A Randomised Controlled Pilot Trial of Patient-led Surveillance Compared to Clinician-led Surveillance in People Treated for Localised Melanoma.
A Randomised Controlled Pilot Trial of Patient-led Surveillance Compared to Clinician-led Surveillance in People Treated for Localised Melanoma.
The purpose of this pilot study is to evaluate digitally supported skin self-examination compared to usual care in people treated for localised melanoma.
Patients may be eligible to join this study if they are aged 18 years or above, have been treated for stage 0/I/II melanoma and are attending regular melanoma surveillance follow-ups at the Melanoma Institute Australia (MIA), Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPAH) or the Newcastle Skin Check Clinic.
People who are found to be eligible and who consent to participate will be randomised (allocated by chance) to the intervention or usual care in a 1:1 ratio. Usual care group will receive an educational booklet on early melanoma and the usual number of routine clinic visits. In addition to usual care, participants allocated to the intervention group will be required to download a skin checker App to their smartphone and will use a mobile dermatoscope to perform total body skin self-examinations every 2 months for 6 months in total. Email and SMS reminders will also be sent every two months to participants in the intervention group. Participants will be documented on how well they are able to perform a self skin examination, their levels of melanoma-related anxiety, the number of skin lesions biopsied or removed, and the costs of follow-up to the participant and to the healthcare system.
Frequent follow-up of localised melanoma is time and resource intensive, and has not shown improved outcomes. This pilot study will provide evidence on which model is best for follow-up care after treatment for localised melanoma.
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria: