Can smartphones really be used to diagnose skin cancer problems? That is what some researchers are looking at right now. This is supposed to come as a novel artificial intelligence technology that will allow people to self-diagnose skin cancer through the use of smartphones.
The cue for early diagnosis of skin cancer is changes in the appearance of moles and lesions over time. This technology is supposed to allow a person to simply scan self with the use of smartphones by taking a large number of high-resolution images.
Accordingly, the images will be sent to a remote server for processing and within a matter of minutes, a complete 3D reconstruction of the individual’s body will be returned, with every mole and lesion identified, analyzed, assessed and compared with previous scans.
Early warnings of mole or lesion change will alert a person to see skin cancer specialist as soon as possible. This screening can be done in a monthly fashion manner for only a fraction of the cost that a physical examination will require. This move is believed to help in the early detection of skin cancer.
When skin cancer is left to develop for a long time without detection, it becomes lethal. The depth of cancer also depends on how long the skin cancer has been growing unnoticed.
It is expected that with the development of this technology the survival rate of melanoma could increase. If caught early, the five-year survival rate is greater than 90 percent.
It will take some time for the research to materialize since it is in its early stages. Fans are hoping to wait for at least three years for it to arrive.
An abstract regarding this confirmed that the incidence of melanoma has increased in all Western countries over the last 130 years and has increased three to five times, depending on which country it occurs. The abstract also reiterates the importance of early detection always as this can save lives.
These days, various apps provide scores, decision aids, and management advice. Of course, “automated smartphones with no need of a dermatologist is also an issue that is being looked into,” says the abstract.
