Scientists at University of Copenhagen detail research in non-melanoma skin cancer
2009 JUL 20 - (NewsRx.com) -- "Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an optical imaging technique that may be useful in diagnosis of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC). To describe OCT features in NMSC such as actinic keratosis (AK) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and in benign lesions and to assess the diagnostic accuracy of OCT in differentiating NMSC from benign lesions and normal skin," investigators in Roskilde, Denmark report. "OCT and polarization-sensitive (PS) OCT from 104 patients were studied. Observer-blinded evaluation of OCT images from 64 BCCs, 1 baso-squamous carcinoma, 39 AKs, two malignant melanomas, nine benign lesions, and 105 OCT images from perilesional skin was performed; 50 OCT images of NMSC and 50 PS-OCT images of normal skin were evaluated twice. Sensitivity was 79% to 94% and specificity 85% to 96% in differentiating normal skin from lesions. Important features were absence of well-defined layering in OCT and PS-OCT images and dark lobules in BCC. Discrimination of AK from BCC had an error rate of 50% to 52%. OCT features in NMSC are identified, but AK and BCC cannot be differentiated. OCT diagnosis is less accurate than clinical diagnosis, but high accuracy in distinguishing lesions from normal skin, crucial for delineating tumor borders, was obtained," wrote M. Mogensen and colleagues, University of Copenhagen. The researchers concluded: "The authors have indicated no significant interest with commercial supporters.." Mogensen and colleagues published their study in Dermatologic Surgery (Assessment of Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging in the Diagnosis of Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer and Benign Lesions Versus Normal Skin: Observer-Blinded Evaluation by Dermatologists and Pathologists. Dermatologic Surgery, 2009;35(6):965-972). For additional information, contact M. Mogensen, University of Copenhagen, Dept. of Dermatology, Faculty Health Science, Roskilde Hospital, Koegevej 7-13, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark. The publisher of the journal Dermatologic Surgery can be contacted at: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Inc., Commerce Place, 350 Main St., Malden 02148, MA, USA. Keywords: Denmark, Roskilde, Actinic Keratosis, Basal Cell Cancer, Basal Cell Carcinoma, Dermatology, Diagnostics, Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer, Non-Melanoma Skin Carcinoma, Oncology, Skin Neoplasms, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Surgery, University of Copenhagen. This article was prepared by Clinical Oncology Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, Clinical Oncology Week via NewsRx.com.
|
