Dutch dermatologist Martino Neumann from Erasmus University Medical Centre has developed a spray for diagnosis of skin cancer at early stages. Worrying skin part (a mole, pigment spots, freckles, etc.) is first sprayed over with fluorescent liquid. Two hours later sprayed skin is scanned by special sensitive equipment.
If skin is affected by cancer, the scan will show changes in color. Neumann promises his method will allow to detect skin cancer at the earliest stages and this is good news for people in the risk group. There are two most common types of skin cancer –squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma (basalioma).
In the US alone, 2 300 people die from squamous cell carcinoma each year. Usually, women are 1.3% more likely to get skin cancer than men. The frequency and the degree of risk for skin cancer are positively related to the age and reach the peak after 75. It is known that risk group includes fair-skinned people who may suffer from sun exposure (they are often red or light-haired and freckled) as well as those who are excessively exposed to UV-light and X-rays. In addition, such factors as genes, reproduction and hormones also contribute to skin cancer formation.
Source of the image: bodysensesolutions.com.au.
