Download PDF
CC BY 4.0 · Revista Brasileira de Cirurgia Plástica (RBCP) – Brazilian Journal of Plastic Surgery 2025; 40: s00451807277
DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1807277
Artigo Especial

Development of the SkinScan App: An Application to Help Primary Care Physicians Identify Skin Lesions Suspected of Malignancy

Article in several languages: português | English
José Wilson Moreira-Filho 
1   Mestrado Profissional em Ciências Aplicadas à Saúde, Universidade do Vale do Sapucaí, Pouso Alegre, MG, Brasil
,
Marcelo Prado Carvalho 
2   Serviço de Cirurgia Plástica, Hospital das Clínicas Samuel Libânio, Universidade do Vale do Sapucaí, Pouso Alegre, MG, Brasil
,
Carolina Alves Martins Guerra 
1   Mestrado Profissional em Ciências Aplicadas à Saúde, Universidade do Vale do Sapucaí, Pouso Alegre, MG, Brasil
2   Serviço de Cirurgia Plástica, Hospital das Clínicas Samuel Libânio, Universidade do Vale do Sapucaí, Pouso Alegre, MG, Brasil
,
Daniela Vieira Silveira Santos 
3   Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Nove de Julho, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
,
Joel Veiga-Filho 
2   Serviço de Cirurgia Plástica, Hospital das Clínicas Samuel Libânio, Universidade do Vale do Sapucaí, Pouso Alegre, MG, Brasil
,
Daniela Francescato Veiga 
1   Mestrado Profissional em Ciências Aplicadas à Saúde, Universidade do Vale do Sapucaí, Pouso Alegre, MG, Brasil
2   Serviço de Cirurgia Plástica, Hospital das Clínicas Samuel Libânio, Universidade do Vale do Sapucaí, Pouso Alegre, MG, Brasil
› Author Affiliations

Financial Support The authors declare that they did not receive financial support from agencies in the public, private, or non-profit sectors to conduct the present study. Ensaio Clínico Nenhum. | Clinical Trial None.
› Further Information
  Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

Introduction

The evaluation of skin lesions by plastic surgeons or dermatologists is not feasible due to their high prevalence. The present study describes the development of SkinScan, a web-based application to help primary care physicians identify skin lesions suspicious of malignancy. This app may enable more effective screening of lesions requiring specialist evaluation, allowing for early diagnosis and treatment.

Materials and Methods

We performed a literature review on skin cancer screening to support the creation of an algorithm. We refined the algorithm content through a round of Delphi consensus-building with 20 experts, including plastic surgeons and dermatologists. They used a 5-point Likert scale to assess the appropriateness of the language, sequence of information, ease of understanding, and relevance of the content. In addition, they made suggestions for adjustments. We calculated Cronbach's alpha coefficient to verify the internal consistency.

Results

Of the 20 experts, 13 (65%) consented to participate, including 8 plastic surgeons and 5 dermatologists. Their average time of certification and practice in the medical specialty was 13 years (ranging from 5–29 years). The calculated Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.8, indicating the algorithm was reliable. The algorithm supported the development of a free web-based application for physicians (http://skinscan.progm.net.br/). We registered the SkinScan at the Brazilian National Institute of Industrial Property (Instituto Nacional de Propriedade Industrial – INPI, in Portuguese [BR512020001285–0]).

Conclusion

The SkinScan has been successfully developed and is available free of charge for medical use.

Keywords

algorithms - diagnosis - primary health care - referral and consultation - skin neoplasms

Authors' Contributions

JWMF: data analysis and/or interpretation, statistical analysis, final manuscript approval, data collection, study conception and design, investigation, and methodology; MPC: data analysis and/or interpretation, final manuscript approval, study conception and design, and methodology; CAMG and DVSS: data analysis and/or interpretation final manuscript approval, and writing – original draft; JVF: data analysis and/or interpretation final manuscript approval, and methodology, and DFV: data analysis and/or interpretation, final manuscript approval, conceptualization, study conception and design, project management, methodology, writing – original draft, and supervision.




Publication History

Received: 02 September 2024

Accepted: 06 February 2025

Article published online:
30 April 2025

© 2025. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Thieme Revinter Publicações Ltda.
Rua Rego Freitas, 175, loja 1, República, São Paulo, SP, CEP 01220-010, Brazil

Bibliographical Record
José Wilson Moreira-Filho, Marcelo Prado Carvalho, Carolina Alves Martins Guerra, Daniela Vieira Silveira Santos, Joel Veiga-Filho, Daniela Francescato Veiga. Desenvolvimento do aplicativo SkinScan: Um aplicativo para auxiliar médicos da atenção primária a identificar lesões de pele com suspeita de malignidade. Revista Brasileira de Cirurgia Plástica (RBCP) – Brazilian Journal of Plastic Surgery 2025; 40: s00451807277.
DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1807277
 

  • Referências

  • 1 Instituto Nacional de Câncer. Estimativa 2023: incidência de câncer no Brasil – Rio de Janeiro: INCA, 2022. Disponível em: https://www.inca.gov.br/publicacoes/livros/estimativa-2023-incidencia-de-cancer-no-brasil
  • 2 Aggarwal P, Knabel P, Fleischer Jr AB. United States burden of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer from 1990 to 2019. J Am Acad Dermatol 2021; 85 (02) 388-395
    Search in Google Scholar
  • 3 Krensel M, Andrees V, Mohr N, Hischke S. Costs of routine skin cancer screening in Germany: a claims data analysis. Clin Exp Dermatol 2021; 46 (05) 842-850
    Search in Google Scholar
  • 4 Buller DB, Berwick M, Lantz K, Buller MK, Shane J, Kane I, Liu X. Smartphone mobile application delivering personalized, real-time sun protection advice: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Dermatol 2015; 151 (05) 497-504
    Search in Google Scholar
  • 5 Lai V, Cranwell W, Sinclair R. Epidemiology of skin cancer in the mature patient. Clin Dermatol 2018; 36 (02) 167-176
    Search in Google Scholar
  • 6 Chuchu N, Takwoingi Y, Dinnes J, Matin RN, Bassett O, Moreau JF. et al; Cochrane Skin Cancer Diagnostic Test Accuracy Group. Smartphone applications for triaging adults with skin lesions that are suspicious for melanoma. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2018; 12 (12) CD013192
    Search in Google Scholar
  • 7 Chernyshov PV, Lallas A, Tomas-Aragones L, Arenbergerova M, Samimi M, Manolache L. et al. Quality of life measurement in skin cancer patients: literature review and position paper of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Task Forces on Quality of Life and Patient Oriented Outcomes, Melanoma and Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2019; 33 (05) 816-827
    Search in Google Scholar
  • 8 Joseph AW. Quality of Life Studies in Skin Cancer Treatment and Reconstruction. Facial Plast Surg 2020; 36 (02) 194-199
    Search in Google Scholar
  • 9 Abbott LM, Smith SD. Smartphone apps for skin cancer diagnosis: Implications for patients and practitioners. Australas J Dermatol 2018; 59 (03) 168-170
    Search in Google Scholar
  • 10 Camargo VJ. Uso de aplicativos digitais móveis e sua integração em cirurgia plástica. Rev Bras Cir Plást 2020; 35 (04) 436-442
    Search in Google Scholar
  • 11 Sangers T, Reeder S, van der Vet S, Jhingoer S, Mooyaart A, Siegel DM. et al. Validation of a Market-Approved Artificial Intelligence Mobile Health App for Skin Cancer Screening: A Prospective Multicenter Diagnostic Accuracy Study. Dermatology 2022; 238 (04) 649-656
    Search in Google Scholar
  • 12 Nasa P, Jain R, Juneja D. Delphi methodology in healthcare research: How to decide its appropriateness. World J Methodol 2021; 11 (04) 116-129
    Search in Google Scholar
  • 13 Wild CP, Weiderpass E, Stewart BW. Eds. World cancer report: cancer research for cancer prevention. Lyon, France: International Agency for Research on Cancer; 2020. . Disponível em: http://publications.iarc.fr/586
    Search in Google Scholar
  • 14 Brinker TJ, Faria BL, de Faria OM, Klode J, Schadendorf D, Utikal JS. et al. Effect of a Face-Aging Mobile App-Based Intervention on Skin Cancer Protection Behavior in Secondary Schools in Brazil: A Cluster-Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Dermatol 2020; 156 (07) 737-745
    Search in Google Scholar
  • 15 Johns M, O'Bryen J, Banney L, Neale R. Skin cancer prevention in Australia. Aust J Gen Pract 2024; 53 (08) 524-528
    Search in Google Scholar
  • 16 Nittas V, Mütsch M, Frey T, Braun J, Puhan MA. Effectiveness of a tailored web app on sun protection intentions and its implications for skin cancer prevention: A randomized controlled trial. PLOS Digit Health 2022; 1 (05) e0000032
    Search in Google Scholar
  • 17 Inada MN. Surgical treatment of skin cancer by the plastic surgeon. Rev Bras Cir Plást 2015; 30 (04) 586-596
    Search in Google Scholar
  • 18 Machado CK, Haddad A, Santos IDAO, Ferreira LM. “Projeto Pele Alerta”: prevenção e detecção precoce do câncer de pele direcionado a profissionais de beleza. Rev Bras Cir Plást 2021; 36 (02) 236-241
    Search in Google Scholar
  • 19 Freeman K, Dinnes J, Chuchu N, Takwoingi Y, Bayliss SE, Matin RN. et al. Algorithm based smartphone apps to assess risk of skin cancer in adults: systematic review of diagnostic accuracy studies. BMJ 2020; 368: m127
    Search in Google Scholar
  • 20 Harkemanne E, Baeck M, Tromme I. Training general practitioners in melanoma diagnosis: a scoping review of the literature. BMJ Open 2021; 11 (03) e043926
    Search in Google Scholar
  • 21 Gaube S, Biebl I, Engelmann MKM, Kleine AK, Lermer E. Comparing preferences for skin cancer screening: AI-enabled app vs dermatologist. Soc Sci Med 2024; 349: 116871
    Search in Google Scholar