Computer is ‘AS effective as specialists at spotting deadly skin cancer’ – and could lead to new app
COMPUTERS are just as good as medics at spotting deadly skin cancers, a study claims.
Software that scans suspect moles correctly identified as many cases as 21 highly-trained specialists.
Scientists now hope to develop a smart phone app so GPs and patients can do their own checks instead of traipsing into hospital.
Similar apps are already widely available but many have undergone little or no testing.
Experts at Stanford University in the US developed a program based on 130,000 skin images.
It checks moles against the database and decides if they are potentially cancerous or not.
Researchers matched it against 21 highly-experienced skin doctors.
The results, published in the journal Nature, showed the computer was just as good as consultants with years of experience.
Researcher Andre Esteva said smartphones could transform skin cancer diagnosis.
She said: “My main eureka moment was when I realized just how common smartphones will be.
“Everyone has a supercomputer in their pockets with a number of sensors in it, including a camera.
“What if we could use it to visually screen for skin cancer?”
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DO YOU KNOW HOW TO SPOT SKIN CANCER?
In the UK, around 13,300 people a year are diagnosed with skin cancer every year, according to Cancer Research.
Experts recommend that those individuals perform regular checks of their skin to spot for potential signs of the disease returning, or new melanomas appearing.
Signs and symptoms of skin cancer include:
- a spot or sore that won't heal
- an ulcer
- a lump
- red patches on the skin
But the key sign you could have the disease is if you notice changes to existing moles, or the appearance of new ones.
Watch out for moles that are:
- getting bigger
- changing shape
- changing colour
- bleeding or getting crusty
- itchy or painful
Susan Swetter, professor of dermatology and director of the Pigmented Lesion and Melanoma Program at the Stanford Cancer Institute, said: “Advances in computer-aided classification of benign versus malignant skin lesions could greatly assist dermatologists in improved diagnosis for challenging lesions and provide better management options for patients.”
Another study, published earlier this month, revealed builders are at greatest risk of skin cancer.
Scientists estimate the disease kills one builder every fortnight, while almost half of outdoor workers who die from the disease are brickies and other construction workers.
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