Can AI diagnose skin cancer better than a dermatologist? Answer may surprise you

There are now apps and AI tools that promise to check your moles with a quick photo. With skin cancer rates as high as they are in South Florida, it’s tempting to trust your phone instead of booking an appointment – but a new study suggests AI still has a lot to learn.

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What the study found

The study, published this summer in JAMA Dermatology, pitted three AI diagnostic systems against 652 physicians using 1,117 standardized cases. Unlike many earlier AI studies, the cases deliberately included uncommon and tricky lesions and kept the uneven image quality doctors see in everyday practice.

Experienced dermatologists came out on top, with 74.2% accuracy. The AI systems ranged from 56.7% to 72.2%. The most advanced AI model outperformed doctors with fewer than three years of experience and matched those with three to 10 years, but it fell short of experts with more than a decade in practice.

The downsides to AI diagnostics

AI tools are trained on large sets of images, and they often perform well when tested on similar, clean, well-lit photos. Real skin is harder to diagnose. Rare cancers, unusual-looking moles and blurry photos can trip up an algorithm.

The researchers also found that AI’s strength in flagging cancerous lesions didn’t carry over to naming the correct diagnosis among many possibilities. This is particularly problematic because the right treatment route highly depends on an accurate diagnosis.

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Benefits of AI as a screening tool

AI tools are likely best used as a supplement rather than a replacement for a diagnosis performed by an experienced human professional. The authors suggest AI could support less experienced clinicians, assist experts with triage and help reduce human error for faster screening and fewer missed cancers.

Bottom line

AI is getting better, but it can’t yet match the eye of an experienced dermatologist. Use apps as a reminder to watch your skin or a first line, but not as a replacement for an in-office visit to your dermatologist.

If you notice a new, changing, bleeding or unusual spot, see a board-certified dermatologist, and schedule a yearly full-body skin check, especially if you spend a lot of time in the Florida sun.

I am now seeing patients on Wednesdays at Body + Beauty Lab in Bay Harbor. Have questions for me? Come join the conversation on Reddit at r/skintypesolutions.

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