Head and Neck Melanoma; Access to Staging and Surgical Treatment

NCT ID: NCT05900102

Last Updated: 2025-04-04

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Total Enrollment: 86000 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2024-10-01
• Study Completion Date: 2025-01-01

Brief Summary

Melanoma is a serious type of skin cancer and is the 5th most common cancer in the United Kingdom (UK). It can affect anywhere on the skin including on the head and neck. The cancer often is first noticed as an abnormal mole. Treatment is by removing the cancer with surgery. Early spread of the cancer can be found by testing nearby glands called lymph nodes. This operation is called a sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). If the cancer has spread then new treatments, such as immunotherapy, can be given to help the person live for longer.

The sentinel lymph nodes are usually in the armpits or groin for melanoma on the body, arms or legs. For cancers in the head and neck the sentinel lymph nodes will usually be in the neck. For several reasons SLNB in the neck is not offered in every hospital that manages patients with melanoma. The problem with this is that some patients who could benefit are not offered the new treatments that extend life because it is not known that their cancer has spread.

In this study we aim to gather national data on the management of melanoma of the head and neck including variation in practice between different hospitals. We will use routinely collected anonymous data called 'Hospital Episode Statistics' to look at who is offered SLNB after melanoma of the head or neck, what treatments they have, if their melanoma comes back and how long they survive for.

By doing this, we hope to identify whether SLNB should be made available to everyone diagnosed with melanoma of the head and neck.

Conditions

Melanoma (Skin); Melanoma

Study Design

• Observational Model Type: COHORT
• Study Time Perspective: RETROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

Melanoma of the head and neck

No interventions assigned to this group

Melanoma of the trunk, arms, or legs

No interventions assigned to this group

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

We will use recorded ICD-10 codes to identify patients for the study. All patients over 18 years of age will be included in the study if they have been coded as:

C43.0 Malignant melanoma of lip C43.1 Malignant melanoma of eyelid, including canthus C43.2 Malignant melanoma of ear and external auricular canal C43.3 Malignant melanoma of other and unspecified parts of face C43.4 Malignant melanoma of scalp and neck C43.5 Malignant melanoma of trunk C43.6 Malignant melanoma of upper limb, including shoulder C43.7 Malignant melanoma of lower limb, including hip

Exclusion Criteria

N/A

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Locations

Department of Academic Plastic Surgery, Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS TRust

Cottingham, East Riding Of Yorkshire, United Kingdom

Countries

United Kingdom