The Canary Islands Health Service (SCS) has taken a major step in the early detection of skin cancer by acquiring 1,373 polarised dermatoscopes and 41 hybrid dermatoscopes with cameras. These devices will be distributed across all areas of the archipelago, improving the ability of Primary Care centres to diagnose skin lesions at an early stage.
This initiative is part of the Canary Islands’ +AP Strategy, aimed at equipping health centres with advanced tools to enhance diagnostic efficiency, speed up decision-making, and reduce the burden on hospital services.
Funded through the Primary Care Action Plan by the Spanish Ministry of Health, this initiative represents an investment of €542,000. The introduction of dermatoscopy in Primary Care will ensure that Family Medicine consultations across the Canary Islands Health Service (SCS) have access to these diagnostic tools.
Equipment Distribution Across the Islands
The newly acquired dermatoscopes will be distributed across all Primary Care centres in the Canary Islands, ensuring comprehensive coverage in the detection of potentially malignant skin lesions. The allocation by island is as follows:
Advancing Teledermatology in the Canary Islands
The introduction of dermatoscopes with cameras will enable Primary Care doctors to capture and send high-resolution images to Dermatology specialists in Hospital Care, facilitating faster and more accurate diagnoses. This move will also expand teledermatology services, making specialist consultations more accessible across the islands.
The Canary Islands Health Service emphasised that this initiative aligns with its commitment to innovation and preventive healthcare, ensuring faster diagnosis and treatment of high-impact diseases.
The Importance of Early Skin Cancer Detection
Dermoscopy is a key technique in the early detection of suspicious skin lesions, increasing diagnostic sensitivity by 15% and specificity by up to 25% compared to standard clinical photography.
Skin cancer, including melanoma and non-melanoma types, is a major public health concern. In Spain, an estimated 20,392 new cases of skin cancer were diagnosed in 2023, accounting for 8.21% of all cancer cases. Among them, 14,430 were non-melanoma carcinomas, and 5,962 were melanomas.
According to the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (AEDV), the incidence of skin cancer in Spain has risen by approximately 40% in the last four years. Each year, over 78,000 new cases are diagnosed, and projections suggest that by 2040, melanoma could become the second most common cancer globally and the leading cancer among men, surpassing colon and lung cancer.
Increased Risk in the Canary Islands
The primary risk factor for skin cancer is excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, particularly from unprotected sun exposure. This is especially relevant in the Canary Islands, where UV radiation levels are extremely high throughout the year, whether it is sunny or not.
Health officials urge residents and visitors to adopt preventative measures, including:
By implementing dermoscopy in Primary Care, the Canary Islands Health Service aims to streamline referrals to Dermatology, improve early skin cancer detection, and ultimately enhance patient outcomes.
