Guest Editorial Skin Lesion Image Analysis for Melanoma Detection

MELANOMA is the deadliest form of skin cancer, with roughly 91,000 new cases reported every year in the US and more than 9,000 deaths. Unlike many other cancer types, the incidence rate of melanoma has been steadily increasing in the past several decades. Early diagnosis is crucial since melanoma can be cured with a simple excision, if detected early. In the past, the primary form of diagnosis for melanoma was unaided clinical examination, which has limited and variable accuracy, leading to significant challenges both in the early detection of disease and the minimization of unnecessary biopsies. In recent years, dermoscopy, a high-resolution skin imaging technique that allows visualization of deeper skin structures by reducing surface reflectance, has improved the diagnostic capability of trained specialists. Unfortunately, dermoscopy remains difficult to learn and several studies have demonstrated limitations of dermoscopy when proper training is not administered. In addition, even with sufficient training, visual analysis remains subjective.