In 2025, it is projected that 19,513 people in the UK are expected to be diagnosed with melanoma
A groundbreaking wearable patch that could identify early indicators of the most lethal type of skin cancer has been developed. The wireless device allows patients to screen themselves at home, potentially catching melanoma earlier and reducing the risk of unnecessary biopsies, according to scientists.
American researchers developed the battery-free patch to make screening more accessible and less invasive. They highlighted that skin cancer, particularly melanoma, is one of the most dangerous forms of the disease.
According to Melanoma UK, estimates indicate that more than 19,000 people in the UK will have been diagnosed with melanoma in 2025. Early detection is crucial for successful treatment, but current methods often depend on visual inspection, which can be subjective and may overlook vital early warning signs.
More advanced diagnostic tools, such as biopsies and imaging, are typically only available in specialised clinics. Dr Mohammad Moghimi, who spearheaded the development, said the new patch measures the electrical properties – or bioimpedance – of skin lesions in a ‘simple, non-invasive’ way. Bioimpedance indicates how easily electrical signals pass through living tissue.
Cancerous areas often have different electrical properties than healthy skin. By measuring bioimpedance, the patch can help identify ‘abnormal’ areas that may require further medical evaluation.
The research team at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, North Carolina, designed a flexible, chip-less, battery-free patch that is placed directly on the skin and works wirelessly with a small reader device. To assess its effectiveness, the team enlisted 10 volunteers. Each participant had the patch applied to both a pigmented skin lesion – such as a mole – and nearby healthy skin.
The patch utilised safe electrical signals to measure bioimpedance. Standard statistical methods confirmed ‘significant’ differences between healthy and abnormal skin. The study, published in Biomedical Innovations, demonstrated that the patch could ‘clearly’ distinguish between healthy skin and spots that might be a concern.
It detected ‘unique’ electrical signals from suspicious moles or lesions regardless of skin tone. Study principal investigator Dr Moghimi said: “Skin cancer is most treatable when caught early, but many people don’t have easy access to specialised dermatology care.
“Our wearable patch is designed to be affordable, comfortable and easy to use, even outside of a doctor’s office. It could empower patients and primary care providers to monitor suspicious skin lesions and seek help sooner.”
The patch is ‘unique’ because it does not require batteries or chips, making it lightweight, disposable, and cost-effective. Unlike visual inspection, it provides objective, numerical data about the skin’s health, reducing the risk of unnecessary biopsies and helping doctors make more informed decisions.
The patch offers additional information about lesions, enhancing and supporting other diagnostic methods, such as imaging-based techniques. It is also believed to be equally effective across all skin tones and can identify changes in small or visually ambiguous lesions.
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Dr Moghimi, Assistant Professor of biomedical engineering at Wake Forest, continued: “Our goal is to make early skin cancer detection accessible to everyone.”
He added: “By providing a tool that can be used at home or in primary care settings, we hope to reduce the number of missed or late diagnoses and improve patient outcomes.”
The research team plans to further improve the patch by integrating conductive hydrogel electrodes for even better performance and comfort.
Dr Moghimi said the next phase will involve larger clinical studies to test the patch’s effectiveness in real-world settings and to determine how well it can distinguish between benign and malignant lesions.