New microscope offers pain-free search for skin cancer

A NEW microscope that helps doctors hunt for skin cancer could be introduced across the UK.

The device offers a pain-free way to examine patches of skin and moles to look for deadly melanoma, which kills more than 2,000 people in Brit- ain each year. Experts say it can cut the number of biopsies that need to be performed because it is more powerful than any other microscope on the market.

The Vivascope offers a “virtual biopsy” by looking at skin cells in depth, with US studies showing it is effective in diagnosing skin cancer. The number of moles that need to be removed in order to diagnose one as being cancerous falls from 14.6 to 6.8 when the microscope is used.

It works by depicting the structure of skin, display- ing each individual layer of skin in horizontal sections. This differs to a traditional dermatoscope, which lacks the resolution to create such an in-depth look.

Vivascope has been introduced to the private Skin Care Network in London by dermatologi- cal surgeon, Dr Howard Stevens, who is also planning a trial involving NHS patients at the Royal Free Hospital in London.

Dr Stevens said: “This is a real step forward in diagnostics. What this new technology does is to provide a fast, painless, diag- nosis, reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies and we can monitor a suspect area of the skin over long periods.

“It can provide a diagnosis where there have been uncertainties before, and it can help to monitor treatments and also show us when treated skin has returned to normal.”

Vivascope has been reviewed for use on the NHS by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice). It said the microscope shows “promise” but called for further research in an NHS setting.