As we all know, the best way to prevent melanoma skin cancer is sunscreen, and another necessary guarantee is accurate diagnosis. Only early detection and early treatment can achieve the best therapeutic effect. If not discovered in time, the consequences may be fatal. Since the beginning of this year, more than 70,000 people in the United States have been diagnosed with melanoma, and about 10,000 of them have died. This is why doctors advise people to have some skin tests on a regular basis, especially those who are prone to squatting. Bryce Zaffarano, a 23-year-old physiotherapy student from Denver, is one of them. The first time he developed melanoma was at the age of 16, and what he saw at the time was just a small black spot on his chest. "It makes me very worried," Zaffarano said. "But thinking about it, I don't think it's an accident." Zaffarano is no stranger to melanoma. His mother and uncle have been diagnosed with melanoma. In addition, like Mom, Zaffarano spent most of his childhood in direct sunlight. The doctor quickly helped him remove the black cockroach and eliminated the hidden danger. In the past seven years, Zaffarano has been going to a dermatologist for a full-body examination every three months, without interruption. The good news is that this time the doctor found a cockroach and cut it off his waist, and once again ruled out a "time bomb." However, those who are not very familiar with dermatologists may face some difficulties when booking a doctor. In 2009, people may have to wait three weeks for an appointment with a dermatologist. Now, the average appointment waiting time for a dermatologist in the United States is four weeks. In Boston and other areas, it takes three months. Therefore, some companies seize this pain point and begin to offer another option for those who are tired of waiting for the smart phone. If the mobile app can solve the problem, why do we have to wait a few months to make an appointment for a dermatologist? Unreliable diagnosis At present, there are about 39 APP platforms in Apple and Android app stores that claim to be diagnosed with melanoma. Patients only need to use a mobile phone to take photos and upload them. Some of these companies use automated analysis techniques that use computers to intelligently analyze images for diagnosis, while others use manual analysis, which employs licensed dermatologists for analysis and diagnosis. Ferris and her two classmates decided to verify that the apps were working. They selected the four most popular apps in the app store and prepared 188 skin lesions (60 of which were melanoma). Use these apps to diagnose whether the lesions in the picture are benign or bad. However, the results were not satisfactory: most of the APP misdiagnosis rates were extremely high, and three APPs diagnosed more than 30% of melanomas as benign. Among the four APPs, APPs with manual analysis have a higher success rate, but they also cost about $5 more than other apps. These photos are "very obvious melanoma," Ferris said, but they found the computer simply unrecognizable. Ferris believes that the inaccurate diagnosis of these apps is extremely dangerous for people, and it may miss the best treatment time for patients who need to seek medical care in time. In recent years, some researchers have questioned the legitimacy of such dermatological APPs. According to an article published last month by the British Journal of Dermatology, those dermatological diagnostic apps have great potential for development, but the rate of misdiagnosis is high; most dermatologists they hire do not qualify for medical practice; There are also a large number of false promises. “There are no absolutely perfect tools and drugs in the world, so people need to be able to make the right decisions,†Ferris said. “These apps need a solid set of data to prove they are worthy of the name.†But now, there is no one. The supervisory authority can prove who is right and wrong between the doctor and the patient. Lack of supervision The lack of clinical evidence is not unique to dermatological APP. In an article published in the Journal of Internet Medical Research in 2013, it is mentioned that there are almost 295 kinds of cancer-based APPs on the market, and almost all of them lack professional medical personnel. Similarly, a 2012 study of colorectal mobile APP found that they also lacked scientific medical guidance. The current problem is that there are no higher thresholds and restrictions for medical health apps than for dating or gaming apps. In the regulation and regulation of melanoma APP, the Federal Trade Commission seems to be more concerned than the FDA. In February, it punishes MelApp and Mole Detective for false advertising in the accuracy of melanoma diagnosis. The fine for MelApp occurred in April, and the company was sentenced to more than 17,000. The dollar is fine. The current situation is that determining whether an APP supplier is credible is largely determined by the consumers themselves. Ferris believes that although they are just some apps, it is not enough to just approve them based on the relevant regulations of the application. Future tools? Although skeptics and researchers like Ferris are skeptical, they still cannot influence the rapid development of skin disease APP. Professor Yuan Xiaojing from the University of Houston, who specializes in computer vision systems in the engineering department, is currently working on a project to commercialize a fully automated smartphone tool for melanoma. According to Yuan Xiaojing, this app is a scanning tool that tells patients if they need to worry about a mole, but she also emphasizes that this is not a substitute for doctors. “Diagnosis is a sensitive word,†she said. But in any case, this app is really used to help patients decide if they need to see a dermatologist, and that's what Ferris is worried about. Yuan Xiaojing admits that there are several technical problems when using computer vision technology to judge skin condition: melanoma will vary greatly, and the difference between healthy skin and cancer tissue is very good even for professional dermatologists. Difficult to judge; in addition, she also admitted that photos taken with a mobile phone are often of relatively poor quality compared to photographs taken at a clinic or hospital. But aside from these technical problems, Yuan Xiaojing believes that her products perform better than other products on the market, but at the same time, at least so far, she does not agree to use this tool to replace dermatologists. establish connection Despite his skepticism about the many apps he has tested, Ferris still finds it exciting to apply these new technologies to medical practice. He has a keen interest in the many mobile medical companies that are emerging today that allow dermatologists and patients to connect remotely via a smartphone. Many doctors in this field are also testing these mobile medical products. Whether it is diagnosis or follow-up, establish a real connection between the doctor and the patient, so that the doctors and patients can better communicate and communicate. In Ferris's view, this is the biggest meaning of mobile APP for medical treatment. For Zaffarano, this is a "magic ring" that can provide him with the help he needs most. “In this way, whenever a problem arises, my doctor and I can communicate easily and in a timely manner, and we can act more quickly,†he said. It took a 45-minute trip every three months to go to the doctor's office, but it was inconvenient for them, but he was still skeptical about these mobile apps, and Zaffarano couldn't dare to make fun of his life. Posture Corrector,Posture Support,Posture Corrector Device,Back Brace Posture Corrector Hebei Dingli Medical Apparatus and Instrument Co., LTD , https://www.dinglimed.com