New delivery mechanism for skin cancer treatment

Needle-free injection may aid in combating ‘difficult to treat’ tumours.

Researchers at Queen’s University Belfast have discovered a potentially revolutionary way to deliver skin cancer treatments. The method, which involves needle-free jet injection, concentrates on ensuring that significant quantities of the drug make it through the skin to where it is needed.
 
The technique is particularly useful with the growing number of patients undergoing photodynamic therapy (PDT), a method whereby a light sensitive cream is administered with a laser activating the medicinal component in the cream to destroy the cancerous cells.
 
Pharmacy student Desmond Morrow, one of the key architects of the study, commented: “Photodynamic therapy is a relatively new form of skin cancer treatment which results in tumour death, however, sometimes its success in individual patients is limited by the poor penetration of the active agent into the tumour. Our research shows that a new way of administering the drug can improve the amount that crosses the skin barrier and gets to the required site.”

Basal cell carcinoma

The treatment is particularly useful for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma (BBC) in which traditional methods can lead to scarring.
 
Dr Paul McCarron and Dr Ryan Donnelly from the Queen’s Medical Biology Centre commented: “In Northern Ireland, basal cell carcinoma (BBC) is a prevalent form of skin cancer. Conventional treatments for BCC include surgical excision and radiotherapy, which demonstrate acceptable clearance rates. However, both techniques are unsuitable for large or multiple lesions and can lead to poor cosmetic outcomes, such as scarring, especially on visible regions, like the face and upper torso. Photodynamic therapy has been shown to eradicate certain superficial skin lesions with remarkable selectivity, giving a more satisfactory clinical outcome.” 
 
 

You’ve read it. Now review it.

Back to top

Back to top