Melanoma deaths greatly reduced with previous physician visit

If a patient visited a physician within 5 years before a melanoma diagnosis, there was at least a 70% reduced chance of mortality, according to recent study results.

“Clinicians should advocate and encourage their patients’ compliance, engagement and prioritization of their health,” researcher Melody Eide, MD, MPH, a dermatologist at Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, told Healio.com. “Patients who are more engaged in the health care process appear to have better prognosis.”

Melody Eide

Results of the retrospective, observational study were presented at the Society of Investigative Dermatology annual meeting in Albuquerque, N.M. Eide and fellow researchers used electronic administrative databases to study 251 Caucasian patients (mean age, 60 years; 158 men) from 2001 to 2007. The HMO Tumor Registry and SEER Registry were used to collect cutaneous malignant melanoma diagnoses and vital status.

During the study period, the patients had health insurance and were eligible for health maintenance organization care, according to a press release.

Patients who had at least one visit to a family physician or specialist within 5 years before diagnosis experienced 70% less melanoma-related death (HR=0.3; 0.1-0.9). The mortality decrease was 90% for patients who visited a specialist when age, gender, socioeconomic status and comorbidities were included in the analysis (adjusted HR=0.1; 0.0-0.4).

Patients who had prior screening lipid panel (HR=0.3%; 0.1-0.9%) or colonoscopy (HR=0.3; 0.1-0.8), also saw substantial mortality reduction.

“Access to care does not equate to utilization,” the researchers concluded. “This study is important in that it demonstrated that utilization of care may translate to reduced melanoma mortality regardless of demographic, socioeconomic or other comorbid medical factors. As the US begins a period of increased health care access, it is imperative that public health messages continue to encourage appropriate utilization.”

For more information:

Eide M. #309. Presented at: Society for Investigative Dermatology annual meeting 2014; May 7-10; Albuquerque, N.M.

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.