Factors Influencing the Use of Shave Biopsy for Lesions Suspicious of Melanoma in Australia: An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Study.

Background: Recent Australian trends indicate that shave biopsies for diagnosing lesions suspicious of melanoma are increasing, yet reasons for this remain relatively unknown. We sought to understand which factors influence Australian clinicians' use of shave biopsy for managing thin lesions suspicious of melanoma in sites of low cosmetic sensitivity.

Methods: We used a convergent, exploratory mixed-methods design, with a cross-sectional online survey (n = 59) and semi-structured qualitative interviews (n = 15).

Practitioner characteristics, diagnostic accuracy metrics and discovering-individual with respect to 637 melanomas documented by 27 general practitioners on the Skin Cancer Audit Research Database.

Background And Objective: Knowledge of accuracy for melanoma diagnosis and melanoma discovering-individual in primary care is limited. We describe general practitioner (GP) characteristics and analyse defined diagnostic accuracy metrics for GPs in the current study comparing this with a previous study for GPs common to both, and we analyse the individual first discovering each melanoma as a lesion of concern.

Methods: The characteristics and diagnostic accuracy of 27 Australasian GPs documenting 637 melanomas on the Skin Cancer Audit Research Database (SCARD) in 2013 were described and analysed.

Characteristics, treatment and outcomes of 589 melanoma patients documented by 27 general practitioners on the Skin Cancer Audit Research Database.

Background And Objective: General practitioners manage more melanomas than dermatologists or surgeons in Australia. Previously undescribed, the management and outcomes of melanoma patients treated by multiple Australasian general practitioners are examined.

Methods: The characteristics, management and outcomes of 589 melanoma patients, managed by 27 Australasian general practitioners and documented on the Skin Cancer Audit Research Database (SCARD), were analysed.

Characteristics of 637 melanomas documented by 27 general practitioners on the Skin Cancer Audit Research Database.

Background And Objective: Most melanomas (including melanomas in situ), in Australasia, are treated by general practitioners (GPs). Previously undescribed, the characteristics of a series of melanomas treated by multiple GPs are examined.

Patients And Methods: Six hundred and thirty-seven melanomas treated by 27 Australasian GPs during 2013 and documented on the Skin Cancer Audit Research Database (SCARD) were analysed by anatomical site, subtype, Breslow thickness, diameter, associated naevi and linked adverse outcomes.