The cost-effectiveness of a novel SIAscopic diagnostic aid for the management of pigmented skin lesions in primary care: a decision-analytic model.

OBJECTIVES: Pigmented skin lesions are commonly presented in primary care. Appropriate diagnosis and management is challenging because the vast majority are benign. The MoleMate system is a handheld SIAscopy scanner integrated with a primary care diagnostic algorithm aimed at improving the management of pigmented skin lesions in primary care. METHODS: This decision-model-based economic evaluation draws on the results of a randomized controlled trial of the MoleMate system versus best practice (ISRCTN79932379) to estimate the expected long-term cost and health gain of diagnosis with the MoleMate system versus best practice in an English primary care setting. The model combines trial results with data from the wider literature to inform long-term prognosis, health state utilities, and cost. RESULTS: Results are reported as mean and incremental cost and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained, incremental cost-effectiveness ratio with probabilistic sensitivity analysis, and value of information analysis. Over a lifetime horizon, the MoleMate system is expected to cost an extra £18 over best practice alone, and yield an extra 0.01 QALYs per patient examined. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio is £1,896 per QALY gained, with a 66.1% probability of being below £30,000 per QALY gained. The expected value of perfect information is £43.1 million. CONCLUSIONS: Given typical thresholds in the United Kingdom (£20,000-£30,000 per QALY), the MoleMate system may be cost-effective compared with best practice diagnosis alone in a primary care setting. However, there is considerable decision uncertainty, driven particularly by the sensitivity and specificity of MoleMate versus best practice, and the risk of disease progression in undiagnosed melanoma; future research should focus on reducing uncertainty in these parameters.

Effectiveness of skin cancer screening for individuals age 14 to 34 years.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 15 % of all cases of melanoma are diagnosed before age 35 years. In Germany, individuals ≥ 35 years are eligible for the national skin cancer screening program. The effectiveness of a population-based skin cancer screening in general and in particular for young adults is unclear. OBJECTIVES: Assessment of the effectiveness of a skin cancer screening program and of risk factors for detection of a melanoma/atypical nevus in the setting of a screening for the age group 14 to 34 years. METHODS: A total of 12,187 individuals age 14 to 34 years were screened in Saxony for skin cancer by a dermatologist in the program "Haut-Check 14-34 Jahre" of the AOK PLUS, a large German health insurance, between January and July 2009. Demographic, clinical and histopathological data and UV-exposure data were collected from each participant. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to assess risk factors for the detection of a (histopathologically confirmed) melanoma or atypical nevus. RESULTS: 2.8 % of the eligible individuals participated in the skin cancer screening program with women being more likely to do so. In 1 072 individuals (8.8 %) screening included at least one excision of a skin lesion leading to the diagnosis of melanoma in two participants, melanoma in situ in four persons, and atypical nevus in 641 persons. Use of tanning beds, higher age, number of nevi, and previous cutaneous excision were independent risk factors for the detection of a melanoma or atypical nevus. CONCLUSIONS: In 5.5 % of all cases skin cancer screening resulted in the excision of a malignant or atypical melanocytic lesion. It remains unclear what proportion of these cases would have been detected in routine care. The rate of excisions per newly diagnosed melanoma was 179 : 1. Further investigations are necessary to explore the reasons for this low diagnostic specificity. This study highlights the possibilities and limitations of routine data to evaluate screening programs and indicates the need to collect additional information on healthcare utilization behaviour.

[Management of benign melanocytic lesions as a melanoma prevention. Systematic review]. / Tratamiento quirúrgico de lesiones melanocíticas benignas para la prevención del melanoma. Revisión sistemática.

There is a growing concern and awareness of skin cancer. As a result, possibly unnecessary surgeries of melanocytic lesions are carried out as a prophylactic measure. We performed a systematic review of the medical literature to identify primary studies on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of surgery treatment of benign melanocytic lesions for melanoma prevention. We included 19 primary studies on surgical treatment of acquired melanocytic lesions and one economic evaluation. Indicators, such as number needed to treat and the malignancy ratio, depend on several factors such as specialty and experience of the physician, pressure from the patient or patient characteristics. Early diagnosis of melanoma is critical in preventing skin cancer. However, primary studies show through several indicators that there are factors that increase the proportion of lesions treated unnecessarily. Effectiveness can be improved by careful use of techniques to identify suspicious lesions and educational programs for physicians, especially in primary care.