I understand you're looking for free access to journal articles and studies on invasive melanoma. While I cannot provide direct links, I can guide you to the best free resources for accessing melanoma research.
Free Full-Text Resources for Melanoma Research
PubMed Central (PMC)
PubMed Central is your primary free resource, containing over 2.8 million full-text articles (approximately 10% of PubMed's database). 1 You can access PMC directly at www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/ and search specifically for melanoma articles with free full-text availability. 1
PubMed Search Strategy
- Access PubMed at www.pubmed.gov for free searching of over 23 million biomedical records, including 19 million from MEDLINE. 1
- Use the "Free full text" filter in PubMed's left sidebar after searching "invasive melanoma" to limit results to freely accessible articles. 1
- Apply field tags to make searches more specific (e.g., "invasive melanoma"[Title/Abstract]) to avoid overwhelming non-specific results. 1
High-Quality Open Access Melanoma Guidelines
The following major guidelines are freely accessible online:
ASCO (American Society of Clinical Oncology) Guidelines - The 2023 systemic therapy update and 2020 melanoma guidelines are published in Journal of Clinical Oncology and often available through institutional access or open access provisions. 2
NCCN (National Comprehensive Cancer Network) Guidelines - Available at www.nccn.org for free registration, providing comprehensive cutaneous melanoma management guidelines updated regularly. 2
ESMO (European Society for Medical Oncology) Guidelines - Published in Annals of Oncology with clinical practice guidelines for melanoma diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. 2
Journal-Specific Free Access
Many publishers provide free access to select melanoma articles:
- Some journals participating in PubMed's LinkOut program (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/linkout/) offer free full-text access. 3
- Publishers may provide free access to older articles or specific high-impact studies. 3
Search Tips for Maximum Free Content
- Search for systematic reviews and meta-analyses, as these often have higher rates of open access. 2
- Look for articles from 2011 or later, as open access mandates have increased availability of recent research. 2
- Conference abstracts from ASCO, ESMO, Society for Melanoma Research (SMR), and AACR are often freely available online. 2
Specific Free Resources by Topic
For staging and classification: The AJCC 8th edition staging criteria are summarized in multiple freely accessible guideline documents. 2, 4
For treatment protocols: ASCO guidelines detail specific dosing schedules for pembrolizumab, nivolumab, and BRAF/MEK inhibitor combinations with free access to summary tables. 2
For surgical margins: Multiple free guidelines provide evidence-based margin recommendations (0.5-2 cm based on Breslow thickness). 2, 5
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Not all PubMed results have free full text - always check for the "Free PMC Article" or "Free full text" designation. 1
- Avoid relying solely on abstracts when full text is available, as critical methodological details are in the full article. 2
- Non-English articles may appear in searches but cannot be formally evaluated without translation. 2