Melanoma Margins Trial - MelMarT-II

Melanoma trial to determine optimal surgical excision margin

The Melanoma Margins trial, ‘MelMarT-II’ is investigating whether reducing the amount of skin removed during surgery can reduce the risk of associated long-term pain and improve quality of life without increasing the risk of melanoma returning.

Currently there is no high-quality clinical trial evidence or consensus in the medical community about the optimal melanoma excision margin size for high-risk primary cutaneous melanoma.

This international clinical trial is hoping to resolve this issue by investigating whether there is a difference in disease-free survival for patients treated with either a 1 cm or 2 cm excision margin for stage II primary cutaneous melanoma.

Almost 3,000 participants from around the world will join the trial, which is a phase III, multi-centre, multi-national randomised control trial.

Coordinated by Melanoma and Skin Cancer Trials Ltd in Australia, the trial is located across international sites in Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, USA, Canada, the Netherlands, Sweden and Slovenia. Plans for establishing more trial sites are underway, including new sites in Ireland and Slovenia. All current actively recruiting sites are listed at the bottom of this page.

Eligibility

To participate in the trial, participants must be 18 years or older, presenting with an ECOG of 0-1 and have been diagnosed with primary cutaneous melanoma. Randomisation and treatment must be performed within 120 days of diagnosis and participants must have no previous malignancy or primary except low-risk non-melanoma skin cancer, unless in remission and greater than five years since diagnosis.

What's involved?

Once determined as being eligible, participants will be randomised 1:1 to either a 1 cm excision margin or a 2 cm excision margin, in combination with a staging sentinel lymph node biopsy. Participants will be monitored in accordance with their surgical team’s standard of care. Follow-up assessments will occur three, six, 12, 18 and 24 months after surgery, and then annually thereafter for up to 10 years.

Why should I join MelMarT-II?

This practice-changing study aims to further medical knowledge and define the appropriate management of Stage II primary cutaneous melanoma for Australia and the international melanoma community.

Trial resources

For patients

Patient information flyer

MelMarT-II trial team

Prof Michael Henderson (Study Co-Chair)
Prof Marc Moncrieff (Study Co-Chair)
A/Prof David Gyorki (Study Co-Investigator)
Prof Andrew Spillane (Study Co-Investigator)
A/Prof Robyn Saw (Study Co-Investigator)
Prof Roger Olofsson Bagge (Principal Investigator in Sweden)

Dr Frances Wright (Principal Investigator in Canada)
Dr Janet Dancey (Principal Investigator in Canada)
Dr Joshua Mammen (Principal Investigator in USA)
Dr Shirley Potter (Principal Investigator in Ireland)
Emeritus Professor Madeleine King (Statistician)
Prof Rory Wolfe (Statistician)
A/Prof Serigne Lo (Statistician)

Trial sites currently recruiting patients

Australia

Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute, VIC – Prof Michael Henderson
Alfred Health, VIC – Dr Frank Bruscino-Raiola
Melanoma Institute Australia & Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, NSW – Prof Andrew Spillane and A/Prof Robyn Saw
Western Sydney Local Health District, NSW – Prof Pablo Fernandez-Penas
Calvary Public Hospital Bruce, ACT – Dr Rebecca Read
Royal Adelaide Hospital, SA – Dr Jaime Duffield

New Zealand

North Shore Hospital, Auckland – Mr Richard Martin

Sweden

Central Hospital Kristianstad, Kristianstad – Dr Karolin Isaksson
Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg – A/Prof Roger Olofsson Bagge

The Netherlands

Zuyderland Medical Center, Heerlen – Dr James Van Bastelaar
Flevoziekenhuis, Almere – Dr Gwen Diepenhorst
University Medical Centre, Groningen – Barbara van Leeuwen
Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht – Dr Kevin Wevers
Gelderse Vallei Hospital, Ede – Dr Miriam L Hoven-Gondrie
Gelre Hospital, Gelderland – Dr Dominique van Uden
Diakonessenhuis, Utrecht – Dr Barbara Molenkamp
Maxima Medical Centre, Veldhoven – Dr Sabrina Maaskant
Maxima Medical Centre, Eindhoven – Dr Sabrina Maaskant

Slovenia

Institute of Oncology Ljubljana – Barbara Perić

Canada

Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa – Dr Carolyn Nissim
Hotel-Dieu de Quebec, Quebec – Dr Cindy Boulanger-Gobeil
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto – Dr Frances Wright
Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre, Ontario – Dr Renee Hanrahan
Hospital Maisonneuve Rosemont, Quebec – Dr Mai-Kim Gervais
Juravinski Cancer Centre at Hamilton Health Sciences, Ontario – Dr Valerie Francescutti
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Ontario – Dr Alexandra Easson
Tom Baker Cancer Centre, Calgary – Dr Greg McKinnon
CancerCare Manitoba – Dr Justin Rivard
Cancer Centre for the Southern Interior, British Columbia – Dr Christopher Baliski
Oak Valley Health, Ontario – Dr Jennifer Zhirui Li
Centre Hospitalier de l’Universite de Montreal (CHUM), Quebec – Dr Kerianne Boulva

United Kingdom

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Norwich – Prof Marc Moncrieff
St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Merseyside – Prof Rowan Pritchard-Jones
The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds – Mr Howard Peach
St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London – Ms Joy Odili
North Bristol NHS Trust – Mr Ewan Wilson
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust of The James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough – Mr Oliver Bassett
St Thomas’s NHS Foundation Trust of St Thomas’ Hospital – Ms Jenny Geh
Nottingham University Hospitals, NHS Foundation Trust – Mr Jonathan Pollock
Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust – Prof Peter Dziewulski
The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London – Mr Myles Smith
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge – Mr Amer Durrani
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – Mr Oliver Cassell
Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust – Mr Siva Kumar
Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust – Mr Paolo Matteucci
Royal Cornwall Hospital NHS Trust, Cornwall – Dr Polly King
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust – Stephen Hamilton
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust – Dr Agustin Martin-Clavijo
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Cornwall – Dr Polly King
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London – Dr Jonathon Dunne
The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester – Mr Deemesh Desai
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Lancashire – Mr Richard Wain

Ireland

St James Hospital, Dublin – Ms Marlese Dempsey
Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin – A/Prof Shirley Potter

USA

Alabama

University of South Alabama Mitchell Cancer Institute – Dr John Harrison Howard

Arkansas

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences – Michail Mavros

Atlanta

Northside Hospital Atlanta – Nicole Kounalakis

Arizona

Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center – Dr Mark Gimbel
Mayo Clinic Phoenix – Dr Barbara A Pockaj

California

Cedars-Sinai The Angeles Clinic & Research Institute – Dr Mark Faries
Kaiser Permanente – Vallejo Medical Center – Dr Tatjana Kolevska
Kaiser Permanente – Walnut Creek Medical Center – Dr Tatjana Kolevska
Stanford University – Dr Amanda Kirane
Stanford Cancer Center South Bay – Dr Amanda Kirane
Huntington Memorial Hospital – Dr Mark Faries

Connecticut

Yale University – Dr James Clune
Smilow Hospital Care Center, Guilford – Dr James Clune

Florida

Mayo Clinic – James W Jakub
Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center – Dr Konstantinos Chouliaras
Moffitt Cancer Center, Magnolia Campus – Dr Jonathan Zager
Moffitt Cancer Center, McKinley Campus – Dr Jonathan Zager
Lakeland Regional Health Hollis Cancer Center – Dr Manuel Molina
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine-Sylvester Cancer Center – Dr Jessica Crystal
University of Miami Comprehensive Center at Deerfield Beach – Dr Jessica Crystal
University of Miami Comprehensive Center at Hollywood – Dr Jessica Crystal
University of Miami Comprehensive Center at Coral Springs – Dr Jessica Crystal
University of Miami Comprehensive Center at Aventura – Dr Jessica Crystal
University of Miami Comprehensive Center at Plantation – Dr Jessica Crystal
University of Miami Comprehensive Center at Kendall – Dr Jessica Crystal
University of Miami Comprehensive Center at Coral Gables – Dr Jessica Crystal

Georgia

Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University – Dr Michael Lowe
Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital – Dr Michael Lowe
Emory University Hospital Midtown – Dr Michael Lowe
Nancy N and JC Lewis Cancer and Research Pavilion at St Joseph’s/Candler – Yana Puckett

Illinois

Northwestern Medicine Cancer Center Lake Forest Hospital – Dr Jeffrey Wayne
Northwestern University – Dr Jeffrey Wayne
Northwestern Medicine Cancer Center, Delnor – Dr Jeffrey Wayne
Northwestern Medicine Cancer Center, Warrenville – Dr Jeffrey Wayne
Northwestern Medicine Cancer Centre, Kishwaukee – Dr Jeffrey Wayne
Advocate Lutheran General Hospital – Dr Sigrun Hallmeyer
Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center – Dr Sigrun Hallmeyer

Indiana

Franciscan Health Indianapolis – Dr Juliana Meyer

Kansas

University of Kansas Cancer Center – Dr Luke Selby
University of Kansas Hospital, Westwood Cancer Center – Dr Luke Selby
University of Kansas Hospital, Indian Creek Campus – Dr Luke Selby

Kentucky

University of Kentucky – Dr Erin Burke

Maryland

MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center – Dr Edward McCarron

Michigan

Spectrum Health at Butterworth Campus – Dr Kathleen Yost
West Michigan Cancer Centre – Dr Kathleen Yost
Mercy Health St Marys – Dr Kathleen Yost
University of Michigan Medical Center – Dr Christina Angeles
University of Michigan – Brighton Center for Specialty Care – Dr Christina Angeles

Missouri

Washington University School of Medicine – Ryan Fields
Siteman Cancer Centre, Barnes Jewish West County – Ryan Fields
Cox South Hospital – Dr Srikant Nannapaneni

Nebraska

University of Nebraska Medicine – Dr Bradley Reames
Nebraska Medicine – Village Pointe – Dr Bradley Reames
Nebraska Medicine – Bellevue – Dr Bradley Reames

New Jersey

Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey – Prof Adam Berger
Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center – Dr Adam Berger

New Mexico

University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center – Dr Bridget Fahy
Lovelace Medical Center-Saint Joseph Square – Dr Bridget Fahy
Lovelace Women’s Hospital – Dr Bridget Fahy

New York

NYU Langone Medical Centre, Winthrop Hospital – Erica Friedman
Laura & Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Centre, NYU Langone Health – Erica Friedman
Memorial Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research – A/Prof Danielle Bello
Roswell Park Cancer Institute – Shalana O’Brien
SUNY Upstate Medical University – Dr Daniel Thomas
SUNY Upstate Medical Center-Community Campus – Dr Daniel Thomas
Northwell Health Center for Advanced Medicine – Dr Alan Kadison
Northwell Health Imbert Cancer Center – Dr Alan Kadison
Vassar Brothers Medical Center – Dr James Nitzkorski
Wilmont Cancer Institute at Webster – Dr Paul Barr
University of Rochester – Dr Paul Barr
Northern Westchester Hospital – Dr Alan Kadison
Phelps Memorial Hospital Center – Dr Alan Kadison
NYP/Columbia Uni Med Center/Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center – Dr Bret Taback

North Carolina

Duke University Medical Centre – Dr Jay Lee
East Carolina University – Dr Nasreen Vohra
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – Dr David Ollila
University of North Carolina-Hillsborough Campus – Dr David Ollila

North Dakota

Sanford Broadway Medical Center – Dr Daniel Almquist
Sanford Roger Maris Cancer Center – Dr Daniel Almquist

Ohio

Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Dr Joal Beane
University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Centre – Dr Luke Rothermel
University Hospitals Geauga Medical Centre – Dr Luke Rothermel
University Hospitals Chagrin Highlands Medical Centre – Dr Luke Rothermel
University Hospitals St John Medical Centre – Dr Luke Rothermel
University Hospitals Avon Health Centre – Dr Luke Rothermel
Miami Valley Hospital South – Dr James Ouellette
West Chester Hospital – Dr Jeffrey Sussman
University of Cincinnati Medical Centre – Dr Jeffrey Sussman

Oklahoma

OUHSC Stephenson Cancer Center – William Dooley
Mercy Oncology Hematology – Dr Christian M Ellis

Oregon

Kaiser Permanente – Northwest Oncology Clinic – Dr Sandeep Mashru
Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center – Dr Sandeep Mashru

Pennsylvania

Fox Chase Cancer Center – Dr Stephanie Greco
St Luke’s University Health Network – Bethlehem Campus – Dr Darius Desai
St Luke’s University Health Network – Anderson Campus – Dr Darius Desai
St. Luke’s University Health Network – Allentown Cancer Center – Dr Darius Desai
Guthrie Medical Group PC Robert Packer Hospital – Dr David J Bertsch
St. Luke’s University Health Network – Upper Bucks – Dr Darius Desai
St Luke’s University Health Network Quakertown Campus – Dr Darius Desai

South Carolina

Medical University of South Carolina – Dr Andrea Abbott

Texas

University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center – Dr Jeffrey Gershenwald
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio – Dr Federico Tozzi

Utah

Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah – A/Prof John Hyngstrom
Intermountain Medical Center – Dr Tawnya Bowles

Vermont

University of Vermont Medical Center – Dr Jessica Cintolo-Gonzalez
University of Vermont and State Agricultural College – Dr Jessica Cintolo-Gonzalez

Virginia

VCU Massey Cancer Centre – Dr Giao Phan
VCU Massey Cancer Centre – Affiliate Valley Health – Dr Giao Phan
VCU Massey Cancer Centre – Affiliate site Peninsula Cancer Institute – Dr Giao Phan
University of Virginia Health System – Dr Lynn Dengel
UC Irvine Health – Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center – Dr Jeremy P Harris
Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital – Dr David Luyimbazi

Washington D.C.

MedStar Georgetown University Hospital – Dr Geoffrey T Gibney
MedStar Washington Hospital Center – Dr Marc Boisvert

Wisconsin

Marshfield Medical Center, Marshfield – Dr Rohit Sharma
Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center – Dr Sigrun Hallmeyer
Medical College of Wisconsin – Dr Jennifer Bruening
University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center – Dr Heather Neuman

Contact and more information

MelMarT-II Trial news

To contact the Mel-MarT-II clinical trial email melmart@masc.org.au

MelMarT-II clinical trial Registration ID: NCT03860883

For information on how to participate in a clinical trial, click here

2 May 2023
Melanoma patient joins trial to help others

5 September 2022
Dutch melanoma patients part of Australian-led trial

5 May 2022
Australia leads international effort to improve melanoma treatment guidelines

15 December 2021
Melanoma trial to determine optimal surgical excision margin