AI-Powered Skin Cancer Detection: How Artificial Intelligence is Changing Diagnosis
Improving the monitoring of skin changes in patients is now possible thanks to artificial intelligence. This innovation makes it possible to document the evolution of moles and visible lesions «with a high level of confidence.»
Cutting-edge technologies combined with artificial intelligence could provide valuable assistance in skin cancer screening.
The Vectra WB360 machine, already present in some medical centers, is capable of photographing almost the entire surface of a patient’s skin in a single shot, thanks to 92 high-definition sensors. This allows the scanner to provide a mapping of visible lesions and moles. «The doctor can then, remotely, choose to zoom in on one that appears suspicious to analyze it,» explains Isabelle, the hospital with a Vectra WB360 machine, which leads the company France Dermatology Territories. «Today, the machine cannot yet provide a diagnosis,» specifies Jilliana Monnier, a dermatologist. That is to say, it cannot confirm whether a particular lesion is a melanoma. The goal will then be to develop AI algorithms capable of easily and quickly identifying new, evolving, or suspicious lesions on the skin as a whole.
A cancer requiring precise monitoring
Melanoma is a skin tumor that resembles a mole but often exhibits the following characteristics: asymmetry, irregular borders, multiple colors, enlargement, or change in appearance. The number of new cases per year has steadily increased over the past two or three decades. But thanks to improved screening and the introduction of new treatments, the death rate has tended to stabilize in recent years.
Every year in France, around 18,000 cases of melanoma, the most aggressive of skin cancers, are discovered, resulting in 2,000 deaths. «Since the late 1990s, many clinics have equipped themselves with so-called digital dermoscopy machines, which allow photos of the skin to be taken and then compared during successive appointments to monitor changes,» says Luc Thomas, a specialist in skin cancers, a practitioner at the Lyon University Hospital. Previously capable of photographing the skin cm² by cm², machines can now capture almost the entire body surface.
Detecting melanoma «with a high level of confidence»
Ali Khachloud, co-founder of SquareMind, announces «we have developed an AI that will soon be available on the market, capable of detecting the evolution of these moles with ‘a high level of confidence’.» The device allows for the acquisition of very high-resolution full-body imaging.
Practitioners hope to be able to rely on the assistance of artificial intelligence. By automatically documenting the skin surface, they will be able to create a complete history of lesions and moles of these patients.
In a time when dermatological services are shrinking, automating certain time-consuming steps in melanoma screening will allow for more precise monitoring of patients, explains Jilliana Monnier.
This advancement in AI-powered skin cancer detection is a promising step towards more accurate and efficient diagnosis and monitoring of melanoma, ultimately leading to better outcomes for patients. By combining cutting-edge technology with the power of artificial intelligence, healthcare professionals can enhance their ability to detect and track skin cancer, potentially saving more lives in the process.