UConn Health dermatologists are leading the way in shining light on suspicious skin lesions and moles to help patients avoid unnecessary skin cancer biopsies.

The tool is called reflectance confocal microscopy. It uses a painless, completely safe laser light to visualize skin cells on a cellular level and help doctors identify the most common type of cancer ─ skin cancer, especially in its deadliest form known as melanoma.

Confocal technology allows dermatologists to takes a non-invasive look into the skin of a suspicious lesion or mole to see if the skin’s cells show any warning signs of cancer. If they do not, the closer look allows patients to avoid a biopsy or mole removal. If the lesion looks suspicious, the patient can be referred for definitive surgery – resulting in one surgery rather than two.

“Up to 60 percent of our patients with a suspicious skin lesion or mole are being spared a biopsy” — Dr. Jane Grant-Kels

“This is a big clinical breakthrough in dermatology. Up to 60 percent of our patients with a suspicious skin lesion or mole are being spared a biopsy,” said Physician-Researcher Dr. Jane Grant-Kels of UConn Health who serves as professor and vice chair of the Department of Dermatology and director of the UConn Cutaneous Oncology Center and Melanoma Program. “We are so proud to be considered one of the leading skin cancer centers in the world in the use and research of this technology truly benefitting patient care.”

“Patients are thrilled with the innovation,” said Grant-Kels who says thanks to confocal technology more patients are feeling more comfortable coming in for their annual skin checks knowing their skin lesion or mole is not just immediately going to be biopsied or cut out.

Grant-Kels is urging more dermatologists to become “confocalists” across the country. However, she is concerned that even though the tried and true technology is proven to be effective and not experimental with hundreds of supportive studies it is being only slowly adopted by dermatologists.

Why? Only some insurance companies are providing coverage for confocal screening leaving many patients responsible for the cost. Grant-Kels believes this is really unacceptable and is working with the American Academy of Dermatology to rectify this and make this technology available to everyone no matter what their insurance. Her team at UConn Health Dermatology are currently advocating for greater insurance coverage of the technology benefiting patients.

Since skin cancer doesn’t discriminate, Grant-Kels urges everyone, no matter their skin color, to take action to protect their skin daily through: an annual skin check at the dermatologist’s office, being aware of any skin changes and bringing them to the attention of your primary care doctor or dermatologist as soon as possible, daily and repeat application of sunscreen and wearing sun safe clothing, avoiding mid-day sun, and embracing your skin color by avoiding becoming tan by the sun and especially tanning booths.

“Many people still like to get tanned by the sun and tanning parlors remain a billion dollar industry,” said Grant-Kels. “Until our sun safety behavior changes, we are still facing a serious skin cancer crisis in our country.”

It is important to take note of the startling skin cancer statistics. More people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year in the U.S. than all other cancers combined Currently 1 in 5 people in the U.S. will develop a skin cancer by the age of 70. More than 5.4 million cases of nonmelanoma skin cancer are treated in the U.S. every year.

Unfortunately, during the last 30 years the rate of melanoma cases have doubled. The majority of those diagnosed are older men but the fastest growing rate of diagnosis is occurring in younger women under 30 years of age. The uptick in young women may be linked to indoor tanning trend which significantly increases one’s risk for developing melanoma.

According to Grant-Kels, the good news is that early diagnosis of a skin cancer or melanoma can saves lives. “You need to make sure you pay close attention to your skin, flag any changes for your physician, and be sure to visit your dermatologist for a skin-check each year especially if you are over the age of 50,” stresses Grant-Kels.

If a skin cancer is diagnosed, UConn Health’s collaborative clinic based in one location in the Department of Dermatology is organized with all the advanced technology and expertise across the disciplines of dermatology, oncology, and surgical oncology to meet a skin cancer patient’s appointment and care needs.

To learn more about dermatology services at UConn Health visit: http://health.uconn.edu/dermatology/