Skin Cancer Creams

One of the scariest parts of being diagnosed with skin cancer, or any other cancer, is deciding what the right skin cancer treatment course is. There are so many new treatments, be careful what you try and why you decide to try it. All new skin cancer treatments are tested for many years, prior to they are made available to the patient.

Clinical Trials for Skin Cancer

Clinical trials must be conducted first and only if these come back with good to excellent results will the new treatments be used for the average patient. In this fashion, the medical system tries to protect those suffering from diseases that require cures. Some will be worth trying, some not. But the important thing to remember is to only try something new with your health care provider advising you. Don’t take chances.

Retinoid – Chemical used in Creams for Skin Cancer Treatment

There are some new treatments that are having some success though they are still in the early stages of use. One such treatment is the use of a chemical called Retinoid. These chemicals have had some serious success for non-melanoma skin cancers. This is used in a cream and is applied generously on the area of the tumor. This Skin Cancer Creams works by helping the cancerous cells to transform back to being just normal cells.

Retinoid Treatment in Pill Form

There is another retinoid treatment that is given in pill form. It helps people who have had repeated bouts of skin cancer prevent yet another. Like so many skin cancer treatments there are side effects. The first few days of using the cream, the patient may see redness or even some peeling skin. This stops within a few days.

Precautions with Skin Cancer Creams

When using the skin cancer cream, the patient is discouraged from going out in the sun and shouldn’t give blood. If pregnant do not use this cream, as there are concerns about potential birth defects. Retinoids are showing some good results but there is still much to learn and doctors are cautious about it as a treatment until more is known.

Imiquimod Cream

Another new cream is still in the testing stages but it too has had good results so far. Imiquimod cream is used only for basal cell carcinoma, the most common of the skin cancers. It works by stimulating the body’s immune system to fight the cancerous cells and thus defeat them. This cream is still in the clinical testing stage with good results expected when it is concluded.

Other Alternative Treatments for Skin Cancer

There are still more treatment alternatives out there. Some are worth investigating. Most are not. There have been some advances using Thalidomide. This past morning sickness medication that had such disastrous effects on the infants born of women who used it has long been on the researchers table. Recently it has proven to have some good results with melanomas that have spread. Thalidomide in combination with another drug is having some success.

Before running off to try some of these, ensure that you discuss this with your health care provider. Also, consider trying to find others who have used alternative methods and see how they tolerated the new treatment therapies.