DIGITAL MONITORING OF ULTRAVIOLET EXPOSURE AS PART OF SKIN CANCER PREVENTION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32402/Keywords:
UV exposure, monitoring, UV sensors, mHealth, artificial intelligence, teledermatology, skin cancer, public health.Abstract
OBJECTIVE. To conduct a comparative analysis of contemporary digital and traditional approaches to monitoring ultraviolet (UV) exposure and assessing the risk of malignant skin neoplasms, and to identify their advantages, limitations, and prospects for application.
MATERIALS AND METHODS. A narrative review of publications from 2020 to 2026 indexed in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar was conducted. Official materials from the World Health Organization (WHO), International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN) were also analyzed. The findings were summarized using a qualitative comparative synthesis.
RESULTS. Traditional and digital approaches were found to have complementary roles. The UV Index and environmental UV monitoring characterize potential UV hazards at the population level, whereas personal UV sensors enable the assessment of individual UV exposure. mHealth technologies facilitate personalized prevention and improvements in sun-protective behavior, while artificial intelligence and teledermatology expand opportunities for risk stratification, diagnostic decision support, and patient triage.
CONCLUSIONS. Digital technologies should be considered complementary to traditional UV monitoring and dermatological surveillance rather than as replacements for these approaches. Their further implementation requires standardization, clinical validation, protection of personal data, and evaluation of their effectiveness in real-world settings.
Downloads
References
1. Yang TT, Lan CE. Photocarcinogenesis of the skin: current status and future trends. Kaohsiung J Med Sci. 2025;41(4).
doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/kjm2.12946
2. World Health Organization. Ultraviolet radiation [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2022 [cited 2026 Sep 10]. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ultraviolet-radiation
3. International Agency for Research on Cancer. Global Cancer Observatory: Cancer Today. Melanoma of skin [Internet]. Lyon: International Agency for Research on Cancer; 2024 [cited 2026 Sep 10]. Available from: https://gco.iarc.who.int/media/globocan/factsheets/cancers/16-melanoma-of-skin-fact-sheet.pdf
4. Arnold M, Singh D, Laversanne M, Vignat J, Vaccarella S, Meheus F, et al. Global burden of cutaneous melanoma in 2020 and projections to 2040. JAMA Dermatol. 2022;158(5):495–503.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1001/jamadermatol.2022.0160
5. Langselius O, Rumgay H, de Vries E, Whiteman DC, Jemal A, Parkin DM, et al. Global burden of cutaneous melanoma incidence attributable to ultraviolet radiation in 2022. Int J Cancer. 2025;157(6):1110–9.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.35463
6. Wang R, Chen Y, Shao X, Chen T, Zhong J, Ou Y, et al. Burden of skin cancer in older adults from 1990 to 2021 and modelled projection to 2050. JAMA Dermatol. 2025;161(7):715–22.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1001/jamadermatol.2025.1276
7. Ministry of Health of Ukraine. Melanoma: chomu vazhlyvo buty uvazhnymy do rodymok? [Melanoma: why it is important to pay attention to moles] [Internet]. Kyiv: Ministry of Health of Ukraine; 2024 May 11 [cited 2026 Sep 10]. Ukrainian. Available from: https://moz.gov.ua/uk/melanoma-chomu-vazhlivo-buti-uvazhnimi-do-rodimok-
8. Carvalho F, Strehl C, Barroso-Dias J, Castela MM, Gobba F, Lapão LV, et al. Occupational exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation among outdoor workers in Lisbon, 2023—first results of the MEAOW study. Front Public Health. 2025;13:1659663.
doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1659663
9. World Health Organization. Raising awareness on ultraviolet radiation [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization; [cited 2026 Jul 5]. Available from: https://www.who.int/activities/raising-awareness-on-ultraviolet-radiation
10. Huang X, Chalmers AN. Review of wearable and portable sensors for monitoring personal solar UV exposure. Ann Biomed Eng. 2021;49(3):964–78.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-020-02710-x
11. Heckman CJ, Mitarotondo A, Lin Y, Khavjou O, Riley M, Manne SL, et al. Digital interventions to modify skin cancer risk behaviors in a national sample of young adults: randomized controlled trial. J Med Internet Res. 2024;26.
doi: https://doi.org/10.2196/55831
12. López-Pardo Rico M, Ginarte Val M, Sánchez-Aguilar Rojas MD, Martínez Leboráns L, Rodríguez Otero C, Flórez Á. Teledermatology vs. face-to-face dermatology for the diagnosis of melanoma: a systematic review. Cancers (Basel). 2025;17(17):2836.
doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17172836
13. Wei ML, Tada M, So A, Torres R. Artificial intelligence and skin cancer. Front Med (Lausanne). 2024;11:1331895.
doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2024.1331895
14. Baethge C, Goldbeck-Wood S, Mertens S. SANRA—a scale for the quality assessment of narrative review articles. Res Integr Peer Rev. 2019;4:5.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/s41073-019-0064-8
15. Lin C, Du Y, Pendse N, Fernandes G, Alshurafa N, Pedram M. Self-sustaining wearable UV sensor for passive and continuous sun protection. In: 2024 IEEE 20th International Conference on Body Sensor Networks (BSN); 2024 Oct 15–17; Chicago, IL, USA. Piscataway (NJ): IEEE; 2024. p. 1–4.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1109/BSN63547.2024.10780588
16. Frasier K, Li V, Sobotka M, Vinagolu-Baur J, Herrick G. The role of wearable technology in real-time skin health monitoring. JEADV Clin Pract. 2025;4(1):21–29.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/jvc2.587
17. Cheng J, Xue N, Zhou W, Qin B, Qiu B, Fang G, et al. Recent progress in flexible wearable sensors for real-time health monitoring: materials, devices, and system integration. Micromachines (Basel). 2025;16(10):1124.
doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16101124
18. Kong L, Li W, Zhang T, Ma H, Cao Y, Wang K, et al. Wireless technologies in flexible and wearable sensing: from materials design, system integration to applications. Adv Mater. 2024;36(27).
doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202400333
19. Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the German Social Accident Insurance. Wearable UV sensors for use during work performed outdoors. Focus on IFA’s work No. 0442 [Internet]. Sankt Augustin: German Social Accident Insurance; 2024 [cited 2026 Jul 5]. 2 p. Available from: https://publikationen.dguv.de/widgets/pdf/download/article/5060
20. Sangers TE, Wakkee M, Moolenburgh F, Nijsten T, Lugtenberg M. Mobile health apps for skin cancer triage in the general population: a qualitative study on healthcare providers’ perspectives. BMC Cancer. 2025;25(1):851.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-025-14244-3
21. Clare IM, Gamage N, Alvares GA, Black LJ, Francis J, Jaimangal M, et al. The effects of using the Sun Safe app on sun health knowledge and behaviors of young teenagers: results of pilot intervention studies. JMIR Dermatol. 2022;5(1).
doi: https://doi.org/10.2196/35137
22. Habgood E, McCormack C, Walter FM, Emery JD. Patients’ experiences of using skin self-monitoring apps with people at higher risk of melanoma: qualitative study. JMIR Dermatol. 2021;4(2).
doi: https://doi.org/10.2196/22583
23. Drabarek D, Habgood E, Janda M, Hersch J, Ackermann D, Low D, et al. Experiences of patient-led surveillance, including patient-performed teledermoscopy, in the MEL-SELF pilot randomized controlled trial: qualitative interview study. JMIR Dermatol. 2022;5(3).
doi: https://doi.org/10.2196/35916
24. Gençoğlu Ş. Analysis of skin health management through telemedicine and mobile health in dermatology in the post-COVID era. Eur Res J. 2025;11(1):113–22.
doi: https://doi.org/10.18621/eurj.1470960
25. Mukherjee S, Rao SR, Poddar A. Artificial intelligence powered mobile health apps for skin cancer detection: current challenges and a systems thinking approach for improved public health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries. Melanoma Res. 2026;36(1):16–30.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1097/CMR.0000000000001074
26. Górecki S, Tatka A, Brusey J. Artificial intelligence and new technologies in melanoma diagnosis: a narrative review. Cancers (Basel). 2025;17(24):3896.
doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17243896
27. Karnwal A, Selvaraj M, Kumar G, Kumar A, Al-Tawaha ARMS, Aqueel-Ur-Rehman, et al. Multimodal artificial intelligence for enhanced skin cancer diagnosis and prognosis. Discov Oncol. 2026;17(1):515.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12672-026-04532-0
28. Zareen SS, Hossain MS, Wang J, Kang Y. Recent innovations in machine learning for skin cancer lesion analysis and classification: a comprehensive analysis of computer-aided diagnosis. Precis Med Sci. 2025;14(1):15–40.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/prm2.12156
29. Zhai P, Xu W, Duan G, Wu Y, Qi M, Chang L, et al. Artificial intelligence-integrated wearable biomedical devices for cancer management. J Natl Cancer Cent. 2025;5(6):561–76.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jncc.2025.09.001
30. Behara K, Bhero E, Agee JT. AI in dermatology: a comprehensive review into skin cancer detection. PeerJ Comput Sci. 2024;10.
doi: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj-cs.2530
31. European Commission. European Health Data Space Regulation (EHDS) [Internet]. Brussels: European Commission; 2025 [cited 2026 Jul 5]. Available from: https://health.ec.europa.eu/ehealth-digital-health-and-care/european-health-data-space-regulation-ehds_en
32. World Health Organization. Ethics and governance of artificial intelligence for health: WHO guidance [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2021 [cited 2026 Jul 5]. Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240029200
33. Mederle AL, Fericean RM, Grigore R, Badea MA, Bara MA, Ilie AC. Teledermatology and teledermoscopy for melanoma care pathways: timeliness, diagnostic performance, and stage at diagnosis: a systematic review. Diagnostics (Basel). 2025;15(23):3003.
doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15233003
34. Jones LK, Oakley A. Store-and-forward teledermatology for assessing skin cancer in 2023: literature review. JMIR Dermatol. 2023;6.
doi: https://doi.org/10.2196/43395
35. Giansanti D. The artificial intelligence in teledermatology: a narrative review on opportunities, perspectives, and bottlenecks. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(10):5810.
doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20105810
36. Shen CZ, Zhao AT, Rotemberg V, Daneshjou R, Parker ER, Rosenbach M. Artificial intelligence in dermatology: clinical promise and environmental impact. J Invest Dermatol. 2026 Jun 10(26)01043-2. [Online ahead of print].
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jid.2026.03.039
37. Salinas MP, Sepúlveda J, Hidalgo L, Peirano D, Morel M, Uribe P, et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis of artificial intelligence versus clinicians for skin cancer diagnosis. NPJ Digit Med. 2024;7(1):125.
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Environment & Health

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

