This app detects skin cancer with 95% accuracy: Details here
Skin cancer, triggered by the abnormal growth of skin cells, is one of the most common forms of cancer worldwide. It makes up 40% of all cancer cases, but despite this, people fail to flag skin cancer symptoms on time. Now, to tackle this issue, an Amsterdam-based company is offering an app for monitoring, detecting skin cancer. Here's all about it.
Early stages of skin cancer start with simple marks and spots which people tend to dismiss. However, SkinVision gives a way to track and assess how skin spots change over time. It requires the user to photograph the spot, post which an in-app machine learning algorithm analyzes it, considering the symptoms of skin cancer, and delivers a low/medium/high-risk report.
While analyzing a real skin spot photograph, the machine learning engine of the app looks for early signs of skin cancer, which may include irregular patterns, multiple colors, asymmetry, size, and uneven borders.
After the first test, the app waits and reminds the user to go for another test. Then, on the basis of two-three risk assessment reports, the user can make an informed decision and get in touch with a general practitioner for a full check-up. This not only gives an assessment tool into the hands of the public but also reduces unnecessary GP visits.
As for accuracy, a recent study conducted by the investigators at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology shows that the app can detect most forms of skin cancer with 95.1% accuracy. This way, it can serve as a warning system, giving people a way to go for early treatment, which is likely to be cheaper than later-stage skin cancer treatment.
That said, you can try the SkinVision test by heading over to the app store on your Android or iOS device and downloading their app. The service is free to use but do note that it will collect your assessment results to improve the algorithm and provide timely notifications in case you need urgent medical attention.
