With AI starting to creep into every area of our everyday lives, it is no wonder that recent news from The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC) has revealed a new AI technology is being developed to monitor the condition of your skin and identify any abnormalities that could lead to skin cancer.
The tool, called AI SkinScreen, has not been designed to take the place of trained clinicians and dermatologists, but rather to act as a monitoring tool with the view of reducing the amount of biopsies that take place currently (a lot of which are unnecessary) and also to keep running records of existing moles/lesions that may change and become worrisome.
How does AI SkinScreen work?
AI SkinScreen uses the Camera on a smart device like an iPad to take photos in good lighting of lesions and moles on the skin that could potentially be cancerous. The AI SkinScreen software then analyses them, comparing them to any previous photos of the same lesions/moles on the same patient, and then identifies any changes. Changes in appearance are one of the biggest signs of potential malignancy.
Why use this technology?
Digital advancements that can alert clinicians to potential malignant changes are welcomed in the medical community, as in effect they are another pair of eyes. That being said, this technology is not designed to take the place of a human specialist. It does however allow for automatic mapping of lesions using photography that will then free up a human clinician’s time and also potentially be more accurate in terms of comparison with older images.
With this, there has already been a decrease in the number of unnecessary biopsies that may have otherwise taken place; this ratio has decreased from 15 biopsies to 1 discovered malignant lesion to 5:1.
It is important to keep in mind that the SkinScreen technology cannot work without human interaction; it is there to help detect skin cancers at the earliest stage possible but human diagnostics will remain key to deciding whether any further treatment or actions are necessary.
Please note the information in this article has been taken from an interview on the AJMC website with Dr Andrew Ress, which you can read in its entirety here: https://www.ajmc.com/view/skin-cancer-treatment-landscape-is-evolving-with-ai
Know the Signs of Potential Malignancy
Skin cancer can present itself in various ways, and it’s important to be aware of potential signs, especially if you have a history of previous skin cancer or have lesions/moles that you are aware of. Keep in mind that not all changes in the skin are indicative of cancer, but if you notice any unusual or persistent changes, it’s crucial to consult with a healthcare professional.
- Changes in Moles
- Asymmetry: One half of the mole does not match the other.
- Border irregularity: The edges are irregular, blurred, or notched.
- Color changes: Changes in color, including darkening, multiple colors, or uneven color distribution.
- Diameter: A size larger than 6mm (about the size of a pencil eraser) can be a warning sign.
- Ulceration or bleeding: moles or lesions that become ulcerated, bleed or ooze.
- Rapid growth: moles that grow quickly.
- Uneven edges: Jagged, uneven, or notched borders of a mole or lesion.
- New lesions, growths or sores
- The appearance of a new growth or sore that doesn’t heal.
- Itching, tenderness, or pain associated with a mole or lesion.
- Changes in Skin Pigmentation or color
- Changes in the color or appearance of the skin, such as redness, discoloration, or the spread of pigment.