Skin cancer 'can be treated with sap'

Research has found that some types of skin cancer can be successfully treated with the use of a plant sap.

Derived from the sap of Euphorbia peplus, the traditional treatment has been proved to be capable of killing non-melanoma skin cancer cells when applied to the skin.

Indeed, after just one month of daily applications, 41 of the 48 cancer lesions being treated in the small study had shown a complete clinical response, which means that the tumour had gone completely and was not visible during clinical examination.

Even 15 months later, 68.5 per cent of skin cancer lesions were still showing a complete response.

However, Kimberley Carter of the British Association of Dermatologists, warned that while the report is certainly interesting, this was a "very small test group", stating that it will be interesting to see the results of larger studies.

Around 95 per cent of all cancers in the UK are accounted for by non-melanoma skin cancers. 

Skin cancer treatment news : 28 January 2011