Skin Cancer Examination Can Now Be Performed Directly With AI Cancer Detection Devices

DermaSensor, is now available for 300,000 general practitioners in the United States. (photo: x @dermasensor)

JAKARTA - The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first handheld devices created with artificial intelligence (AI) to assist doctors in identifying three main types of skin cancer: melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamosa cell carcinoma.

This device, produced by a Miami-based company, DermaSensor, is now available to 300,000 general practitioners in the United States. However, the FDA stipulates that this device will only be used in patients over 40 years of age.

Doctors should use this device only for lesions that have been identified as suspicious, showing signs of skin cancer, but should not be solely relied on for diagnosis, according to the FDA.

Although DermaSensor has been approved to market this handheld device, the FDA stipulates that the company should 'do additional post-market clinical testing to validate performance' in other demographic groups.

Usually, doctors identify skin cancer through der cathogscopy, which is a procedure where medical professionals visually check the patient's skin or use a special magnification glass to see flies or lesions.

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States and most common in people aged 60 years and over, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Melanoma is the most common form of skin cancer and causes the death of around 9,000 people in the United States every year.

The FDA gave approval for DermaSensor devices after a study showed that the device had a 96 percent sensitivity level in detecting 224 skin cancer cases, and negative results had a 97 percent chance of being tame, according to the company.

"Achieving this medical milestone is proof of the 12 years and tens of millions of dollars our company invests in research and development to bring this advanced technology to market," said Dr. Maurice Ferre, co-founder and chairman of DermaSensor.

The device will be available via subscription-based services, costing $199 (Rp 3.1 million) per month for five patients or US$399 (Rp 6.3 million) per month for unlimited use.