Vaccine against skin cancer begins to be tested: see symptoms, treatment and prevention

The first vaccine against skin cancer began to be tested on Friday (26), in the United Kingdom. The vaccine, developed by Moderna in conjunction with MSD, is in the third phase of testing seeking approval from health regulatory agencies. The study is led by University College London Hospitals.

According to the English newspaper The Guardiandoctors participating in the study are excited about the vaccine’s potential to permanently cure skin cancer, especially in patients with melanoma. In the second phase of testing, scientists observed that patients with severe melanoma who received the vaccine had a 49% lower chance of dying or having their cancer regress within three years.

What is Melanoma?

Dermatologist Cristiane Cárcano, from the Cancer Center Oncoclínicas, in Belo Horizonte, explains that skin cancer occurs when cells located in the skin multiply and grow without control.

According to the Ministry of Health, skin cancer is the most common in Brazil. The disease represents 30% of all malignant tumors diagnosed in the country. However, melanomas – the most serious type of skin cancer – account for only 4% of the disease’s diagnoses. Worldwide, melanoma affects around 132,000 people per year. According to Cárcano, although melanoma is less common, it is potentially fatal.

“In general, we divide skin cancer into two forms: non-melanoma skin cancer, which is mainly composed of basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma skin cancer. Melanoma cancer originates from the cell that produces melanin. It is located in our skin and is called a melanocyte. It is a rarer skin cancer and occurs in around 4% of all skin cancers. However, it can be aggressive and potentially fatal, with a higher possibility of mortality than non-melanoma skin cancers”, he explains.

The specialist explains that melanoma has the potential to metastasize, grow and spread much more than other types of skin cancer.

“Melanoma skin cancer is considered more aggressive. Your prognosis (chance of cure) depends on early diagnosis. The faster the diagnosis is made, the better the patient’s prognosis will be. So, if it is detected early, the cure rate for this cancer is very high. But, in more advanced cases, already diagnosed with metastasis (when the cancer spreads to other organs), the mortality rate increases. Around 90% of patients who die from skin cancer were diagnosed with melanoma”, he explains.

What are the main symptoms?

According to the Ministry of Health, the main symptoms of skin cancer are:

Pruritic (itchy), scaly or bleeding spots;
Moles or spots that change size, shape or color;
Wounds that do not heal within 4 weeks.

The folder highlights that injuries occur mainly in areas of the body that are most exposed to the sun, such as the face, neck and ears. As soon as the patient notices any change in the skin, it is necessary to see a dermatologist for evaluation.

How is the disease diagnosed?

The diagnosis is made by a dermatologist through a clinical examination. In some cases, it is possible for the healthcare professional to use an exam known as “Dermoscopy”, in which he uses a device to visualize the layers of the skin that cannot be seen with the naked eye.

After diagnosis, the professional removes a piece of the lesion to perform a biopsy. The sample is sent to a laboratory, where the disease will be confirmed. The exam also tells whether the skin cancer is melanoma or non-melanoma and what type it is.

Treatment

Treatment for skin cancer depends on the type of disease, but, in general, it is performed surgically. “For most cases, surgical treatment, which is the removal of that skin lesion, is the standard treatment. It should be the ideal treatment, but we have cases in which the patient cannot be operated on or the tumor itself is inoperable. In these cases, we have other alternatives such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy”, explains the dermatologist.

According to the doctor, immunotherapy is indicated for more serious cases, where the cancer has already spread to other organs. Cárcano emphasizes that, if the diagnosis is early, only surgery is capable of curing the patient. “If the surgery removed the entire tumor correctly, this patient is usually cured”, he comments.

Early diagnosis prevents unwanted scars

In addition to increasing the chances of a cure, early diagnosis can help reduce scars resulting from treatment surgeries. “We know how much a scar can interfere with aesthetic issues, self-image and generate serious consequences for the patient. This is why early diagnosis is so important for us to avoid morbidity, which is this sequelae for the patient, and mortality”, explains Cárcano.

How to prevent yourself?

The main form of prevention is avoid excessive exposure to the sun. “It is important to remember that this exposure is cumulative. In other words, every time we expose ourselves to the sun, we end up altering our skin cells and becoming more prone to developing skin cancer in the future”, says the doctor. .

Among the people most likely to develop the disease are people with light skin and eyes, especially redheads, who have more sensitive skin. In addition, those who have a family history of skin cancer are also more likely to get it.

The dermatologist lists ways to avoid sun exposure:

Make correct and appropriate use of sunscreen on a daily basis;
Give preference to sunscreens with a sun protection factor above 30, applied correctly;
Apply sunscreen in two layers and remember to apply it throughout the day;
If the person has been exposed to the sun or sweats a lot, it is necessary to apply sunscreen at least every two hours;
Look for umbrellas, umbrellas and tree shades to avoid being exposed directly to the sun;
Avoid exposing yourself to the sun from 10 am to 4 pm, when it is most intense.