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to hear from Dr Samantha Hunt, Dermatologist, about the Mole Mapping Fotofinder and how it will benefit patients across Hampshire.

This is a device used for skin cancer screening, allowing for photographs and records to be taken of all moles on a person’s skin known as mole mapping. It allows comparison of these moles in serial photographs and is used for the early detection of skin cancer in particular melanoma.

• Malignant Melanoma is the 5th most common skin cancer in the UK.
• In 2010 there were 12, 818 cases reported in the UK. There is a steady increase in the incidence of this skin cancer from the age of 20 -24 years onwards peaking at the age of 85. 
• 86% of melanoma is related to Ultraviolet light / Sun exposure. 
• Since the 1970s the incidence of this type of skin cancer has increased 7 fold in men and 4 fold in women.
• Melanoma is one of the few cancers that is predicted to continue to increase in incidence out to 2030.

All Skin Cancer Services should have an imaging service for the documentation and monitoring of moles of concern. Currently the only HHFT medical photographer is based in Basingstoke and is shared among all specialities; there is no capacity for her to be physically available to support the skin cancer service in Winchester. 

In 2018 – 19, Hampshire Hospitals Foundation Trust received 5,500 two week wait referrals for potential skin cancers. 3,105 of these were to the Royal Hampshire County Hospital (Winchester) team. This is on average 60 patients per week, around 40 of these plus another 10 – 20 from general clinics would benefit from having this technology on site. 

The Fotofinder will allow excellent image capture of worrying lesions and the early detection of skin cancer. By having the capacity to confidently monitor moles, the demand for surgical slots to remove lesions when there is uncertainty as to their diagnosis, would be reduced. Currently the demand for urgent two week wait surgical slots outstrips the capacity. This means long surgical waiting times of up to six months for non-urgent skin cancers such as Basal Cell Carcinomas and inflammatory skin disorders needing diagnostic skin biopsies.