At 58, Scolyer was diagnosed with a severe form of glioblastoma in 2023 and was initially given just eight months to live.

Scolyer and Georgina Long, co-director of the Melanoma Institute, opted for an experimental immunotherapy treatment to combat his glioblastoma, which has successfully kept it under control for two years.

However, after undergoing scans in February, Scolyer revealed his brain cancer had returned.

He underwent surgery in March to remove as much of the tumour as possible.

The doctor provided a health update to his Instagram yesterday, saying he was “a bit worried” after undergoing another scan.

”I’ve had some different types of therapy to try and mop up what’s left behind, trying to get rid of more of the tumour,” he said in the video. 

“The issue with it is…there are small tentacles that extend at the perimeter, so we need to identify a therapy that can eliminate and eradicate those remaining troublesome tumor cells that persist

“So, trying some different therapies, seeing if they’ll work, and then depending on what their scan shows, I guess that’ll help choose what the next forms of therapy that I can have.

The former Australian of the year said he was feeling “a bit up and down” after the scan.

“It’s a tough journey at times, but other times I’m super happy,” he said.

“Fingers crossed this operation won’t be too bad, and we can move forward with the next form of therapy and hopefully push things along faster to try and get things opened up for many, many patients who’ve got glioblastoma.”

Scolyer and Long were both awarded the Australian of the Year award in 2024 for their work in brain cancer research.