Hultgren BA, Turrisi R, Mallett KA, Ackerman S, Robinson JK Influence of Quality of Relationship Between Patient With Melanoma and Partner on Partner-Assisted Skin Examination Education: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Dermatol. 2016 Feb;152(2):184-90. doi: 10.1001/jamadermatol.2015.2819.
Robinson JK, Wayne JD, Martini MC, Hultgren BA, Mallett KA, Turrisi R Early Detection of New Melanomas by Patients With Melanoma and Their Partners Using a Structured Skin Self-examination Skills Training Intervention: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Dermatol. 2016 Jun 29. doi: 10.1001/jamadermatol.2016.1985. [Epub ahead of print]
Stapleton JL, Turrisi R, Mallett KA, Robinson JK Correspondence between pigmented lesions identified by melanoma patients trained to perform partner-assisted skin self-examination and dermatological examination. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2015 Aug
Turrisi R, Hultgren B, Mallett KA, Martini M, Robinson JK Comparison of Efficacy of Differing Partner-Assisted Skin Examination Interventions for Melanoma Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Dermatol. 2015 Sep;151(9):945-51. doi: 10.1001/jamaderm
A Comparison of Interventions to Teach Melanoma Patients Skin Self-examination
Interventional studies are often prospective and are specifically tailored to evaluate direct impacts of treatment or preventive measures on disease.
Observational studies are often retrospective and are used to assess potential causation in exposure-outcome relationships and therefore influence preventive methods.
Expanded access is a means by which manufacturers make investigational new drugs available, under certain circumstances, to treat a patient(s) with a serious disease or condition who cannot participate in a controlled clinical trial.
Clinical trials are conducted in a series of steps, called phases - each phase is designed to answer a separate research question.
Phase 1: Researchers test a new drug or treatment in a small group of people for the first time to evaluate its safety, determine a safe dosage range, and identify side effects.
Phase 2: The drug or treatment is given to a larger group of people to see if it is effective and to further evaluate its safety.
Phase 3: The drug or treatment is given to large groups of people to confirm its effectiveness, monitor side effects, compare it to commonly used treatments, and collect information that will allow the drug or treatment to be used safely.
Phase 4: Studies are done after the drug or treatment has been marketed to gather information on the drug's effect in various populations and any side effects associated with long-term use.
