by Thomas Carter

History | The Trial | Now

A trial in Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, is assessing the SIAscope for use in diagnosing melanoma - a form of skin cancer that kills thousands of people every year in the UK alone. Although a melanoma can appear harmless and cause no discomfort in the early stages, the likelihood of a successful cure drops rapidly if the disease is not caught before it spreads.

Technical Director of Astron Clinica, Dr Symon Cotton, said "If the SIAscope fulfils expectations, it will reduce mortality by helping doctors catch melanomas earlier. It shows many features in the skin that could only be seen before with surgery. This means that the SIAscope will reduce the need for precautionary operations - so it not only saves lives, but also time and money."

The SIAscope in its present form is targeted at hospital dermatologists and plastic surgeons. Marketing manager Thomas Carter described the next generation of SIA products: "We plan to produce versions of the SIAscope suitable for use by GP clinics over the next few years. We are also developing methods of using the machine for other skin disorders and for use in the testing of skin care products."

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