The Avicenne AP-HP Hospital, located in Bobigny, has reached a significant milestone in the fight against skin cancers with the inauguration on September 29, 2026, of its new onco-dermatology unit. This state-of-the-art facility is dedicated to the screening and follow-up of patients at high risk of melanoma.
The platform integrates two innovative technologies: 3D mapping with VECTRA®, capable of producing a full three-dimensional photograph of the entire body in just three seconds to detect new moles or changes in existing lesions, and the deepLive™ device. The latter uses artificial intelligence to observe different skin layers and non-invasively analyze suspicious lesions.
These technological advancements represent a major shift for patients at high risk of melanoma. They allow for more precise monitoring of lesion evolution, refine diagnoses, and aim to reduce unnecessary biopsies or interventions. Pr Ève Maubec, medical director of DMU NARVAL, emphasizes that "digitized mapping every six months improves the prognosis for these patients because we can detect melanoma earlier." This is a critical issue, given that nearly 2,000 deaths are linked to the 18,000 melanomas diagnosed annually in France.
With the deployment of the VECTRA® system, Avicenne Hospital becomes the first establishment within the AP-HP network and the Seine-Saint-Denis department to possess this equipment. This initiative aims to strengthen cooperation with local healthcare providers and partner institutions to expedite patient care pathways, particularly in a department facing a fragile medical demographic and significant delays in accessing care. Pr Emmanuel Martinod, president of the CMEL of GHU Paris Seine-Saint-Denis, noted that it is "a very territorial project, but also a project of expertise."
This project concretely illustrates the ambition of the AP-HP to combine innovation, expertise, and territorial cooperation to improve patient care pathways.
