DermTech Smart Stickers: Noninvasive Melanoma Test Using Precision Genomics

The Skin Cancer Foundation reports that one in five Americans will get skin cancer by the time they turn 70. The good news is that 99% of them will survive past the five-year mark — even with melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer. That high survival rate hinges on one thing: early detection.

That’s a big part of why proactive skin cancer surveillance is so important. It’s also why testing any growths that could be cancer is so critical. Fortunately, that doesn’t mean you have to get moles or other potentially problematic areas biopsied. 

As medical innovation marches forward, we learn new ways to check for skin cancer. Thanks to revolutionary tools called DermTech Smart Stickers®, Ali Hendi, MD, and Joanna Dong, MD, offer noninvasive melanoma detection at our office in Chevy Chase, Maryland. 

If you’re in Washington, DC, Maryland, or Northern Virginia and want to get a spot checked without going under the knife, come visit us. 

How DermTech Smart Stickers work

DermTech Smart Stickers are what they sound like: stickers we put on your skin. 

These smart stickers collect skin cells from the surface of your skin. When we apply a sticker to a suspicious spot, it painlessly gathers cells from the area. 

We then send the sticker to the DermTech lab, where it’s evaluated against genomic markers for melanoma. These genetic markers are DNA sequences that we can track for specific traits, including cancer. By evaluating the genomic markers in the cells the Smart Sticker collects, the lab can look for variations and mutations associated with melanoma.

This testing is so precise that it catches more than 99% of melanoma cases. And DermTech Smart Stickers accomplish this without the need for any incision. That means this form of testing is completely pain-free and doesn’t pose a risk of scarring. 

What happens during and after Smart Sticker testing

If we see a spot that’s a candidate for Smart Sticker testing, we first trim any excess hair in the area, then clean and dry it. Next, we apply the sticker and press it down firmly for 10 seconds. With the sticker on, we use a marker to outline the problem spot on the sticker. 

Next, we peel the sticker off and package it to send to the lab. We repeat this process with three more stickers, allowing for the most accurate testing possible. 

We contact you as soon as we get your results from the lab. If your test is negative, we can confidently rule out melanoma. 

If your test is positive, we work with you to develop a treatment plan. As experts in mole removal, we can usually apply targeted treatment to get rid of the cancerous cells. 

The earlier you catch this type of cancer, the easier it is to treat. If you’ve got a suspicious spot, don’t wait to call our office at 301-812-4591 to make an appointment or book one online to utilize this noninvasive melanoma testing option.