Useful links
Research_
MELSELF project
Can smartphone technologies help patients to detect melanoma early?
Our multidisciplinary team is investigating how smartphone technologies can support melanoma patients to do skin self-checks, and photograph skin lesions for dermatology review, so that melanomas are detected earlier.
About the study
The MELSELF study aims to investigate whether self-skin checks and teledermatology, may lead to earlier diagnosis of melanomas and other skin cancers.
Many melanomas are found by patients or their family members between doctor’s visits and even more might be detected if patients and their partners were trained in the best way to do total body skin self-examination, with fast access to a dermatologist’s opinion on anything found.
We will study the use of teledermatology. This involves a device attached to a smartphone to take close up photographs of the skin, sending them to a dermatologist through an app, and receiving the dermatologist report through the app. We aim to find out whether teledermatology may lead to earlier diagnosis of melanomas and other skin cancers.
The MELSELF project is a NHMRC funded randomized controlled trial that is sponsored by the University of Sydney. We aim to recruit 600 people, who have been previously treated for a localised melanoma from participating melanoma treatment centres in Sydney and Newcastle.
Participants are randomly assigned to one of the two study groups, a ‘smartphone supported self-skin checks’ group or a ‘usual clinician care’ group.
- ‘Smartphone supported self-skin checks’ group: in this group, patients receive a special imaging device to add to their smartphone, and with the use of a special app, examine their skin lesions regularly and submit images for teledermatology review. They continue to visit their usual melanoma doctor(s) for routinely scheduled visits.
- ‘Usual clinician care’ group: in this group, patients continue to visit their usual melanoma doctor(s) for routinely scheduled visits.
During the study, all participants will complete questionnaires and receive educational booklets.
Further information
Australia has over 17,500 new melanoma diagnoses every year and this number continues to rise. People diagnosed with a melanoma are at risk of developing a recurrent or new primary melanoma, and are recommended to visit their doctor at regular intervals every 3 to 12 months for skin checks. New smartphone technologies may improve on this by allowing patients to detect new melanoma themselves, and get it treated earlier than if they’d waited for their regular skin check by their doctor.
The MELSELF study aims to find out if smartphone support for patient self-skin checks, together with teledermatology:
- detects new primary or recurrent melanoma earlier,
- increases people’s knowledge and confidence with self-skin checks,
- could replace some routine follow-up clinic visits for patients who prefer this
- improves mental and emotional wellbeing.
This study is funded through a 4-year National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) project grant and has undergone scientific peer review as part of the NHMRC funding process.
The study has been endorsed by the Australian and New Zealand Melanoma Trials Group (ANZMTG; 04.17), which includes a scientific and consumer review process. This study is also registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry
- Medcalf E, Stanaway F, Turner RM, Espinoza D, Bell KJL. Using the counterfactual framework to estimate non-intention-to-treat estimands in randomised controlled trials: A methodological scoping review. Contemp Clin Trials. 2025 Apr 11:107912. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cct.2025.107912
- Deonna M Ackermann, Katy J L Bell, Setting the melanoma research agenda for all end-users: the need to include patient, clinician and policy perspectives, British Journal of Dermatology, 2025;, ljaf082. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjd/ljaf082
- Ackermann DM, Bracken K, Hersch JK, Janda M, Turner RM, Bell KJL. Participant recruitment and retention in randomised controlled trials of melanoma surveillance: A scoping review. Contemp Clin Trials Commun. 2025 Feb 16;44:101461. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conctc.2025.101461
- Ackermann D, Hersch J, Jordan D, Clinton-Gray E, Bracken K, Janda M, Turner R, Bell K. Participant Motivators and Expectations in the MEL-SELF Randomized Clinical Trial of Patient-Led Surveillance for Recurrent Melanoma: Content Analysis of Survey Responses. JMIR Dermatol 2024;7:e58136. https://doi.org/10.2196/58136
- Medcalf, E., Turner, R. M., Espinoza, D., He, V., & Bell, K. J. L. (2024). Addressing missing outcome data in randomised controlled trials: A methodological scoping review. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 143, 107602–107602. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cct.2024.107602
- Williams JTW, Bell KJL, Morton RL, Dieng M. Methods to Include Environmental Impacts in Health Economic Evaluations and Health Technology Assessments: A Scoping Review. Value Health. 2024 Jun;27(6):794-804. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jval.2024.02.019
- Ackermann DM, Hersch JK, Janda M, Bracken K, Turner RM, Bell KJL. Using the Behaviour Change Wheel to identify barriers and targeted strategies to improve adherence in randomised clinical trials: The example of MEL-SELF trial of patient-led surveillance for melanoma. Contemp Clin Trials. 2024 May;140:107513. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cct.2024.107513
- Drabarek D, Ackermann D, Medcalf E, Bell KJL. Acceptability of a Hypothetical Reduction in Routinely Scheduled Clinic Visits Among Patients With History of a Localized Melanoma (MEL-SELF): Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial. JMIR Dermatol. 2023 Jun 26;6:e45865. https://doi.org/10.2196/45865
- Ackermann DM, Bracken K, Janda M, et al. Strategies to Improve Adherence to Skin Self-examination and Other Self-management Practices in People at High Risk of Melanoma: A Scoping Review of Randomized Clinical Trials. JAMA Dermatol. 2023;159(4):432–440. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamadermatol.2022.6478
- Drabarek D, Habgood E, Ackermann D, Hersch J, Janda M, Morton RL, Guitera P, Soyer HP, Collgros H, Cust AE, Saw RP, Emery J, Mar V, Dieng M, Azzi A, Lilleyman A, Bell KJ. Perspectives and Experiences of Patient-Led Melanoma Surveillance Using Digital Technologies from Clinicians Involved in the MEL-SELF Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial: Qualitative Interview Study. JMIR Dermatol. 2022 Dec 20;5(4):e40623. https://doi.org/10.2196/40623
- Williams JTW, Bell KJL, Morton RL, Dieng M. Exploring the Integration of Environmental Impacts in the Cost Analysis of the Pilot MEL-SELF Trial of Patient-Led Melanoma Surveillance. Appl Health Econ Health Policy. 2023 Jan;21(1):23-30. doi: 10.1007/s40258-022-00765-6. Epub 2022 Oct 5. Erratum in: Appl Health Econ Health Policy. 2024 Mar;22(2):271-272. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40258-023-00868-8
- Drabarek D, Habgood E, Janda M, Hersch J, Ackermann D, Low D, Low C, Morton RL, Dieng M, Cust AE, Morgan A, Smith E, Bell KLJ. Experiences of Patient-Led Surveillance, Including Patient-Performed Teledermoscopy, in the MEL-SELF Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial: Qualitative Interview Study. JMIR Dermatol. 2022 Jul 1;5(3):e35916. https://doi.org/10.2196/35916
- Ackermann, D.M., Smit, A.K., Janda, M. et al. Can patient-led surveillance detect subsequent new primary or recurrent melanomas and reduce the need for routinely scheduled follow-up? A protocol for the MEL-SELF randomised controlled trial. Trials 22, 324 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-021-05231-7
- Ackermann DM, Dieng M, Medcalf E, Jenkins MC, van Kemenade CH, Janda M, Turner RM, Cust AE, Morton RL, Irwig L, Guitera P, Soyer HP, Mar V, Hersch JK, Low D, Low C, Saw RPM, Scolyer RA, Drabarek D, Espinoza D, Azzi A, Lilleyman AM, Smit AK, Murchie P, Thompson JF, Bell KJL. Assessing the Potential for Patient-led Surveillance After Treatment of Localized Melanoma (MEL-SELF): A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Dermatol. 2022 Jan 1;158(1):33-42. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamadermatol.2021.4704
- Ackermann, D.M., Smit, A.K., Janda, M. et al. Can patient-led surveillance detect subsequent new primary or recurrent melanomas and reduce the need for routinely scheduled follow-up? A protocol for the MEL-SELF randomised controlled trial. Trials 22, 324 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-021-05231-7
Patient-Led Surveillance Safe, Feasible After Localized Melanoma Treatment
Patient-led surveillance effective at detecting melanomas earlier. News-Medical Life Sciences.
Study discovers a way to detect melanomas early. ABC Radio National.
You could soon scan for melanoma with your smartphone. ABC Radio.
Research trial showing promising signs of improving early detection - ABC News
Our people
- Professor Katy Bell, University of Sydney
Principal Investigators:
- Professor Pascale Guitera, Melanoma Institute Australia and The University of Sydney
- Associate Professor Robyn Saw, Melanoma Institute Australia and The University of Sydney
- Dr Anthony Azzi, Newcastle Skin Check
Chief and Associate Investigators:
- Professor Monika Janda, The University of Queensland
- Professor Anne Cust, The University of Sydney
- Associate Professor Robin Turner, University of Otago
- Emeritus Professor Les Irwig, The University of Sydney
- Dr Mbathio Dieng, The University of Sydney
- Dr Jolyn Hersch, The University of Sydney
- Associate Professor Victoria Mar, Alfred Hospital and Monash University
- Ms Cynthia Low, Cancer Voices NSW
- Mr Donald Low, Cancer Voices NSW
- Professor John Thompson, Melanoma Institute Australia
- Professor Jon Emery, The University of Melbourne
- Professor Peter Murchie, University of Aberdeen
- Professor H. Peter Soyer, The University of Queensland
- Professor Rachael Morton, The University of Sydney
- Professor Richard Scolyer, Melanoma Institute Australia, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and The University of Sydney
- Ms Amelia Smit, The University of Sydney
- Dr Alistair Lilleyman, Newcastle Skin Check
- Dr Dee Ackermann (Associate Lecturer)
- Ms Ellie Medcalf (Research Assistant)
- Mr Jake Williams (Research Assistant)
- Dr Priti Kharel (Research Assistant)
- Mr Zhuohan Wu (Research Assistant)
- Mr Adrian Fann
