Some moisturizers purport to address wrinkles and brighten. Others go to war with dryness, promising dewy skin without a single visible pore. But soon there might be a new contender on the shelf — one that aims to confer benefits that are far from skin deep.
Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have developed a topical cream that could block the growth of cutaneous squamous [skwā′məs] cell carcinoma, or skin cancer.
The cream functions by obstructing the path of LSD1, an overexpressed enzyme in skin cancer cases that promotes tumor survival. The team’s hope is that the cream could be applied directly to both cancerous and precancerous areas, thus prompting immune cells to attack tumors.
The substance helps transmit information between the immune system and skin cells to kickstart the body’s own anti-tumor mechanisms. When researchers tested low doses of LSD1 on skin cells, the cream alerted skin cells to call for assistance from the immune system, which halted tumor growth.
Despite roughly 1 million Americans being diagnosed with skin cancer each year, people are spending increased amounts of time in the sun — and cases continue to rise. Though the majority of growths can be surgically removed, more than 5% of tumors ultimately metastasize, leading lead to thousands of deaths in the U.S. each year. Topical creams like the one in question could prove a safer, less painful alternative to surgery, with no risk of scarring or infection. Scientists aim to begin clinical trials in the next two years.
But an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. With summer upon us, the most effective way to thwart skin cancer is still our trusty sunscreen.