Using a computer model to shed light on early invasive melanoma
Source: University of Waterloo, January 2025
Scientists at the University of Waterloo are creating the knowledge base necessary for the early detection of melanoma.
Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, has increased worldwide in the last decades. Once it metastasizes it becomes very difficult to treat, yet early detection is difficult because the cancer initially grows beneath the visible surface of the skin.
“We tend to think about human skin as being this relatively simple organ covering our body, but it is quite complex, notably from an optical point of view,” said Gladimir Baranoski, a computer science professor and the lead author of the study. “Our computer model, HyLIoS, allows us to simulate the appearance of skin under visible, ultraviolet, and infrared light, enabling us to look for irregularities and early warning signs of melanoma that are difficult to detect with the naked eye.”