Non-Invasive Pigmented Lesion Assay Almost Doubles Biopsy Specificity

Dermatologists who incorporate Dermtech’s noninvasive pigmented lesion assay will biopsy fewer benign pigmented skin lesions and miss fewer melanomas, according to a new study inJAMA Dermatology .

DermTech's technology allows the analysis of skin biopsy samples collected non- invasively using an adhesive.

In this study, 45 dermatologists evaluated 60 clinical and dermoscopic images of clinically atypical pigmented lesions, and the pigmented lesion assay improved biopsy specificity from 32.1% to 56.9% (p<0.001), and increased biopsy sensitivity by 4% (p=0.01), the study showed.

"The utility study demonstrates that even pigmented lesion experts surgically biopsy about half as often and miss fewer melanomas when adding the pigmented lesion assay to their decision process," says study author Laura Korb Ferris, MD, PhD, an Associate Professor of Dermatology at the University of Pittsburgh, in a Dermtech news release. "We are excited to offer this non-invasive tool to aid dermatologists in the difficult diagnosis of melanoma."