A new monitoring schedule for patients with localised primary cutaneous melanoma that slashes the number of follow-up visits could be implemented without significantly affecting detection rates for new primary or recurrent melanomas, according to new Australian research.
The authors looked at over 3,000 patients with stage I or II melanoma diagnosed over the past 15 years, and modelled the delay in diagnosis with two different schedules. The first was based on current Australian guidelines, typically with follow-up every six months for five years and annually thereafter, while the second required far fewer visits but with more targeted monitoring depending on disease pathology.
Within 10 years of initial follow-up, 229 recurrences and 61 new primaries were reported per 1,000 patients. With the...
This site is intended for Registered Medical Practitioners.
To make the most of Oncology Update, you need to be logged in.