Early detection of skin cancer relies on regular preventive check-ups of the entire body surface, including the mucous membranes of the eyes and mouth, the scalp and the genital area, carried out with a dermatoscope. Dermatoscopes are indispensable for examining skin lesions (pigmented spots, naevi, melanomas) in order to detect malignant disease early and treat it in good time. These digital handheld devices transilluminate the skin surface layer by layer.
Dermatoscopes are fitted with a set of achromatic lenses and an LED illumination system for the area under examination, and they deliver a high degree of resolution.
They make it possible to carry out a differential diagnosis of pigmented spots, to detect melanoma at an early stage, to assess the distribution of pigmented spots and to distinguish non-melanocytic lesions from malignant ones.
Screening for the early detection of skin cancer in Germany uses the ABCD rule, which allows lesions to be classified as suspicious:
A asymmetry: the lesion has an irregular shape;
B border: the edge is blurred and faded;
C colour: it shows several different shades of colour;
D diameter: the diameter has grown by more than 2 mm within a year.