title: The Mole Mapper Study, mobile phone skin imaging and melanoma risk data collected using ResearchKit.
abstract: Sensor-embedded phones are an emerging facilitator for participant-driven research studies. Skin cancer research is particularly amenable to this approach, as phone cameras enable self-examination and documentation of mole abnormalities that may signal a progression towards melanoma. Aggregation and open sharing of this participant-collected data can be foundational for research and the development of early cancer detection tools. Here we describe data from Mole Mapper, an iPhone-based observational study built using the Apple ResearchKit framework. The Mole Mapper app was designed to collect participant-provided images and measurements of moles, together with demographic and behavioral information relating to melanoma risk. The study cohort includes 2,069 participants who contributed 1,920 demographic surveys, 3,274 mole measurements, and 2,422 curated mole images. Survey data recapitulates associations between melanoma and known demographic risks, with red hair as the most significant factor in this cohort. Participant-provided mole measurements indicate an average mole size of 3.95 mm. These data have been made available to engage researchers in a collaborative, multidisciplinary effort to better understand and prevent melanoma.
authors.affiliation: National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
authors.forename: Dan E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Webster
authors.affiliation: Sage Bionetworks, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Suver
authors.affiliation: Sage Bionetworks, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Doerr
authors.affiliation: Sage Bionetworks, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA.
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mounts
authors.affiliation: Oregon Health &Science University, Portland, Oregon 97239, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Domenico
authors.affiliation: Oregon Health &Science University, Portland, Oregon 97239, USA.
authors.forename: Tracy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Petrie
authors.affiliation: Oregon Health &Science University, Portland, Oregon 97239, USA.
authors.forename: Sancy A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Leachman
authors.affiliation: Sage Bionetworks, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Trister
authors.affiliation: Sage Bionetworks, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA.
authors.forename: Brian M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Bot
mesh_terms: D040421:Cell Phone; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D064887:Observational Studies as Topic; D016353:Self-Examination / Q000379:methods; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control