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Enrolling by invitationNCT05418959Updated May 22, 2026

Genetic Risk Stratification of Pediatric Skin Lesions

A Phase 1 interventional study of DermTech PLA noninvasive adhesive biopsy in Skin Lesion and Nevus, sponsored by Massachusetts General Hospital. Enrolling by invitation at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 0 Years to 20 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-05-22.

Sponsored by Massachusetts General Hospital · Phase 1, Interventional, and Diagnostic

Phase
Phase 1
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
100
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
0 Years to 20 Years
Sex
All
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Study summary

A study to understand the clinical utility of noninvasive adhesive skin biopsies in pediatric patients by exploring whether DermTech Pigmented Lesion Assay (PLA) genetic risk analysis of suspicious lesions in children correlates with histopathological diagnosis.

Read the detailed description

Patients (20 years of age or younger) with one or more atypical skin lesions requiring surgical biopsy within the next 6 months will be enrolled in the study. Prior to surgical biopsy, a DermTech PLA noninvasive adhesive will be performed on the lesion. The results of DermTech PLA genetic analysis will be compared to the results of histopathological diagnosis from surgical biopsy. Incidents of adverse events will also be collected.

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Conditions studied

  • Skin Lesion
  • Nevus

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03

In context

Nevus

47 studies on the registry are indexed under Nevus; 9 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 100 is close to the median of 100 across 19 interventional studies indexed under Nevus.

Browse Nevus studies →

Lead sponsor

Massachusetts General Hospital is the lead sponsor of 2,586 studies on the registry; 447 are open to participants now.

Of its 222 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 168 (76%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
0 Years to 20 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • 20 years of age or younger.
  • Subjects or parents willing and able to give , and assent as appropriate
  • Patients will have one or more atypical skin lesions with management plan of monitoring, surgical , and/or excision of atypical nevi within the next 6 months

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Lesions on palms, soles, mucosal membranes, or area where hair cannot be trimmed
  • Bleeding or ulcerated lesions
  • Previously biopsied, scarred, or known melanoma lesions
  • Presence of active psoriasis/eczema/other skin condition in area to be biopsied
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(2)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

Biopsy and archival tissue

A biopsy takes a small piece of tissue to examine. “Archival tissue” is a sample already taken, for example at diagnosis, and kept by the hospital.

Whether a stored sample will do depends on when it was taken, how much there is and what the study needs. Ask whether the study accepts your stored sample or needs a new biopsy.

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 1
Primary purpose
Diagnostic
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
100 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    DermTech PLA noninvasive adhesive biopsy

    Prior to surgical biopsy, a DermTech PLA noninvasive adhesive will be pressed over the lesion to collect superficial skin cells.

    Diagnostic Test: DermTech PLA noninvasive adhesive biopsy

Interventions

  • Diagnostic testDermTech PLA noninvasive adhesive biopsy

    The clinician will firmly press the DermTech noninvasive adhesive on the lesion and use their thumb to make five circular motions on the lesion. The adhesive patch will then be pulled off of the area. This will be repeated for an additional three patches.

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What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Presence or absence of PRAME genetic marker.

    Presence or absence of PRAME genetic marker from PLA test

    Time frame: 1 day

  2. Presence or absence of LINC genetic marker.

    Presence or absence of LINC genetic marker from PLA test

    Time frame: 1 da7

Secondary outcomes

  1. Incidence of Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events

    No. of adverse events from adhesive skin biopsy.

    Time frame: 1 day

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Study locations

1 site
  • MGH Dermatology
    Boston, Massachusetts 02482, United States
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References and documents

Publications

  • Jansen, B., Dobak, J. (2019) The Pigmented Lesion Assay Breakthrough: Enhanced Early Melanoma Detection with a Non-Invasive Gene Expression Test. DermTech, Inc. retrieved 4/11/20 from: https://dermtech.com/wp-content/uploads/PLA-TA.pdf
  • Brouha B, Ferris LK, Skelsey MK, Peck G, Moy R, Yao Z, Jansen B. Real-World Utility of a Non-Invasive Gene Expression Test to Rule Out Primary Cutaneous Melanoma: A Large US Registry Study. J Drugs Dermatol. 2020 Mar 1;19(3):257-262. No abstract available. PubMed 32550693 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on May 22, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05418959
Responsible party
Elena Hawryluk (Principal Investigator, Massachusetts General Hospital) — Principal investigator
First posted
Jun 14, 2022
Start date
Aug 1, 2022
Primary completion
Jan 1, 2028 (estimated)
Completion
Jan 1, 2028 (estimated)
Last update
May 22, 2026

Study contacts

Elena B Hawryluk, MD, PhD
principal investigator · Massachusetts General Hospital

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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No contact was published for this record. The registry link below has the sponsor’s details.

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