Date of Award

6-19-2020

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Medical Science (MMSc)

First Advisor

Suguru Imaeda, MD

Abstract

Melanoma is the most lethal form of skin cancer and accounts for the majority of skin cancer deaths. Melanoma is prone to recurrence, and even with early surgical intervention relapse occurs in approximately one-third of patients. The current standard of care following excision is inconsistent and patients would benefit from adjuvant treatment to reduce recurrence rates. This randomized controlled study will investigate whether supplementation with vitamin D reduces risk of melanoma recurrence in adults with Fitzpatrick skin types IV-VI who have been diagnosed and treated for cutaneous melanoma. Outcomes will be measured by relapse-free survival rates over an 18-month period. We hypothesize that the treatment group receiving vitamin D will have a lower rate of relapse of melanoma compared to those not receiving vitamin D supplementation. The results of this study will help inform melanoma management with the goals of decreasing relapse rates in a higher risk patient population.

Open Access

This Article is Open Access

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