Eczema, a skin condition that causes the skin to become irritated, red, and itchy, may have a silver lining: it reduces the risk of skin cancer .
This is the conclusion reached by a team of researchers from Kings College London (United Kingdom) after a study with laboratory mice. To do this, they genetically modified a group of mice by removing structural proteins from the outer layers of the skin to cause eczema. Following this, the researchers tested two cancer-causing chemicals , both in the group of genetically modified mice and in normal mice.
The results revealed that mice with eczema were six times less likely to develop benign tumors than normal mice , because atopic dermatitis activates an immune response that flushes out potentially cancerous cells from the skin, thus preventing tumor formation.
“We are very happy with our results, as they establish a clear link between cancer susceptibility and an allergic skin condition in our experimental model. They also support the view that modifying the body's immune system is an important strategy in cancer treatment , ”says study leader Fiona Watt.
The conclusions of the work, which open the door to new therapies against skin cancer , have been published in the eLife magazine.
