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Review
. 2022 Aug:30:100810.
doi: 10.1016/j.neo.2022.100810. Epub 2022 May 29.

Non-melanoma skin cancers: physio-pathology and role of lipid delivery systems in new chemotherapeutic treatments

Eliana B Souto  1 , Raquel da Ana  2 , Vânia Vieira  3 , Joana F Fangueiro  3 , João Dias-Ferreira  4 , Amanda Cano  5 , Aleksandra Zielińska  6 , Amélia M Silva  7 , Rafał Staszewski  8 , Jacek Karczewski  9
Affiliations
Review

Non-melanoma skin cancers: physio-pathology and role of lipid delivery systems in new chemotherapeutic treatments

Eliana B Souto et al. Neoplasia. 2022 Aug.

Abstract

Non-melanoma carcinoma has high incidence rates and has two most common subtypes: basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. This type of carcinoma is usually not fatal; however, it can destroy sensory organs such as the nose, ears, and lips. The treatment of these injuries using non-invasive methods is thus strongly recommended. Some treatments for non-melanoma carcinoma are already well defined, such as surgery, cryosurgery, curettage and electrode section, and radiotherapy; however, these conventional treatments cause inflammation and scarring. In the non-surgical treatment of non-melanoma carcinoma, the topical administration of chemotherapeutic drugs contributes for an effective treatment with reduced side effects. However, the penetration of anticancer drugs in the deeper layers of the skin is required. Lipid delivery systems (liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers) have been developed to overcome epidermal barrier of the skin and to allow the drugs to reach tumor cells. These lipid nanoparticles contribute to control the release profile of the loaded chemotherapeutic drugs, maintaining their stability and increasing death of tumor cells. In this review, the characteristics of non-melanoma carcinoma will be discussed, describing the main existing treatments, together with the contribution of lipid delivery systems as an innovative approach to increase the effectiveness of topical therapies for non-melanoma carcinomas.

Keywords: basal cell carcinoma; liposomes; nanostructured lipid carriers; solid lipid nanoparticles; squamous cell carcinoma.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic representation of the different subtypes of basal cell carcinoma [authors’ own drawing].
Figure 2
Figure 2
Schematic representation of the different stages of evolution of squamous cell carcinoma [authors’ own drawing].
Figure 3:
Figure 3
Schematic illustration of non-melanoma skin cancer treatment using lipid delivery systems for chemotherapeutic drugs [authors’ own drawing].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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