Ifor Samuel holding his light-emitting skin cancer therapeutic device. The sticking plaster-type device attaches to the affected skin and activates light-sensitive medicines.
Credit: Alan Richardson/University of St Andrews
LONDON: A light-emitting 'sticking plaster' that will revolutionise the treatment of skin cancer has been developed by Scottish researchers.
Current skin cancer treatments can involve surgical removal of the lesion, with associated scarring and risk of infection. Alternatively, light in combination with a suitable pharmaceutical cream can be used in a process known as photodynamic therapy (PDT).
The new 'sticking plaster' device builds on established PDT treatment methods, reduces pain and also has the potential to be used by patients in their own home. Previously, PDT has involved large, intense light sources, and has required the patient to lie still under the lights for several hours during treatment in a hospital cubicle.
PDT is a two-step process involving the application of a photosensitive drug followed by controlled exposure to a selective light source that activates the drug and destroys the diseased cells. PDT treatment avoids the scarring associated with surgical removal of the tumour and the need for an in-patient hospital stay.
The new PDT device is based around a lightweight light source powered by a pocket-sized battery. It is the brainchild of physicist Ifor Samuel, of University of St Andrews, in Fife, and James Ferguson of the photobiology unit at Dundee's Ninewells Hospital.
The pair teamed up four years ago to combine their expertise in photo-physics and PDT to create a novel way of treating skin cancer. The result is what they call a 'light bandage' that contains its own light source and is so portable that patients can go about their daily business while under treatment.
According to Samuel, "By adapting the latest technology to an existing treatment method, we have developed a compact light source for treating common skin cancers. It can be worn by the patient in a similar way to a sticking plaster, while the battery is carried like an iPod."
The light is generated by an organic light-emitting diode and is a spin-off of Samuel's work on advanced displays. "It's very exciting to have developed a new technology that helps treat skin-cancer patients," he said.
Ferguson added, "This new device will have a major impact on the treatment of skin cancers. The light-emitting patch is a low-cost, portable and convenient method of treatment. Our initial pilot trials have already shown its effectiveness and we find patients requesting this treatment over conventional methods."
The "sticking plaster" approach is much less painful than other PDT methods because lower light levels are used, and the patient can move around during treatment. Additionally, the researchers hope their invention will mean that more patients can be treated.
The technology has been licensed to Lumicure, a company that is seeking to commercialise the product. In addition to the treatment of skin cancers, the researchers believe that the technology could also be used in the cosmetic industry, for anti-ageing treatments and for conditions such as acne.
Worldwide, the incidence of skin cancer is growing rapidly, according to monitoring organisations, and now affects 40 per cent of the U.S. population, 75 per cent of Australians and 15 per cent of Britons.
