Validity of patient self-reported history of skin cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the validity of patient self-report of skin cancer history.


METHODS
A cohort of patients was randomly selected from the case group in a prior case-control study involving skin cancer, and a second cohort was randomly selected from the controls of that study. Patient self-reported history (as determined by responses to a survey) was compared with the gold standard of chart documentation of a pathology report or a procedure note from Mohs micrographic surgery demonstrating skin cancer.


METHODS
University-based outpatient dermatology clinic.


METHODS
Three hundred patients were selected.


METHODS
Patients were considered to have correctly classified their skin cancer history if their self-reported history was consistent with chart documentation.


RESULTS
We obtained chart information for 258 patients.Of those patients, 183 (70.9%) had chart documentation of nonmelanoma skin cancer, and 16 (6.2%) had chart documentation of a melanoma. Using chart documentation as the gold standard, we found that patients correctly identified their basal cell carcinoma status in 84.3% of cases; their squamous cell carcinoma status in 81.5% of cases; their overall nonmelanoma skin cancer status in 91.8% of cases; their melanoma status in 94.8% of cases; and their overall skin cancer status in 92.6% of cases. Patients' self-reported history of skin cancer of any type had a positive predictive value of 95.1% and a negative predictive value of 85.9%.


CONCLUSIONS
Self-reported history of skin cancer had a high degree of sensitivity and specificity and a high positive and negative predictive value within the study population. Obtaining medical information by patient report appears to be a useful tool for determining medical history of skin cancer.
Ming
Michael E
ME
Departments of Dermatology and Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia 19104, USA. mmingmd@yahoo.com
Levy
Ross M
RM
Hoffstad
Ole J
OJ
Filip
Jennifer
J
Gimotty
Phyllis A
PA
Margolis
David J
DJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000592:standards; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking / Q000592:standards; D008545:Melanoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D015580:Mohs Surgery; D010414:Pennsylvania / Q000453:epidemiology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*