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Skin cancer, consisting of two main forms melanoma & non-melanoma, is a condition resulting from the dysregulated growth of tissue in the skin, going on to affect its protective and homeostatic functions. Recent studies suggest these cancers affect function of the skin microbiota responsible for driving cutaneous immune modulation, anti-pathogen defence, and some anti-tumor activity.
What we know:
Cutaneous microbiota analysis of piglets found a significant difference in microbiome diversity and richness between skin with and without melanoma, indicating an influencing effect of cancer on the dermal microbiome (Mekadim et al., 2022)
Healthy skin communities possess greater populations of Lactobacillus, Clostridium and Corynebacterium, while melanoma tissue had more Fusobacterium, Trueperella, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus and Bacteroides (Mekadim et al., 2022)
Lactobacillus possesses anti-proliferative effects on different types of cancer, indicating ability of the microbiome to modulate skin response to cancerous cells. Conversely, Fusobacteria growth is favoured by cancer progression in sites like the colon, pancreas, and oral region, where they promote tumour proliferation and progression (Mrázek et al., 2019).
Cancer-treatment related skin toxicities alter the skin microenvironment to affect growth of microbes, causing dysbiosis and skin toxicities like rashes, radiodermatitis, and hand-foot syndrome (Richardson et al., 2022)
Restorative microbiome treatments include oral/topical prebiotic/ probiotics to suppress tumour growth and modulate the cutaneous immune system to protect against tumour formation. They also have photoprotective effects against UV-induced tumours & can restore the cutaneous microenvironment in which the cells grow to promote microbiome re-diversification by controlling for epithelial permeability and inflammation (Woo et al., 2022)
Industry impact & potential:
Jennifer Young focuses on skin care beyond cancer, offering creams, serums, and cleansers containing 100% natural plant-based ingredients like essential oils and vitamin E, to target areas of concern associated with cancer treatment. La Roche Posay’s oncology line supports the skin during cancer treatment via simple formulation & minimal hypoallergenic ingredients like prebiotics, vitamins, and antioxidants to protect the skin from effects like dehydration, scarring, and dysbiosis.
Our Solution:
As a serious and life-changing condition, we at Sequential understand the importance of getting it right when testing products looking to address the effects of cancer on the skin. We offer a thorough, scientifically sound invivo approach to testing ingredients to make sure they promote the intended effect on the skin and its microbiome, alongside personalised guidance for companies seeking to improve the efficacy of their formulations.
References:
Mekadim C, Skalnikova HK, Cizkova J, Cizkova V, Palanova A, Horak V, Mrazek J. Dysbiosis of skin microbiome and gut microbiome in melanoma progression. BMC Microbiol. 2022 Feb 25;22(1):63. doi: 10.1186/s12866-022-02458-5. PMID: 35216552; PMCID: PMC8881828.
Mrázek, J., Mekadim, C., Kučerová, P. et al. Melanoma-related changes in skin microbiome. Folia Microbiol 64, 435–442 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12223-018-00670-3
Richardson BN, Lin J, Buchwald ZS, Bai J. Skin Microbiome and Treatment-Related Skin Toxicities in Patients With Cancer: A Mini-Review. Front Oncol. 2022 Jul 15;12:924849. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2022.924849. PMID: 35912217; PMCID: PMC9334917.
Woo YR, Cho SH, Lee JD, Kim HS. The Human Microbiota and Skin Cancer. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Feb 5;23(3):1813. doi: 10.3390/ijms23031813. PMID: 35163734; PMCID: PMC8837078.
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