Spectral imaging as a tool for the evaluation of skin cancer post-operative scars

Abstract

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the USA and worldwide.1 An early diagnosis is the key to a successful treatment. Among the skin cancers, the malignant melanoma (MM) accounts for 1% of the cases while it is responsible for the majority of deaths. Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common form of skin cancer with a very low mortality rate.2 Unfortunately, skin cancer recurrence is a common problem for MM and BCC patients. We propose a post-operative scar screening with non-invasive autofluorescence (AF) imaging to detect an early growth of any residual tissue from the cancer removal procedure. The screening images can serve also as a visual evidence for the post-op patient’s observation in dynamics. The results of the study show promising results comparing various post-op scars with recurrent cancer cases.