Skin Cancer Research: An Overview
Doctors are conducting clinical trials, which are research studies in which people volunteer to take part. Clinical trials are designed to answer important questions and to find out whether new approaches are safe and effective.
Skin cancer research already has led to several advances, such as
photodynamic therapy, and researchers are continuing to search for better ways to prevent and treat
skin cancer.
Patients who join research studies for skin cancer will have the first chance to benefit from treatments that have shown promise in earlier research studies. Patients who volunteer will also make an important contribution to medical science by helping doctors learn more about skin cancer. Although research trials may pose some risks, researchers take careful steps to protect their patients.
Research on Genes and Skin Cancer
Skin cancer research scientists are studying gene changes that may be risk factors for skin cancer. In particular, this research can help identify genes related to the development of basal cell skin cancer.
Current Research on Treatment Methods
Different types of skin cancer treatment are being tested in clinical trials. One type of treatment that is being tested in clinical trials is biologic therapy.
Biologic therapy uses the patient's immune system to fight cancer. Substances made by the body or made in a laboratory are used to boost, direct, or restore the body's natural defenses against cancer. This type of cancer treatment is also called biotherapy or immunotherapy.
