New skin cancer checking software set to benefit survivors

New skin cancer checking software set to benefit survivors

Skin cancer survivors are to be aided in checking for signs of the condition returning by new technology developed by experts at the University of Aberdeen.

Initially targeted at those living in remote and rural areas, the software will educate out-patients in how to carry out self-examinations and enable them to send images of skin abnormalities directly to specialists.

The Achieving Self-directed Integrated Cancer Aftercare (ASICA) project is collaboration between computer scientists and healthcare specialists as part of the dot.rural RCUK Digital Economy Hub.

“People who have had skin cancer are advised to see a specialist every 3-6 months for up to 10 years after the diagnosis, to check for signs the condition hasn’t returned,” explains Dr Peter Murchie, a clinical consultant at the University. “For people in remote areas, such as Orkney, this can involve a great degree of travel and disruption.

“ASICA is an experimental study to see if there are opportunities to carry out the check-ups, at least in part, remotely.”

Participants in the scheme will receive a text message once a month instructing them to examine their skin.

A supplied tablet will play an instructional animation which goes through the examination process in detail, advising on the areas of the body to check and examples of things to look out for. It also maintains a gallery of images of the patient’s skin so they can see if there have been any changes since the last examination.

If nothing of concern is found, the patient sends a message to a dermatology specialist nurse based at Dr Gray’s hospital in Elgin for them to log. If any abnormality is discovered, however, the patient takes a photo of the area and sends it directly to a specialist.

“The specialist will be able to advise whether or not the patient needs to come in for a full consultation, or whether it’s fine, and doesn’t require further examination,” adds Dr Murchie. “Alternatively, they could be asked to make an appointment with their local GP, at which the specialist can remotely participate in via Jabber (NHS Scotland’s secure videoconference technology).”

Dr Murchie adds: “The examination process can be quite intensive – you have to check inside the ears, and beneath nail beds, for example. As well as hopefully reducing the need for travelling long distances to visit specialists, ASICA  should also educate patients on how to carry out self-examinations and the warning signs they should be aware of and take action about

“The initiative has obvious benefits for those living in rural and remote areas, but if it proves successful there is no reason why it couldn’t be used by patients living in urban areas as well.”

Volunteer patients started trialling the software this month in conjunction with their regular appointments with specialists. 

Search News

Browse by Month

2024

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr There are no items to show for April 2024
  5. May There are no items to show for May 2024
  6. Jun There are no items to show for June 2024
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2024
  8. Aug There are no items to show for August 2024
  9. Sep There are no items to show for September 2024
  10. Oct There are no items to show for October 2024
  11. Nov There are no items to show for November 2024
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2024

2023

  1. Jan There are no items to show for January 2023
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

2022

  1. Jan There are no items to show for January 2022
  2. Feb There are no items to show for February 2022
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct There are no items to show for October 2022
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

2021

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar There are no items to show for March 2021
  4. Apr There are no items to show for April 2021
  5. May There are no items to show for May 2021
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep There are no items to show for September 2021
  10. Oct
  11. Nov There are no items to show for November 2021
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2021

2020

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2020
  8. Aug There are no items to show for August 2020
  9. Sep
  10. Oct There are no items to show for October 2020
  11. Nov There are no items to show for November 2020
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2020

2019

  1. Jan
  2. Feb There are no items to show for February 2019
  3. Mar There are no items to show for March 2019
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun There are no items to show for June 2019
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2019
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2019

2018

  1. Jan There are no items to show for January 2018
  2. Feb
  3. Mar There are no items to show for March 2018
  4. Apr There are no items to show for April 2018
  5. May There are no items to show for May 2018
  6. Jun There are no items to show for June 2018
  7. Jul
  8. Aug There are no items to show for August 2018
  9. Sep There are no items to show for September 2018
  10. Oct
  11. Nov There are no items to show for November 2018
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2018

2017

  1. Jan There are no items to show for January 2017
  2. Feb There are no items to show for February 2017
  3. Mar There are no items to show for March 2017
  4. Apr There are no items to show for April 2017
  5. May There are no items to show for May 2017
  6. Jun
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2017
  8. Aug
  9. Sep There are no items to show for September 2017
  10. Oct There are no items to show for October 2017
  11. Nov
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2017

2016

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep There are no items to show for September 2016
  10. Oct
  11. Nov There are no items to show for November 2016
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2016

2015

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr There are no items to show for April 2015
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

2014

  1. Jan
  2. Feb There are no items to show for February 2014
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2014
  8. Aug There are no items to show for August 2014
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov There are no items to show for November 2014
  12. Dec

2013

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar There are no items to show for March 2013
  4. Apr There are no items to show for April 2013
  5. May There are no items to show for May 2013
  6. Jun There are no items to show for June 2013
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2013
  8. Aug There are no items to show for August 2013
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

2012

  1. Jan
  2. Feb There are no items to show for February 2012
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2012
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov There are no items to show for November 2012
  12. Dec

2011

  1. Jan There are no items to show for January 2011
  2. Feb There are no items to show for February 2011
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May There are no items to show for May 2011
  6. Jun
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2011
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

2010

  1. Jan There are no items to show for January 2010
  2. Feb There are no items to show for February 2010
  3. Mar There are no items to show for March 2010
  4. Apr There are no items to show for April 2010
  5. May There are no items to show for May 2010
  6. Jun There are no items to show for June 2010
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2010
  8. Aug There are no items to show for August 2010
  9. Sep There are no items to show for September 2010
  10. Oct There are no items to show for October 2010
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

2009

  1. Jan
  2. Feb There are no items to show for February 2009
  3. Mar There are no items to show for March 2009
  4. Apr There are no items to show for April 2009
  5. May There are no items to show for May 2009
  6. Jun There are no items to show for June 2009
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2009
  8. Aug There are no items to show for August 2009
  9. Sep There are no items to show for September 2009
  10. Oct There are no items to show for October 2009
  11. Nov There are no items to show for November 2009
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2009

2008

  1. Jan There are no items to show for January 2008
  2. Feb There are no items to show for February 2008
  3. Mar There are no items to show for March 2008
  4. Apr There are no items to show for April 2008
  5. May There are no items to show for May 2008
  6. Jun There are no items to show for June 2008
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2008
  8. Aug There are no items to show for August 2008
  9. Sep
  10. Oct There are no items to show for October 2008
  11. Nov There are no items to show for November 2008
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2008