Hope over 'repairing' sun cream

More than 2,000 people die in the UK from skin cancer each year

US scientists say they have developed a lotion which repairs sun damaged skin.

The lotion, currently undergoing clinical trials, contains a protein which mends DNA damaged by the sun.

AGI Dermatics said tests had shown the cream cut skin cancer rates when used daily for a year on people who were susceptible to the disease.

Experts said it may encourage people to spend longer in the sun. AGI Dermatics stressed the cream was no alternative to sunscreen.

Skin cancer kills more than 2,000 people a year in the UK.

Oil sacs in the lotion allow a protein called T4 endonuclease to penetrate the skin cells.

One of the main concerns is that this could lead to a laissez-faire attitude to sun care Dr Mark Matfield, of the Association of International Cancer Research

Once inside a cell's nucleus, the protein removes damaged areas of DNA and starts a repair process that the body completes.

The lotion and the protein enter cells within an hour of application and produces measurable results within six hours, researchers from the New York firm told the American Chemical Society's annual conference.

The lotion was tested on 30 people with a rare genetic disease, xeroderma pigmentosum, that made them more susceptible to skin cancer.

Daily application of the lotion resulted in a third fewer skin cancers and two thirds fewer pre-cancer lesions than in those who did not use it.

Lead researcher Daniel Yarosh said the cream had the potential to be used widespread in the fight to protect skin against the sun.

"This is the first DNA repair drug and is a 'morning after' approach that is different than other sun protection efforts."

Concern

But Dr Mark Matfield, scientific consultant at the International Association of Cancer Research, said while the cream should not be dismissed as it showed potential, the causes of skin cancer were complicated and not fully understood so this treatment would probably not be the answer for all forms of the disease.

And he added: "One of the main concerns is that this could lead to a laissez-faire attitude to sun care.

"People may think we can repair the damage, but the truth is that it is better to prevent it in the first place."

And Julie Sharp, senior science information officer for Cancer Research UK, said: "It should not be seen as a shortcut way of repairing the skin damage caused by sun bathing.

"Preventing skin cancer in the first place is vital and we recommend people take care to protect themselves by avoiding sunburn, finding shade from the mid-day sun, covering up and using a high-factor sunscreen."

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version