UConn Health dermatologists are leading the way in shining light on suspicious skin lesions and moles to help patients avoid unnecessary skin cancer biopsies.<\/p>\n
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 \u2500 skin cancer, especially in its deadliest form known as melanoma.<\/p>\n
Confocal technology allows dermatologists to takes a non-invasive look into the skin of a suspicious lesion or mole to see if the skin\u2019s 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 \u2013 resulting in one surgery rather than two.<\/p>\n
\n“Up to 60 percent of our patients with a suspicious skin lesion or mole are being spared a biopsy” — Dr. Jane Grant-Kels<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\u201cThis 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,\u201d said Physician-Researcher Dr. Jane Grant-Kels<\/a> of UConn Health who serves as professor and vice chair of the Department of Dermatology<\/a> and director of the UConn Cutaneous Oncology Center and Melanoma Program. \u201cWe 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.\u201d
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\n\u201cPatients are thrilled with the innovation,\u201d 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.<\/p>\n