Diagnosing skin cancer without a biopsy is now a reality thanks to the French company Damae Medical.
- Thanks to the deepLive™ microscope, dermatologists can make an immediate and reliable diagnosis without requiring a biopsy. This reduces scarring, patient stress and costs to the healthcare system.
- Dermatologist at Saint-Étienne University Hospital, Professor Perrot was the first to test deepLive™. Its expertise has made it possible to adapt the technology to the needs of practitioners, while reducing the use of invasive biopsies.
- Co-founder of Damae Medical, Anais Barut has imagined a revolutionary tool that combines 3D microscopy and AI to transform the diagnosis of skin cancers, offering a rapid and non-invasive alternative.
Founded ten years ago by Anaïs Barut and David Siret, this startup has developed a revolutionary microscope, the “deepLive™”, which allows 3D visualization of skin tissues at the cellular level. The objective: to avoid invasive samples while improving the precision of diagnoses.
“Traditionally, a doubtful dermatologist when faced with a suspicious lesion must perform a biopsy. It is a long, expensive and stressful process for patients“, explains Anaïs Barut. “In 90% of cases, the biopsy reveals that the lesion is benign. This represents a waste of resources and an unnecessary scar for the patient.“
With deepLive™, diagnosis is immediate and non-invasive. Thanks to this technology, dermatologists can directly identify melanomas and carcinomas, the two major types of skin cancer. “Instantaneity changes everything“, she adds.
A double challenge: better diagnosis and limiting interventions
For melanoma, the priority is to not miss any cases while reducing the number of unnecessary biopsies. Today, 10 to 20 lesions are removed to find a single melanoma. Carcinoma, which is less aggressive but very common, poses another problem: determining whether a non-invasive treatment, such as a cream, is sufficient, or whether surgery is necessary.
Professor Jean-Luc Perrot, dermatologist at Saint-Étienne University Hospital and one of the first users of deepLive™, does not hide his enthusiasm: “This is a real revolution in our practice. With this tool, I can analyze an injury in depth, and above all, make a decision on the spot. This is a game changer, particularly for carcinomas, where unnecessary biopsies can now be avoided in the majority of cases.”
The specialist also emphasizes the usefulness of the tool for surgeries: “When a carcinoma is deeper and requires intervention, the deepLive™ helps me precisely trace the margins of the tumor. This limits the removal of healthy tissue, which is crucial for sensitive areas like the face. We are talking here about millimeters which can make all the difference for the patient, aesthetically and functionally.“
In fact, this precision reduces the reintervention rate, which can reach up to 25% in certain cases. “This is especially valuable in cases where every millimeter counts, such as on an eyelid or near an ear“, he explains.
Artificial intelligence as reinforcement
Damae Medical doesn’t stop there. The company has just taken a new step by integrating artificial intelligence with the launch of deepLive™ AIa diagnostic assistant. Anaïs Barut explains: “We collected and analyzed more than 600,000 images to train our algorithms. Today, this AI allows even novice dermatologists to reach the performance level of practitioners with two years of experience with our technology.“
AI doesn’t just give a score: it generates a “attention card” in real time, coloring suspicious areas on the images. “This provides full transparency and allows the dermatologist to interpret results based on patient context“, she explains.
Professor Perrot, having participated in the AI validation process, shares his opinion on its role: “AI is not intended to replace the dermatologist, it acts as a valuable assistant, especially for less experienced practitioners. For example, it highlights suspicious areas where I can focus my attention. This secures the diagnosis and allows me to save time while maintaining a high level of precision.“Then he adds:”What I like most is the ability to delegate certain tasks, such as taking images, to medical assistants. This frees up our time to concentrate on analysis and dialogue with the patient. This is a profound change in the management of our consultations.“
A model that could transform medical practice
With diagnostic performance of 96% sensitivity and specificitythis technology is particularly useful for self-employed dermatologists, who represent 70% of the profession in France: “It is a solution that combines innovation and accessibility. It is part of a global vision of medicine, where artificial intelligence accompanies but never replaces humans“, concludes Professor Perrot.
