Sara Receives ACROBATIC Travel Grant to Present MELACARE Study at International Conference

Empowering melanoma survivors: Insights from the MELACARE intervention

We are thrilled to announce that Sara Mølgaard Hansen has been awarded an ACROBATIC Travel Grant to present her research at the European Association of Dermato Oncology Congress and World Congress of Melanoma 2025 in Athens!

Sara’s poster presentation will showcase the findings from the MELACARE study (WP 3.5 (https://acrobatic.dk/research/cfa/)), which evaluates a nurse-led follow-up program aimed at enhancing skin self-examination and managing fear of cancer recurrence in early-stage melanoma survivors.

ABSTRACT:
Title: Employing skin self-examination and fear of cancer recurrence management in early-stage melanoma follow-up: Evaluation of the MELACARE intervention in a randomised controlled trial
Purpose: The MELACARE intervention aimed to evaluate a nurse-led follow-up program incorporating SSE education and psychosocial support to address fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) and promote patient empowerment in early-stage melanoma survivors. This study assessed MELACARE’s impact on FCR, psychological well-being, SSE performance, and healthcare usage compared to standard physician-led follow-up.
Methods: A two-group randomised controlled trial was conducted at Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Denmark with 153 melanoma patients (stages IA–IIA). Patients were randomised to either the MELACARE intervention (n=78) or standard physician-led follow-up (n=75). The intervention involved nurse-led sessions focusing on SSE techniques and metacognitive strategies. Key outcomes included FCR, distress, anxiety, depression, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), workability, patient activation, and SSE confidence at six months.
Results: At six months, FCR and psychological symptoms decreased in the intervention group, but the differences were not statistically significant. However, patients in the MELACARE group reported significantly improved HRQoL (p=0.02) and patient activation (p=0.003). Confidence in SSE was higher, with most patients performing SSE at recommended intervals.
Conclusions: The MELACARE intervention improves HRQoL and patient activation, though it did not significantly reduce FCR or psychological symptoms. The study highlights the potential of structured SSE education and psychosocial support to empower melanoma survivors. Further long-term follow-ups (two and five years) will provide more insights into its lasting impact.

We congratulate Sara on this fantastic opportunity and look forward to her contributions at the conference!