Skin cancer detection with MobileNet-based transfer learning and MixNets for enhanced diagnosis

Abstract

Skin cancer poses a significant health hazard, necessitating the utilization of advanced diagnostic methodologies to facilitate timely detection, owing to its escalating prevalence in recent years. This paper proposes a novel approach to tackle the issue by introducing a method for detecting skin cancer that uses MixNets to enhance diagnosis and leverages mobile network-based transfer learning. Skin cancer has diverse forms, each distinguishable by its structural attributes, morphological characteristics, texture, and coloration. The pressing demand for accurate and efficient diagnostic instruments has spurred the investigation of novel techniques. The present study utilizes the ISIC dataset, comprising a validation set of 660 images and a training set of 2637 images. Moreover, the research employs a combination of MixNets and mobile network-based transfer learning as its chosen approach. Transfer learning is a technique that leverages preexisting models to enhance the diagnostic capabilities of the proposed system. Integrating MobileNet and MixNets allows for utilizing their respective functionalities, resulting in a dual-model methodology that enhances the comprehensiveness of skin cancer diagnosis. The results demonstrate impressive performance metrics, with MobileNet and MixNets models, and the proposed approach achieves an outstanding accuracy rate of 99.58%. The above findings underscore the efficacy of the dual-model method in effectively discerning between benign and malignant skin lesions. Moreover, the present study aims to examine the potential integration of emerging technologies to enhance the accuracy and practicality of diagnostics within real-world healthcare settings.