you through those 24 hours.
Thank you for helping to raise awareness of melanoma and for raising vital funds in Marie’s memory.
Today Saturday 26th September, Valkyrie HQ is opening its doors to gym members, friends, family and the wider community for a full day of fundraising, with a cake sale, raffle, tombola, fitness challenges, food, music and more.
If you’re able to support Julie’s fundraising, every donation, no matter the amount, makes a difference.
You can find the link in our Stories 🧡
#MilesForMarie #MelanomaUK #FundraisingEvent
UV awareness is an all-year-round habit. ☀️
The temperatures might be dropping and the jumpers might be coming back out, but UV awareness shouldn’t be packed away with the summer clothes.
UV levels can still be high at different times of the year, and it doesn’t necessarily have to feel hot or even be a completely clear, sunny day for UV exposure to matter.
That’s why it’s worth getting into the habit of checking the UV index, rather than judging the risk by the temperature outside.
🧡 Check the UV forecast before spending longer periods outdoors
🧡 Take extra care when UV levels are moderate or above
🧡 Use sunscreen and cover up when protection is needed
🧡 Remember to protect your eyes too
Skin protection isn’t just something to think about on holidays or during a heatwave.
You can check the UV forecast and find more advice from the Met Office. (Link in Stories)
#MelanomaUK #UVAwareness #SunSafety #SkinCancerAwareness #ProtectYourSkin
📢 An important update for cancer care in England.
The Government has launched a reformed National Cancer Board, which will monitor progress against the National Cancer Plan and its commitments to improving cancer care.
The Board met for the first time yesterday on 21st September and will meet every three months, looking at progress across areas including:
🔸 Earlier diagnosis
🔸 Access to treatment
🔸 Quality of life
🔸 Reducing inequalities in cancer care
🔸 Support for people affected by rare and less common cancers
The National Cancer Plan has set an ambition for three in four people diagnosed with cancer to survive for five years or more by 2035.
For the melanoma community, we`ll be following the Board`s progress closely - particularly the work being done around earlier diagnosis, improving outcomes and ensuring people can access the care they need.
We welcome continued focus and accountability as these commitments move from plans on paper to changes that make a real difference to people affected by cancer. 🧡
👉 Read the full update from the Department of Health and Social Care on our website.
#NationalCancerBoard #EarlyDiagnosisSavesLives #MelanomaCommunity #MelanomaUK
A huge well done to the wonderful Ella O’Donnell! 🧡👏
Last Saturday, Ella took on the Mini Great North Run to raise money for Melanoma UK in memory of her great uncle.
And she didn’t just reach her fundraising target… she’s raised more than double! 🎉
We’d like to say a massive thank you to Ella, her mum Louise, and everyone who has supported and sponsored her.
Ella said: "I wanted to run the Mini Great North Run for my great uncle Alastair because I love him and miss him."
Lindsay Brough, Operations Officer for Melanoma UK, thanked Ella: “Ella is a wonderful inspiration, showing that you’re never too young to make a difference."
"We’re incredibly grateful to her for choosing to support Melanoma UK in memory of her great uncle. We hope her achievement inspires other young people to get involved too.”
Every pound raised helps us continue supporting people affected by melanoma and raising vital awareness.
What an incredible achievement, Ella, we hope you’re very proud of yourself.
We certainly are! 🧡
If you’d like to support Ella’s fantastic effort, you can find her fundraising page on our Stories today.
#MiniGreatNorthRun #Fundraisers #MelanomaUK
Maybe it’s a new mole. Maybe one you’ve had for years suddenly looks different. Or perhaps you’ve noticed a patch of skin that’s changed, become itchy, started bleeding or simply doesn’t look quite right.
It’s completely understandable to feel worried, but the important thing?
Don’t ignore a change because you’re worried about what it might mean.
Melanoma can begin as a new mole or a change to an existing one, and spotting melanoma early can make it easier to treat.
Get familiar with your skin, check it regularly and remember your ABCDEs:
🧡 Asymmetry
🧡 Border
🧡 Colour
🧡 Diameter
🧡 Evolution
Take 5 minutes today to check your skin.
If something is new, changing or unusual for you, get it checked by your GP.
#Melanoma #SkinCancerAwareness #MelanomaUK
You’ve spotted something different. What happens next?
A new mole, a change in an existing mole or an unusual area of skin is worth paying attention to.
Melanoma UK recommends getting to know what is normal for your skin and looking for changes in size, shape, colour or texture, as well as symptoms such as itching, bleeding or crusting.
If something concerns you, the next step is to speak to your GP.
At your appointment, your GP may:
🔎 Ask about the change, your symptoms and relevant medical or family history
👩⚕️ Examine the mole or affected area
📷 Take a photograph to send to a dermatologist for assessment
🏥 Refer you urgently for further tests or to see a specialist if they think the change could be cancer
And an urgent referral does not mean that you have something nefarious. It means the area needs further assessment.
Finding melanoma early can make it easier to treat, so if something has changed, don’t put off getting it checked.
For guidance on checking your skin and the ABCDE signs of melanoma, visit our website.
#CheckYourSkin #MelanomaAwareness #SkinCheck #EarlyDetection #SkinHealth #MelanomaUK
Could a blood test show if melanoma treatment is working?
New research from Manchester suggests it could.
Researchers have developed a blood test that looks for tiny fragments of tumour DNA circulating in the bloodstream, known as circulating tumour DNA, or ctDNA. In the CAcTUS clinical trial, changes in ctDNA often showed whether treatment was working, or whether the melanoma was becoming resistant, weeks before conventional scans.
The trial involved 21 patients with advanced melanoma carrying a BRAF mutation and explored whether ctDNA could help doctors make treatment decisions sooner.
Researchers say this could support faster, more personalised treatment decisions in the future.
A promising step towards using blood tests to better understand how melanoma is responding to treatment.
Source: @nihr_research
NIHR Manchester Clinical Research Facility, 5 August 2026
#MelanomaResearch #MelanomaTreatment #ctDNA #CancerResearch #PersonalisedMedicine #MelanomaUK
The consultation has closed. The conversation about sunbed safety hasn’t.
In June 2026, COMARE published its latest review of the evidence around artificial tanning devices in the UK.
Its conclusion remains clear: sunbed use contributes to the UK’s skin cancer burden, and the scientific evidence of harm from sunbeds remains clear.
The report also highlights that the risks are greatest for people who begin using sunbeds at younger ages, and estimates that sunbed use contributes to around 100 melanoma deaths each year in the UK.
The Government consultation on strengthening commercial sunbed regulation in England closed on 14 August 2026. It considered measures designed to improve protections, particularly for young people and those most vulnerable to UV harm.
For us at @MelanomaUK , the focus remains the same: prevention, clear information and reducing avoidable UV
Let`s keep the conversation open.
#SunbedSafety #MelanomaPrevention #SkinCancerAwareness #UVSafety #MelanomaUK
A skin check shouldn’t stop where your shoes begin.
Melanoma can develop anywhere on the skin, including places that are easy to overlook, such as the palms of your hands, the soles of your feet and underneath your nails.
Melanomas found in these areas are usually a type called acral melanoma. Unlike many other melanomas, acral melanoma is not linked to sun exposure, and it is more commonly diagnosed in people with brown or black skin.
When checking your skin, remember to look:
- Across your palms and between your fingers
- Across the soles of your feet and between your toes
- Around and underneath your nails
Knowing what is normal for your skin can make it easier to notice a change. If you spot a new or changing mark, or anything that concerns you, speak to your GP.
Your whole skin matters.
#AcralMelanoma #MelanomaAwareness #CheckYourSkin #SkinCheck #SkinHealth #MelanomaUK
Some of the most important lessons start with a conversation. 🎒
When children’s author Russ Walker noticed a mark on his arm beginning to change, he decided to get it checked.
It didn’t look like the melanoma he had expected to see, but further tests confirmed melanoma in situ. Thankfully, it had been detected before becoming invasive.
After surgery and a skin graft, Russ’s young children naturally had questions about the large patch on their dad’s arm.
Wanting to explain what had happened honestly, but without frightening them, Russ wrote Daddy’s Brave Patch.
In our latest patient story, Russ shares the experience behind the book, why talking openly with children matters, and the message he hopes others will take from his diagnosis:
If something on your skin is new, changing or doesn’t look right, get it checked.
🎥 Watch Russ tell his story here.
🔗 You can also read his full patient story on the Melanoma UK website. Link in bio.
#MelanomaUK #MelanomaAwareness #SkinCancerAwareness #CheckYourSkin #EarlyDetection #PatientStory #BackToSchool