Scientists from Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) in the United States have discovered the world’s smallest skin cancer, measuring 0.65 mm (0.0256 inches) in diameter.
Skin cancer was discovered in a woman’s right eye. An almost invisible spot under the woman’s eye turns out to be the smallest skin cancer in the world
Discovery of Smallest skin cancer.
The startling discovery was made when a woman who had been worried about another red spot under her eye for years saw a skincare specialist.
The dermatologist examined Christa Staats’ skin and noticed another spot on the same right cheek. The tiny speck, almost invisible to the human eye, was later identified as melanoma, the most common and deadly type of skin cancer, by experts at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU).
“During COVID I started thinking a little more about my health. I have a magnifying mirror in the bathroom and noticed that the area that affected me was much larger and had a “leg”. I made an appointment to look at it,” Ms. Staats told the OHSU website.
The discovery was made in January, but the certificate was issued on May 1st.
Dr. Alexander Witkowski, an assistant professor of dermatology at OHSU who discovered cancer, said the discovery means the melanoma can be treated before it spreads.
The discovery news has been edited and published in the US government’s National Library of Medicine.
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How scientists identified this as the smallest skin cancer.
The university’s website states that a doctor and a multidisciplinary team used a combination of dermatoscopy and confocal reflection microscopy (an imaging tool) to identify microcars of the skin.
A combination of dermatoscopy, the examination of skin lesions with a dermatoscopy, and confocal reflectance microscopy, an imaging tool that helps doctors monitor and diagnose skin lesions without having to cut the skin, was used to identify a small tumor.
Alexander Witkowski, assistant professor of dermatology at OHSU School of Medicine, and his colleagues Joanna Ludzik, Jina Chung, Sancy Leachman, and Claudia Lee were involved in the discovery of the small cancer.
Patient Christy Staats has had a red spot on her face for some time. Many dermatologists visited but got the same answer “Everything is fine”. After that, she stopped going to the doctor.
Finally, she visited Aleksander Witkowski, who, upon examination, found that the lesion was in fact a cherry hemangioma, a fairly common skin growth. The patient said she was grateful to the doctors that the melanoma was caught before progressing. Staats said it was “in the right place at the right time and with the right technology.”
Guinness world record
According to the university’s website, the said cancer is so small that it has been included in the Guinness Book of World Records. On May 1st, a Guinness World Records judge arrived at OHSU to present each team member with a certificate for their new record.
To recognize the medical team’s efforts in the field of early cancer detection, they received the Guinness World Records Award for the “smallest skin cancer detected”.
To honor them with their award, a Guinness World Records judge visited OSHU and presented each team member with a certificate confirming the record.