Patient perspectives of early detection of melanoma: the experience at the Brescia Melanoma Centre, Italy

Abstract

Aim: Skin self-examination is usually recommended for early melanoma diagnosis. Given the current lack of a standardized Skin Self-Examination method, we raised the issue about the suitable approach to explain to patients what can be considered a suspicious lesion. Hereinafter, we report the results of a pilot-study carried out at the Melanoma Centre, University Hospital Spedali Civili Brescia, Italy.

Methods: A consecutive sample of 200 melanoma patients entered into the Melanoma Prevention Project. A detailed survey revealed who had the first suspicion of the melanoma lesion. When melanoma was Self- or Relative-detected, we investigated the signs/symptoms that had alerted patients with reference to the ABCDE rule. The study included also socio-demographic variables, family history of melanoma, skin type, number and type of nevi, and melanoma features.

Results: Eighty-seven melanoma had been Self-Detected and 44 Relative-Detected. Patients report most commonly signs/symptoms such as dark colour (58%) and changing in size (47%). Seventy-nine percent of these patients have less than ten nevi and 92% have small and regular moles.

Conclusion: Sometimes the signs of melanoma seem to be easy to identify. Our patients say that they recognized melanoma on the base of the Colour and the Change in size. Therefore, we propose the short "CC" acronym that could facilitate the melanoma self-diagnosis. The aim is to give a short and effective message that leads patients to have the doubt of a suspicious lesion of melanoma so that they seek medical attention.