Variation in melanoma thickness at presentation in SE Scotland
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An investigation of regional differences in melanoma thickness on presentation across South East Scotland 1979 - 2012
IRAS ID
187231
Contact name
Megan Mowbray
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 4 months, 22 days
Research summary
Early detection of skin cancer is very important to help patients recover from the disease and prevent a poorer outcome. Anecdotal evidence suggests that in recent years patients with a particular skin cancer (melanoma) in Fife have been presenting with a thicker, and hence more serious cancer compared with patients diagnosed in other parts of South-East Scotland. This may mean that patients from Fife are seeking medical help later when it is more difficult to treat their cancer successfully. We need to see if this is a real finding and, if so, why this might be so. An understanding as to why patients in Fife may present with thicker lesions compared with other parts of SE Scotland may help us to plan services to reduce this anomaly and improve patient outcomes with respect to survival etc.
We will use data from a register of skin cancer patients in Fife, Lothian and Borders to see if there are any changes over time in melanoma thickness at presentation across SE Scotland and to determine the relationship, if any, between melanoma thickness at presentation with potential explanatory variables, including residence. The register has been collecting information since 1979 and includes details of about 5000 patients which will be sufficient to allow us to investigate any changes over time and explore any associations with things such as age, gender, deprivation scores etc.
REC name
South West - Cornwall & Plymouth Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/SW/0232
Date of REC Opinion
30 Jul 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion