Smart sticker provides non-invasive check for skin cancer

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Some dermatologists are using a new tool to detect melanoma.

"It's important to realize just how deadly melanoma is. There's just under 100,000 cases per year estimated diagnosed in the United States. And about one person every hour in the U.S. dies of melanoma," said Dr. Frank Armstrong, a dermatologist with Suncoast Skin Solutions.

Now, he's using a smart sticker.

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The DermTech test is lifesaving.

"Well, the DermTech melanoma test is a revolutionary test," explained Dr. Armstrong.

It's a non-invasive examination.

"And what the sticker does is it takes a few cells from that suspicious lesion, and it gets submitted to the laboratory where they analyze it for genetic mutations. Genetic mutations are the first sign of a cancer. We're not going to even see it with our eye. So it's a very early detection," shared Dr. Armstrong.

He said he likes that it's an objective test.

A smart sticker is a non-invasive way to check for cancer.

"So it gives me a positive or a negative. It tells me if it's positive for the two RNA mutations and the DNA mutation or if it's not. And that's very helpful versus something that's subjective. If someone says it's a mildly abnormal mole or a moderately abnormal mole, there's some subjective opinion to that," said Dr. Armstrong.

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For patients, it can mean an easier procedure and peace of mind.

"I have many cases where a patient had a lesion in a sensitive area, a cosmetic area, and they didn't want a biopsy, so they didn't want a scar, or they were needle phobic. And we did the patch test and the derm test came back positive. And subsequently we did a biopsy and the biopsy revealed it was a melanoma. So those are literally life-saving tests. Patients, by and large are very happy with the results," explained Dr. Armstrong.

For more information about the DermTech melanoma test, click here.