Radioactive gel: This is how the revolutionary skin cancer treatment technique launched in Catalonia works.
According to data from the Spanish Cancer Association, a total of 20,854 new skin cancers were diagnosed in 2024. Exposure to the sun and other agents increases the incidence of this type of cancer every year , which is why medical professionals are also concerned. Research continues to focus on prevention methods, but especially on treatments that are not endangering the patient. In this regard, Hospital del Mar has become the first center in Catalonia to begin applying an innovative technique using a radioactive gel that is painless and has a high success rate .
How this radioactive gel works: the radioisotope Re-188The radioisotope Re-188 was developed as a treatment method for non-melanoma skin cancer , applied in outpatient sessions lasting between 30 minutes and three hours . This gel or cream targets the lesion by emitting beta radiation, which is released in a localized and controlled manner and only affects unhealthy tissue. As the head of the Nuclear Medicine Service, Dr. Pedro Plaza, noted in a statement, it is a non-invasive technique that requires neither surgery nor anesthesia.
This gel allows specialists to access lesions in delicate areas such as the nose, lips, ears, or face. Furthermore, the radiation applied does not penetrate deeply, so the patient's tissues are fully protected . More specifically, according to the expert, the gel causes cell death only in the top 3 millimeters of the skin.
Regarding visible side effects, they emphasize that the use of this radioactive gel has "cosmetic benefits for the patient." The hospital states that the success rate for basal cell carcinoma and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma is over 89% in the first session.
Non-melanoma skin cancer: what it is and its symptomsOne of the most well-known skin cancers is melanoma. However, this condition also includes other malignant lesions that are not exactly melanoma and that arise from changes in the DNA of skin cells. These are basal cell carcinomas or squamous cell carcinomas that occur in areas of the body that are most exposed to the sun . The greatest risk is found on the face, neck, chest, arms, and hands . However, they can also appear near the genital area or even on the nails.
As the Mayo Clinic medical website points out, the main sign or symptom of this type of non-melanoma skin cancer is a change in the skin . Thus, it can appear as a new growth or it can alter an existing spot on the body, changing color and relief. Its symptoms also include itching, bleeding, or crusting , as well as the appearance of a sore that doesn't heal or keeps coming back.
ReferencesSkin Cancer - Presentation . (n.d.). Spanish Cancer Association. https://www.contraelcancer.es/es/todo-sobre-cancer/tipos-cancer/cancer-piel
Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer - Symptoms and Causes - Mayo Clinic . (n.d.). https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/nonmelanoma-skin-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20355397
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