New scanner tells you in 30 seconds whether you have skin cancer | RTL News

“This scanner saves time for patients and provides more efficient care,” says Clara Mustard, professor of dermatological oncology (skin cancer) at Maastricht University UMC+. As a dermatologist, she has been researching this skin scanner for a number of years.

Two years ago I discovered that the existing OCT scanner was reliable enough to identify the most common form of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma. I have now also received a grant to make this method available to every patient in the Netherlands.

annoying biopsy

Suspicious spots that require further investigation are now examined via biopsy. “You’ll then receive a local anesthetic and we’ll use what looks like a 3-millimeter apple peel to remove a piece of skin,” explains dermatologist Mustard. “It will then be examined in a lab, so patients will have to wait a week or two for the results.”

With this scanner, waiting is over, because a specialist can evaluate a suspicious spot on the skin within 30 seconds. It is also more efficient care because everything can be done in one appointment by one specialist.

So far, this only applies to the most common form of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma. This diagnostic method is not reliable enough for other variants, such as melanoma.

Line Thewissen, 75, has had a biopsy done several times: “It’s not always pleasant. A few weeks ago, they took a piece out of my forehead. It bled a lot and I had headaches for a long time afterwards.”

recurrent disease

Thewissen has been visiting the dermatologist regularly for thirty years to have suspicious spots checked. Twenty times they turn out to be a form of skin cancer. These spots are usually surgically removed.

That’s why Theusen is happy that she can be tested as of next year: “I don’t have to wait so long to find out if something is wrong again.”

Skin cancer is very common.

One in five Dutch people develops basal cell carcinoma (BCC), the most common form of skin cancer. Last year, 52,606 Dutch people received this diagnosis.

BCC is a malignant spot on the skin that grows slowly and never spreads. It is therefore often easy to treat, and almost all patients with this type of skin cancer recover. The cancer can be removed surgically or patients can use a special ointment.

Available throughout the Netherlands

Maastricht UMC+ has now received a subsidy to make this scanner available to every potential skin cancer patient. As of next year, the first patients will be seen in this way at Maastricht UMC+ itself. It will then be slowly rolled out across the country.