The UK now has more deaths from the most deadly form of skin cancer – malignant melanoma – than even Australia. And the incidence of malignant melanoma is growing faster in the south west of the UK than anywhere else in the country.

Between 1998 and 2003 there were 8,100 British deaths from malignant melanoma, compared to 4,900 in Australia.

New laboratories to help combat this problem will be opened at the University of Bristol on Tuesday 22nd August.

Despite recent advances in many cancer treatments, there are still very few options for patients whose melanoma has spread around the body.

Over the past four years research in the Microvascular Research Laboratories (MVRL) at the University of Bristol has found new ways of identifying which patients with melanoma will go on to get distant spread of the tumour. Researchers have also found new mechanisms to explain how these cancers spread.

To enable the expansion of this crucial work the MVRL was recently awarded a grant from the Skin Cancer Research Fund, a national charity based in Bristol, to refurbish and run a new laboratory suite. The new laboratory will enable researchers at the University of Bristol to study cancer cells collected from skin cancer patients attending Frenchay Hospital.

Dr David Bates, who will head up the new labs, said: “Through a unique collaboration between University scientists and surgeons and doctors at Frenchay Hospital, we anticipate being able to give hope and support to patients with skin cancer by building on our recent breakthroughs, and finding out how to better treat the condition once it spreads”.

The new Skin Cancer Research Fund Laboratory will be opened by the Director of the Skin Cancer Research Fund, Mr Paul Townsend, on Tuesday August 22nd at 3 pm. The opening will be followed by a reception for the staff and visitors.