Skin Cancer Screening Education Study

Not Applicable

• Conditions: Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Skin Tumors; Basal Cell Carcinoma; Melanoma
• Interventions: Other: Skin Cancer Screening Training

• Registration Number: NCT02352428
• Lead Sponsor: Association of Dermatological Prevention, Germany

Brief Summary

The overall aim of this population-based screening study is to assess whether the skin cancer screening training of family physicians and dermatologists leads to improved screening outcomes. The training course aims to increase the accuracy of detecting early stages of skin cancer. Screening outcomes of an intervention region (Calgary, Canada) in which physicians receive training will be compared with screening outcomes of a control region (Edmonton, Canada) where no physician training is administered.

The investigators will determine whether:

* clinical screening outcomes are more favorable in the group of trained physicians compared to non trained physicians

* there is an increase of knowledge about skin cancer screening among trained physicians, compared to non trained physicians

* skin cancer screenings are associated with psycho-social harms

* population-based screening has an effect on the overall incidence and stage-specific-incidence of skin cancer in Alberta

The investigators are aiming to recruit 100 physicians per region (total of 200 physicians) who will screen 40,000 to 80,000 individuals over a period of 20 months.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2015-01-13
• Study First Submitted QC: 2015-01-30
• Study Start: 2015-02
• Study First Posted: 2015-02-02
• Primary Completion: 2018-12
• Status Verified: 2019-05
• Last Update Submitted: 2019-05-02
• Last Update Posted: 2019-05-06
• Study Completion: 2019-09

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: UNKNOWN
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 113

Inclusion Criteria

1. Screenees

   • Male and female residents of Alberta mainly living and receiving care in Edmonton or in Calgary
   • Age 20+
   • English-speaking
   • Individuals who consent to participate

2. Physicians

   • Registered dermatologists and family physicians administering care either in Edmonton or in Calgary
   • English-speaking
   • Physicians who consent to participate

Exclusion Criteria

Physicians who have undergone special training in skin cancer screening within the last 2 years

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Skin Cancer Screening Training	Skin Cancer Screening Training	Recruited family physicians and dermatologists in Calgary, Canada, take part in a 5.5-hour face-to-face skin cancer screening training program. Screening for skin cancer will be conducted by trained physicians according to instructions they received in the training program.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Number needed to screen (NNS) to identify 1 skin tumor and number needed to excise (NNE) to identify 1 skin tumor	20 months	Case report forms will be analyzed to determine clinical screening outcomes such as the NNS, NNE and tumor thickness.
Change in the diagnostic accuracy including knowledge on skin cancer screening	month 1 pre-training (intervention and control region), month 1 post-training (intervention region only), and month 12 (both regions)	Educational outcomes of physicians will be measured pre- and post-training using knowledge tests in the intervention and control region
Patient-rated well-being	20 months	A patient questionnaire will be used to assess psycho-social harms of skin cancer screenings.
Trends of overall skin cancer incidence and stage-specific-incidence	Up to 6 years (2012-2018)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Calgary, University of Alberta; 🇨🇦 Calgary, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada