Italian researchers have developed a new non-invasive skin cancer therapy that could eliminate the need for disfiguring surgery. The therapy that is painless and is believed to be side-effect free has already been tested on 1000 patients and the results are greatly encouraging.
Getting cancer is one of the scariest possibilities we all have to deal with. Skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer threatening us today. Aside from the pain and suffering involved during the treatment stage, this type of cancer can be disfiguring. Fortunately, however, these issues might soon be easier to solve thanks to a new treatment that has the potential to replace surgery.
A pioneering therapy developed by Italian researchers that
uses rhenium-188, a radioactive isotope in order to treat
basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma painlessly and
without leaving scars is in the works. The study done on 1000
patients in Rome reveals exciting results.
The treatment was applied using a surgical foil as a base in order
to protect the healthy skin cells, painting on
the paste and removing it after two hours.
During the trial, 95% of the patients were cured after a single
session, while 85% of the remaining patients were cured after three
treatment sessions. Furthermore, it appears that the procedure has
no side effects in most of the cases. This promising therapy could
eliminate disfiguring scars, improving the life significantly.
Dr Maria Gonzalez from Cardiff University mentions the fact
that if approved, this therapy could be beneficial for certain
categories of patients: "It is very specific types of patients who
would choose this treatment. It would be very useful to have as an
alternative to surgery. Sometimes if the tumour is very large,
especially on the face, or the patient is elderly, then it is not a
reasonable approach to excise it".
Larger studies are set up to take place in Germany in order to gain
approval and make this therapy available to patients. Still, the
new treatment is seen as another alternative of treatment in the
medical community and not necessarily one that would make
conventional treatments obsolete.
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