Australia seems to report maximum cases of skin cancer with approximately 434,000 Australians being treated for one or more non-melanoma skin cancers every year. A ray of hope does appear as The University of Western Australia (UWA) apparently revealed that tea tree oil can be utilized as a fast, cheap, safe and effective treatment for non-melanoma skin cancers and precancerous lesions.
Initiated by UWA’s Tea Tree Oil Research Group the investigation continued for three years. The scientists apparently identified solid tumors grown under the skin in mice. These mice were treated with a tea tree oil formulation assumed to make way for inhibition of tumour growth and tumor regression within a day of treatment. The scientists were unable to detect tumors within three days.
Dr Sara Greay of UWA’s School of Biomedical, Biomolecular and Chemical Sciences shared, “We are very excited about these results and are hoping to find funding for a small clinical trial of about 50 people with pre-cancerous lesions, with the aim of preventing the development of skin cancers.”
The researchers affirmed that further experiments conducted displayed an anti-cancer effect of the tea tree oil formulation which involved activation of the immune system. Usual skin cancer chemotherapies often cause nausea and flu-like symptoms. In addition the patient may be subjected to treatment lasting from three to 16 weeks.
But the tea tree oil formulation seemingly promises to only produce mild skin irritation which tends to disappear within the completion of the treatment. The formulation restricts evaporation and elevates the penetration of tea tree oil through the skin.
The research was published online in the journal Cancer Chemotherapy Pharmacology.