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

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, Netherlands – Dr Dominique van Uden

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

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
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
California
  • Cedars-Sinai The Angeles Clinic & Research Institute – Dr Mark Faries
  • Kaiser Permanente – Vallejo Medical Center – Dr Jennifer M Suga
  • Kaiser Permanente – Walnut Creek Medical Center – Dr Jennifer M Suga

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

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

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 – Kathleen Yost
  • Mercy Health St Marys – Dr Kathleen Yost

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

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

North Carolina

  • Duke University Medical Centre – Dr Georgia Beasley

North Dakota

  • Sanford Broadway Medical Center – Dr Preston Steen
  • Sanford Roger Maris Cancer Center – Dr Preston Steen

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

Oklahoma

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

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

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

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

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

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