Skin cancer: Physiotherapists and nurses train to spot suspicious lesions in France

Facing a shortage of dermatologists, physiotherapists, nurses, and pharmacists are training to spot suspicious skin lesions, aiming to detect skin cancers like melanoma earlier and improve patient outcomes. In Occitanie, 13 physiotherapists trained with dermatoscopes have identified four carcinomas and two melanomas in 35 screenings over a year. Suspicious images are sent via a secure platform to a general practitioner or dermatologist, who alone makes the diagnosis. Some professionals prefer local referral networks over teleexpertise, citing concerns about doctor availability and diagnostic accuracy. The French Dermatology Society warns that AI-assisted devices have falsely reassured some patients, causing delayed diagnoses.