A Non-Invasive Method to Distinguish Melanomas from Benign Skin Lesions

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In this Phase I SBIR project, we shall show the feasibility of a unique, patent pending method to differentiate benign lesions such as moles (benign and dysplastic nevi) or liver spots (lentigenes solaris), from maligna nt ones, such as lentigenes maligna and melanoma. Melanoma is a deadly cancer for which early diagnosis is key to survival. Our goal is to describe the surface textures of melanomas and benign lesions that simulate melanomas to show the feasibility for the development of a low cost, non-invasive, and objective aid in melanoma diagnosis. Preliminary data show that skin texture differs between non-cancerous lesions (benign moles, atypical moles, and liver spots), and malignant lesions (melanoma in situ and in vasive melanoma). The Phase I project will refine measurement and analysis protocols to develop practical applicable standards sufficient to describe texture differences across lesion types. It will demonstrate feasibility of the patent pending surface tex ture analysis techniques by showing statistically significant differences in texture for invasive melanomas. Narrative Melanoma is among the deadliest of cancers and can be difficult to diagnose in a clinical setting without excision and subsequent histolo gical analysis. If surface texture can distinguish benign neoplasms of the skin from melanoma, a low cost, rapid, non-invasive diagnostic tool may be developed to facilitate early detection and thereby save lives.