James, Veronica2015-12-100020-7136http://hdl.handle.net/1885/54925An early diagnosis of malignancies correlates directly with a better prognosis. Yet for many malignancies there are no readily available, noninvasive, cost-effective diagnostic tests with patients often presenting too late for effective treatment. This article describes for the first time the use of fiber diffraction patterns of skin or fingernails, using X-ray sources, as a biometric diagnostic method for detecting neoplastic disorders including but not limited to melanoma, breast, colon and prostate cancers. With suitable further development, an early low-cost, totally noninvasive yet reliable diagnostic test could be conducted on a regular basis in local radiology facilities, as a confirmatory test for other diagnostic procedures or as a mass screening test using suitable small angle X-ray beam-lines at synchrotrons.Keywords: adult; aged; article; biometry; breast cancer; cancer diagnosis; colon cancer; controlled study; cost; diagnostic accuracy; diagnostic procedure; diagnostic test; diffraction; fiber; fiber diffraction; finger nail; human; human cell; male; mass screening; Cancer diagnosis; Fiber diffraction; Nails; Skin200910.1002/ijc.243132016-02-24