Advances in the treatment of nonmelanoma skin cancer

J K Robinson1

  • 1Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois.

Dermatologic Clinics
|October 1, 1991
PubMed

Insights

Nonsurgical treatments for nonmelanoma skin cancer, including immunotherapy and photodynamic therapy, show promise. Future advances aim to make these effective, widely available nonsurgical options.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Dermatology

Background:

  • Nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) treatment traditionally involves surgery and radiation.
  • There is a growing need for effective nonsurgical therapeutic options for NMSC.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current and emerging nonsurgical and nonradiation therapies for NMSC.
  • To highlight the potential of novel therapeutic approaches for NMSC.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature on nonsurgical NMSC treatments.
  • Focus on immunotherapy, gene therapy, photodynamic therapy, and retinoids.

Main Results:

  • Nonsurgical therapies like immunotherapy and photodynamic therapy are under investigation for NMSC.
  • These methods are not yet widely practical but show significant therapeutic potential.

Conclusions:

  • Advancements in immunotherapy, gene products, radiant energy delivery, photodynamic therapy, and retinoids offer hope for NMSC treatment.
  • Future developments are expected to lead to widely available and successful nonsurgical therapies for NMSC.

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