Smartphone Mobile Applications to Enhance Diagnosis of Skin Cancer: A Guide for the Rural Practitioner

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Public Health
• Mobile Health (mHealth)

Background:

• Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S., with delayed diagnosis leading to poor prognoses.
• Advanced skin cancer stages disproportionately affect rural populations due to various barriers.
• Early diagnosis is crucial for improving skin cancer outcomes, necessitating advancements in patient engagement, screening, diagnostic accuracy, and access to specialists.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the latest mobile applications for enhancing skin cancer prevention and early diagnosis.
• To identify useful applications for primary care physicians, particularly in serving rural populations.
• To explore how mobile technology can overcome barriers to early skin cancer detection in underserved areas.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of dermatology-related mobile applications.
• Evaluation of application features relevant to skin cancer prevention and diagnosis.
• Focus on applications suitable for primary care settings and rural accessibility.

Main Results:

• Over 200 dermatology applications exist, with a subset offering potential for skin cancer management.
• Mobile applications present accessible tools for patient education, lesion monitoring, and potentially aiding primary care diagnosis.
• Specific applications show promise in bridging the gap in dermatological care for rural patients.

Conclusions:

• Mobile health applications offer a scalable solution to improve early skin cancer detection and prevention efforts.
• Empowering primary care physicians with mHealth tools can significantly impact skin cancer outcomes in rural communities.
• Further research and integration of validated applications are needed to optimize their use in clinical practice.