Did you know that there is only 14 percent chance of survival if skin cancer is identified at a later stage? The same shoots up to 97 percent when found in the earlier stages. About 5.4 million people in the US are diagnosed with skin cancer each year.

Stanford Researchers Train Algorithm With 130,000 Images

As a solution to these threats, the researchers from the Stanford University have come up with an Artificial Intelligence Algorithm, which can spot skin cancer even better than a professional doctor. The AI Algorithm has been trained with 129,450 images of moles, lesions, and rashes that will be able to identify up to 2,032 different skin related diseases, as reported by The Verge.

Researches Collected Images Across The Globe For Deep Learning

The images for the algorithm has been collected by the researchers in Stanford from medical schools across the world as there is not yet any set database defining skin related diseases. The images were added to the deep learning Algorithm developed by Google to do image classification.

Tested Against 21 Dermatologists Shows More Accuracy Than Humans

According to the report published by Stanford researchers in the journal Nature, the AI algorithm was tested against 21 actual dermatologists. The results came up with a better accuracy when compared to the humans. It is said to offer 91 percent accuracy, as reported by the Fortune. They have also suggested that a mobile app with the algorithm in future will help in spotting skin cancer at home. Thus, it enables early detection of the disease.

Not A Human Replacement But An Early Diagnosis Assistant

Though the Stanford team says that the Algorithm is not meant to replace the work of human dermatologists, the program will indeed be useful to cut down the cost of early screening. If an advanced version of the program can be built with high-quality skin cancer-related images, it can be put under rigorous training and assessment before going for a public launch. This is indeed a useful invention in the field of dermatology. Stay tuned to MobileNApps for more Skin Cancer treatment news and updates.