It's being hailed as a cancer breakthrough so monumental, the lead scientist is describing it as a “moon landing moment”.

And it's not just any scientist, but Professor Georgina Long - the Australian oncologist already credited with boosting the survival rate of advanced melanoma from 5 to 50 per cent.

In a world first, a stage three clinical trial led by Long has shown success in using a personalised therapeutic vaccine to dramatically cut the risk of melanoma recurrence and death, after a tumour is removed.

Today, Professor Georgina Long, medical director of Melanoma Institute Australia, on when we might have access to this treatment. And how it might impact the treatment of other cancers.

The Morning Edition brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris, from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

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