Late detection of cancer is detrimental to human lives which sometimes may lead to death. But this could stop if only cancer is diagnosed in its early stage. In the United States, hospitals can only screen for the top five most common cancers. But for the other types, it can only be diagnosed once overt symptoms appear, and most likely, its prognosis is bad.
But due to the pandemic, routine check-ups were hampered, which means early detection of cancers might be postponed or delayed. Good thing a new technology and mobile app can now be used to have an on-hand screening and early detection of cancer. Indeed, it is crucial to have accurate and sensitive testing for cancer, especially in the time of COVID-19 pandemic.
Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) tests
Scientists do not find another way of better cancer detection but through an early diagnosis. But since hospitals in the US can only conduct early detection tests on five types of cancer, detecting other cancers is hard. That is why these technologies should improve to diagnose other types of cancers.
Today, several multi-cancer early detection (MCED) tests might be sold sometime soon to the public. These MCEDs use advanced technologies that can find cancer footprints in a person's blood, saliva, stool, and urine, according to Scientific American. Also, there are more new technologies under development that can early detect a variety of cancers.
Early detection of cancer could help patients receive curative treatment making MCED a profound and game-changing idea.
Phones Can Help In Early Detection
The best example of a new technology being developed today in the early detection of cancer, especially in time of the pandemic, is the new skin-cancer fighting mobile application called Miiskin which is available in both Androids and iOS. It is an AI-powered software that uses a full-body mapping technology that digitally tracks changes in the skin, like moles, and freckles, Yahoo! reported.
Miiskin founder Jon Friis said that people could use this app to document changes in their skin every month and share the results to their dermatologists or primary care provider. He added that up to 80% of melanomas could appear as new moles or marks, so tracking them is critical for diagnosing skin cancer.
But he also noted that the app is neither a substitute for actual visits to the doctors nor does it evaluate the risk level of the condition. Its main goal is to empower patients in between check-ups, especially when the pandemic has affected regular visits to the doctors.
The app's basic version lets the user track three existing moles and marks and also capture a side-by-side comparison of photos and will remind the user when it is time to take pictures again. In contrast, its premium version, which costs $4.99/month allows the user to monitor an unlimited number of marks and moles and other advanced features like Automatic Ski Imaging (ASI).
"ASI uses Apple ARKit 3's technical computer vision capabilities to detect the scene and surroundings in combination with the person to photograph," Friis said. "The AR technology also augments the camera feed with a digital representation of a human being for visual assistance."
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