Exploring Laser-Induced Plasma Spectroscopy for Skin Cancer Patients: A Preliminary Study

Skin cancer is the most frequently diagnosed form of cancer worldwide. Diagnostic uncertainty can arise when macroscopic or dermoscopic evaluations do not clearly differentiate between benign and malignant lesions. Laser-induced plasma spectroscopy (LIPS), traditionally used in fields like materials science and environmental analysis, has recently gained attention for its applications in human tissue assessment. LIPS works by generating a (micro)plasma when a laser interacts with tissue, producing element-specific light emissions that can be analyzed in real time. In this study, we explored the potential of LIPS to differentiate between benign and malignant skin lesions using the Spectra-Scope^® Score (SSS). Our results revealed a clear distinction: benign lesions showed a median SSS of 1.7, while suspicious and malignant lesions had a significantly higher median score of 8.1 (p < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis demonstrated strong diagnostic performance, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.82 (p < 0.001). The findings of this preliminary study support the high accuracy of LIPS in identifying malignancy and underscore its promise as a non-invasive, real-time diagnostic aid. Integrating SSS into clinical workflows could enhance the early detection of skin cancer and reduce reliance on invasive diagnostic procedures. However, further validation is needed to fully establish its role in routine dermatological practice.