Algorithm based smartphone apps to assess risk of skin cancer in adults: critical appraisal of a systematic review

Up to three million skin cancers occur worldwide annually, with an increasing burden over time1. Melanomas, accounting for 4% of skin cancers, are responsible for 75% of deaths1,2. An estimated 86% of melanomas in the UK are preventable3. Self‐monitoring, earlier detection and improvement in survival from melanoma are therefore of interest. Algorithm based smartphone applications (apps) are based on artificial intelligence algorithms trained on images of diagnosed skin cancer. They have the potential to facilitate early detection of otherwise aggressive life‐threatening skin cancers, thus prompting users to seek timely medical attention and improve survival.