Dr Peter Lau

Medical Oncologist: Melanoma, Skin, Breast Cancer and Immunotherapy

Dr Peter Lau is a specialist medical oncologist with over a decade of experience in clinical management and research of melanoma, skin cancer, breast cancer and other solid tumours treated with immunotherapy. His practice focuses on compassionate, patient centred care with shared decision making, utilising the latest medical evidence and research.

 

Through Perth Immuno-Oncology and the Breast Cancer Research Centre WA, Dr Lau provides expert, personalised cancer care. He works closely with surgeons, radiation oncologists, general practitioners, dermatologists and allied health professionals to ensure patients receive coordinated, thoughtful care at every stage.

 

Clinical Expertise

Dr Lau has particular expertise in:

• Melanoma (early stage and metastatic)
• Complex skin cancers including Merkel cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and advanced basal cell carcinoma (BCC)
• Breast cancer
• First in human phase I clinical trials, novel immunotherapy, cell therapy and other emerging cancer treatments
• Other solid cancers requiring immunotherapy
• second opinions for complex treatment cases

 

Background

Dr Lau graduated in Medicine from the University of Queensland in 2007 and completed specialist training in medical oncology at Royal Brisbane & Women’s Hospital, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and Royal Perth Hospital. He was subsequently appointed to the Melanoma and Skin Unit at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, one of the world’s leading cancer centres in Melbourne, where he worked for five years as a consultant medical oncologist.

 

During this time, he completed a laboratory-based PhD focused on melanoma biology and immuno-oncology, with research investigating resistance mechanisms to immunotherapy and targeted therapy. He also contributed to the development of the national eviQ treatment guidelines for melanoma, breast cancer and immunotherapy side effect management protocols.

 

Dr Lau returned to Perth in 2020 and now practices across private and research settings. He is a panellist on the WA Kirkbride Melanoma Advisory Service and a medical oncologist at Linear Clinical Research. In addition, he leads melanoma and breast cancer research as the Translational Immuno-Oncology Fellow at Harry Perkins Institute for Medical Research. Most recently, Dr Lau was appointed Chair of the Advanced Cancer Therapeutics in ONcology (ACTiON) national working party, which seeks to improve patient access to cell therapy.

 

Clinical Trials and Research

Through his appointments at Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Dr Lau is heavily engaged in clinical trials and laboratory cancer research. He has led multiple phase I-III trials and currently serves as the clinical lead for Australia’s first locally manufactured tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) cell therapy program for melanoma. Over the past five years, he has secured over $5.5 million in research funding.

 

Dr Lau has over 25 peer review publications in high-impact journals such as Cochrane, Clinical Cancer Research, Journal of Immunotherapy for Cancer, and European Journal of Cancer, among others.  

 

Contact Details

Perth Immuno-Oncology

Suite 52, Level 2, Hollywood Medical Centre, 85 Monash Avenue, Nedlands, WA 6009

T: 08 9386 1811  | E: reception@perthio.com.au  | Healthlink EDI - perthimo

 

Breast Cancer Research Centre-WA 

Suite 406, Level 4, Hollywood Consulting Centre, 91 Monash Ave, Nedlands, WA 6009

T: 08 6500 5570 | E: oncology.reception@bcrc-wa.com.au | Healthlink EDI - breastci