The Artificial Intelligence Tool that can Detect Melanoma Image Credit: MIT A newly developed system could use neural networks to spot 'ugly duckling' pre-cancerous lesions on a patient's skin, potentially detecting cancer more efficiently. Melanoma is a type of malignant tumor that is responsible for 70% of all skin cancer deaths. Of the 96,480 people diagnosed with melanoma in the US during 2019, reports indicate that 7230 passed away, making it the deadliest form of skin cancer. The key to preventing melanoma-related deaths is early identification. If doctors can spot the early cancer indicators of suspicious pigmented lesions (SPLs) quickly in primary-care settings, not only could this yield improved melanoma prognosis, but it could also result in a 20-fold reduction in treatment costs.