Technology-Enabled Patient and Physician Activation to Enhance Skin Cancer Screening After HCT: A Randomized...

Survivors of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) have an increased risk of skin cancer, yet adherence to recommended skin self-examination (SSE) and annual physician skin examinations is low. Scalable strategies to improve screening in this high-risk population are needed.

We conducted a randomized controlled trial of 720 adult survivors of HCT enrolled between October 30, 2020, and December 13, 2023. Participants received remotely delivered print materials and 12 educational text messages over 9 months (patient activation and education [PAE]). In the PAE plus physician activation group (PAE + Phys), providers also received educational materials and guidance on performing skin examinations. Primary outcomes were participant-reported SSE within the prior 2 months and physician skin examination within the prior 12 months, assessed at baseline and 12 months. Secondary outcomes included the number of body regions examined and skin cancer knowledge.

Median age at enrollment was 61 years (range, 18-81), and the median time from HCT until enrollment was 3.1 years (range, 1.7-5.3). The proportion of participants reporting both physician skin examination and SSE increased in both groups, from 15.8% to 47.5% in the PAE group (odds ratio [OR], 4.98; 95% CI, 3.54-7.02) and from 18.0% to 52.1% in the PAE + Phys group (OR, 5.49; 95% CI, 4.03-7.50), with no significant between-group difference. SSE increased significantly in both groups, from 34.7% to 81.5% in the PAE group and from 31.5% to 79.0% in the PAE + Phys group, without no significant between-group difference. Physician skin examinations increased from 32.1% to 55.3% in the PAE group and from 33.2% to 64.8% in the PAE + Phys group, with a significantly greater increase in the PAE + Phys group (P=.01). The mean number of body regions examined more than doubled in both groups, and skin cancer knowledge and self-efficacy improved significantly.

Remotely delivered interventions improved skin cancer screening among HCT survivors. Patient activation substantially increased SSE, whereas physician activation provided additional benefit for physician-performed skin examinations. These findings suggest that physician activation enhances clinician-performed screening and supports scalable survivorship care models for high-risk populations.

gov identifier: NCT04358276.