Thousands of Brits will benefit from a revolutionary cream that can prevent the second most common form of the skin cancer.
The treatment is applied to areas of the skin where actinic keratosis develops – a condition that affects almost a quarter of people over 60.
Caused by prolonged sun exposure, it looks like scaly patches and often occurs on the scalp of bald men or the breasts of women.
Over time, actinic keratosis can develop into squamous cell carcinoma, a slow-growing form of skin cancer.
The cream, called tirbanibulin, which previously could only be used on small areas of skin on the face and scalp, was approved by US health officials on Monday for patients with large patches on the head and neck. And experts say it’s likely the drug will be available soon NHS whole body approval, meaning GPs could prescribe it to thousands of people.
Thousands of Britons will benefit from a revolutionary cream that can prevent the second most common form of skin cancer
To combat the risk of skin cancer, the NHS recommends that Britons wear sunscreen when spending time in the sun, regardless of the temperature
Tirbanibulin works by preventing pre-cancerous cells from dividing and spreading on sun-damaged skin, and is applied once daily for five days.
Since the early 1990s, the number of cases of non-melanoma skin cancer – including both squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma – has increased by almost 170 percent in Britain. Today, more than 25,000 cases of squamous cell carcinoma are diagnosed each year.
Hollywood star Diane Keaton, now 78, was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma in middle age and underwent surgery to have the tumor removed.
To combat the risk of skin cancer, the NHS recommends that Britons wear sunscreen when spending time in the sun, regardless of the temperature.
The health department also recommends people stay in the shade between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. during spring and summer, when the sun is at its strongest.
Another recommendation is to wear appropriate protective clothing, such as a brimmed hat and a long-sleeved shirt.
However, doctors say another way to slow the progression of skin cancer is to diagnose and treat actinic keratosis early.
Tirbanibulin works by preventing pre-cancerous cells from dividing and spreading on sun-damaged skin, and is applied once a day for five days.
The treatment is applied to areas of the skin where actinic keratosis develops – a condition that affects almost a quarter of people over 60. Caused by prolonged sun exposure, it looks like scaly patches and often occurs on the scalp of bald men or the breasts of women
Although tirbanibulin has been an NHS-approved treatment for the condition as of 2021, it is currently only labeled for use on areas of the skin no bigger than a table tennis ball. Research shows that larger areas of actinic keratosis are more likely to develop cancer than small lesions, so the new approval was welcomed by experts.
Currently, the majority of large actinic keratosis lesions are treated by burning them at extremely low temperatures or using a cream called fluorouracil cream, which often irritates the skin.
‘Tirbanibulin is often the best treatment for actinic keratosis because it has no uncomfortable side effects,’ says Dr Derrick Phillips, consultant dermatologist at private clinic OneWelbeck in London.
‘It is faster than current treatments and can be prescribed by both general practitioners and dermatologists.
‘I imagine that the developer of the drug will soon submit an application to use it on the whole body.’
