Scottish scientists have developed a bandage that emits light to fight skin cancer, saying it is less painful than the conventional treatment and can be used at home.
Created by physicist Ifor Samuel from the University of St. Andrews and dermatology consultant James Ferguson at Ninewells Hospital Dundee, the light-emitting adhesive patch contains its own light source and is so portable that patients can move around while under treatment.
The metallic patch — similar to a bandage or "sticking plaster," as they're known in Britain — uses an organic diode, which emits light when a low voltage electric current passes through it.
"It can be worn by the patient in a similar way to a sticking plaster, while the battery is carried like an iPod," said Samuel in a news release that his university issued Monday.
The new technology builds upon an existing method called photodynamic therapy treatment (PDT), which involves intense light combined with a pharmaceutical cream applied to the skin. The conventional method is more painful and requires patients to lie under the light for several hours.
"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," said Ferguson.
Skin cancer is a rapidly growing problem in Britain. Researchers estimate that about 10 per cent of Scotland's population — half a million people — will suffer from the disease at some point in their life.
It's also the most common cancer in Canada, accounting for one-third of all newly diagnosed cancers, according to the Canadian Cancer Society.
Like other forms of PDT, the light patch treatment is only suitable for less serious forms of skin cancer.
Researchers, who believe that the technology could also be used in the cosmetic industry for anti-aging treatments or for conditions such as acne, hope to commercialize their invention.
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