Sun Damage Reduced with Chemo Drug
Sun Damage Reduced with Chemo Drug
Results of a new study suggest that topical application of the cancer
chemotherapy drug fluorouracil (5FU) to the skin might be helpful in
repairing sun-related damage. The study, which was published in the
June issue of Archives of Dermatology, evaluated the application of
five percent 5 FU cream to sun-damaged facial skin and actinic keratosis
(often a precursor of skin cancer) in a small group of volunteers who
participated in the study. Participants were followed for nearly 6 months
with facial photographs and skin biopsies. Specialists evaluated each
participant following the study for wrinkles, tactile roughness, sun spots,
and skin hyper-pigmentation.
At first, participants noticed that their skin became dry and itchy
and the skin peeled. However, the skin recovered with fewer wrinkles
and a soft, smooth texture. A few participants indicated that the treatment
was very or moderately uncomfortable. However, 90% of the participants
said they would undergo the treatment procedure again. Seventy
nine percent indicated that they were either very satisfied or moderately
satisfied with the results.