University of Bristol: Students tackle gap in black and brown skin cancer diagnosis

Three medical students from the University of Bristol, Mariana Wickramarachchi, Harvey Hill, and Elizabeth Maregere, founded DermSpectrum, aiming to address the significant disparity in skin cancer care between individuals with dark and white skin. They have created the UK's most diverse and advanced skin image bank with the hope of improving early diagnosis of skin cancer in patients with skin of color.

With heightened awareness of skin cancer among golfers, expert golfers are now paying more attention to sun protection. Stewart Cink, for instance, emphasized its importance due to personal experiences with family and his own health. Players like Stephanie Kyriacou opt for specialized sun protection sleeves, recognizing the risks of prolonged sun exposure. Golfers with darker skin tones, like Xander Schauffele, are vigilant about sunscreen selection, using apps like Yuka to identify safer options. Justin Thomas, who had a melanoma scare, stressed the importance of sunscreen and regular check-ups, emphasizing the seriousness of skin cancer prevention.

Top headlines from this week to share with your patients:

Researchers at Stanford Medicine have developed a noninvasive "virtual biopsy" technique that could revolutionize cancer detection and monitoring. By using light waves to scan skin lesions, this method offers a safer and more efficient alternative to traditional biopsies, according to expertds. The technology, based on optical coherence tomography, provides high-resolution images comparable to pathology slides.

A study from Stanford Medicine recently explored the potential of AI-powered algorithms in improving skin cancer diagnosis accuracy. Led by Professor Eleni Linos, the research demonstrated how AI can assist health care practitioners in detecting skin cancers more precisely. By comparing diagnoses made with and without AI assistance, the study found that practitioners utilizing AI showed improvement in sensitivity and specificity, particularly medical students and primary care doctors. Dermatologists also benefited, albeit to a lesser extent.

Clifford Lober, MD, a Florida-based dermatologist, has been honored with the American Academy of Dermatology's 2024 Gold Medal for his significant contributions to the field of dermatology, both as a practitioner and advocate. The award recognizes his dedication to patient care and his efforts in advocating for patients' rights to proper coverage and reimbursement for dermatological care. Lober, who has been practicing in Kissimmee for 42 years, emphasized the importance of early detection and treatment of skin cancer, noting that the majority of cases are curable if identified early.

Have you seen any dermatology headlines this week that we may have missed? Share with us by emailing our team atDTEditor@mmhgroup.com.

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Derm In The News: April 7-13 - Dermatology Times