Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29925350›Full record

ArticleBMC health services research2018

Use of shared care and routine tests in follow-up after treatment for localised cutaneous melanoma.

Wei-Yin Lim, Robin M Turner, Rachael L Morton, Marisa C Jenkins, Les Irwig, Angela C Webster, Mbathio Dieng, Robyn P M Saw, Pascale Guitera, Donald Low and 2 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC health services research, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Wei-Yin LimClinical Research Centre Perak, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.
Robin M TurnerDunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Rachael L MortonNHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Marisa C JenkinsSchool of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Les IrwigSchool of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Angela C WebsterSchool of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Mbathio DiengSchool of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Robyn P M SawMelanoma Institute Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Pascale GuiteraMelanoma Institute Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Donald LowCancer Voices NSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Cynthia LowCancer Voices NSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Katy J L BellSchool of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. katy.bell@sydney.edu.au.ORCID 0000-0002-0137-3218

Funding

Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Early Career Fellowship No. 1013390Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Early Career Fellowship No. 1054216Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Program Grant No. 633003
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPatients may decide to undertake shared care with a general practitioner (GP) during follow-up after treatment for localised melanoma. Routine imaging tests for surveillance may be commonly used despite no evidence of clinical utility. This study describes the frequency of shared care and routine tests during follow-up after treatment for localised melanoma.

methodsWe randomly sampled 351 people with localised melanoma [American Joint Cancer Committee (AJCC) substages 0 - II] who had not had recurrent or new primary melanoma diagnosed from a total of 902 people diagnosed and treated for localised melanoma at a specialist centre in 2014. We interviewed participants by telephone about their experience of follow-up in the past year, and documented the proportion of patients who were undertaking shared care follow-up with a GP. We also recorded the frequency and type of investigations during follow-up. We calculated weighted estimates that are representative of the full inception cohort.

resultsOf the 351 people who were invited to participate, 230 (66%) people consented to the telephone interview. The majority undertook shared care follow-up with a GP (61%). People who choose to have shared care follow-up with a GP are more likely to be male (p = 0.006), have lower AJCC stage (p for trend = 0.02), reside in more remote areas (p for trend< 0.001), and are less likely to have completed secondary school (p < 0.001). Few people saw a non-doctor health practitioner as part of their follow-up (9%). Many people report undergoing tests for melanoma, much of which may be routine tests for surveillance (37%).

conclusionsThe majority of people treated for a first primary localised melanoma at a specialist centre, without recurrent or new melanoma, choose to undertake shared care follow-up with a GP. Many appear to have routine diagnostic imaging as part of their melanoma surveillance.

Indexed as

MelanomaSkin NeoplasmsAftercareAgedCutaneous Malignant MelanomaDiagnostic ImagingFemaleFollow-Up StudiesGeneral PractitionersHumansInterviews as TopicMaleMiddle AgedNeoplasm StagingPractice Patterns, Physicians'Qualitative ResearchDiagnostic imagingFollow-up studiesInterdisciplinary communicationMelanomaPractice patterns, general practitionersSurveys and questionnaires

Identifiers

PMID29925350
PMCPMC6011416

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.