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Richard G. Langley, MD, Capital District Health Authority, Halifax, NS The overall objective of this multidisciplinary project is to improve the early diagnosis of skin cancer, by rigorous and defined examination of skin lesions with non-invasive techniques. Recognizing and distinguishing benign from malignant skin lesions will reduce the removal of benign lesions, and improve survival by early detection of malignant lesions. Skin cancers such as cutaneous melanoma can be cured if diagnosed and surgically excised at an early stage, however, the survival decreases as the diagnosis is delayed and the lesion becomes thicker. However, physician ability to diagnose skin cancer is not perfect. Our group has piloted and published the first clinical results with a novel non-invasive instrument, an in-vivo Confocal Scanning Laser Microscope (CSLM) in pigmented lesions. Preliminary work suggests we are able to discriminate between benign and malignant lesions by visualization of certain characteristics consistent with these lesions. Knowledge gained from our studies will have direct relevance to clinical practice in dermatology to improve the early diagnosis of skin cancer, reduce unnecessary surgeries, and improve surgical planning. Peer-Reviewed Publications Supported by the Canadian Dermatology Foundation 1. Langley RG, Walsh N, Sutherland AE, Propperova I, Delaney L, Morris SF, Gallant C.The diagnostic accuracy of in vivo confocal scanning laser microscopy compared to dermoscopy of benign and malignant melanocytic lesions: a prospective study. Dermatology.2007; 215(4):365-72. 2. Scope A, Benvenuto-Andrade C, Agero AL, Malvehy J, Puig S, Rajadhyaksha M, Busam KJ, Marra DE, Torres A, Propperova I, Langley RG, Marghoob AA, Pellacani G, Seidenari S, Halpern AC, Gonzalez S. In vivo reflectance confocal microscopy imaging of melanocytic skin lesions: consensus terminology glossary and illustrative images. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2007 Oct;57(4):644-58. 3. Propperova I, Langley RG. Reflectance-mode confocal microscopy for the diagnosis of sebaceous hyperplasia in vivo. Arch Dermatol. 2007 Jan; 143(1):134. 4. Humphrey S, Walsh NM, Delaney L, Propperova I, Langley RG. Prognostic significance of vascularity in cutaneous melanoma: pilot study using in vivo confocal scanning laser microscopy. J Cutan Med Surg. 2006 May-Jun;10 (3):122-7. 5. Langley RG, Burton E, Walsh N, Propperova I, Murray SJ.In vivo confocal scanning laser microscopy of benign lentigines: comparison to conventional histology and in vivo characteristics of lentigo maligna. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2006 Jul;55(1):88-97. © 2009 |
