Naked Eye Inspection ‘Not Enough for Skin Cancer Diagnosis

Source: MedScape, December 2018

n a collection of reviews published on the accuracy of tests used to diagnose skin cancer, experts have highlighted that melanomas are missed when making a visual inspection with only the naked eye.

For all types of skin cancer, it is important to make an early, accurate diagnosis to guide the appropriate management of the disease and to improve the outcome and survival of the patient. Melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) are high-risk skin cancers that can spread and lead to death. Although basal cell carcinoma (BCC) rarely spreads, it can damage surrounding tissue.

When examining for skin cancer, the aim is to detect all possible malignant cases. High-sensitivity tests can have false-positive results, so it is important that tests should be evaluated in the settings in which they will be used in practice. Although there is anxiety around missing a diagnosis of an early malignant lesion, it needs to be balanced against the risk of unnecessary referrals to specialists. A team of researchers examined a series of reviews on diagnostic tests to identify the most accurate approaches to the diagnosis of skin cancer.

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