Patient-led surveillance shows promise for melanoma care

Source: The University of Queensland Australia, November 2021

Melanoma patients using their smart phone to submit images of lesions to their specialists appears to be a safe and convenient form of follow-up after treatment.

University of Queensland and University of Sydney researchers assessed data from 100 patients who used their phone, had a partner help with skin self-examination and attended regular follow-up visits with a doctor between 2018 and 2020.

Professor Monika Janda, from the UQ Centre for Health Services Research, said the patient-led surveillance group detected five new melanoma cases before clinical visits in the randomized pilot study.

“This suggests the methods used were effective in assisting this group to identify the lesions, while the standard care group did not identify any new melanomas,” Professor Janda said.