The search for an innovative cancer treatment is becoming more surprising these days as elements, then considered to cause cancer, are now becoming tools for saving lives of patients. Tattoo inks, for instance, now have medical versions which are used by doctors in determining cancer sites on patients.
A new tattoo ink formula was recently revealed by experts which glows under specific light conditions and can disappear after some time. According to the ACS Nano journal, these inks are used by medical doctors to guide them during the surgery of a skin cancer patient as they effectively demarcate possible affected areas. Lesser side effects also come with these tattoo inks, claims experts.
These new tattoo inks are being used by doctors in easily identifying the biopsy site for a nonmelanoma skin cancer patient. Reports reveal that medical doctors typically wait for up to three months between the initial biopsy and the surgical date to fully expose a targeted area. With this innovative cancer treatment tool, doctors can already perform the surgery days after the biopsy.
According to the ACS, the evolution of such medical ink has reportedly brought comfort to patients as the usual ink used in surgery treatment has caused inflammation and discomfort. Furthermore, the old tattoo inks used in medicine work like the regular art tattoo inks, which leave a permanent mark on the skin. Patients then have to undergo a laser removal just to get the tattoo gone as it serves as a lingering reminder of a person's deadly illness.
The researchers appointed to study the tattoo ink have experimented on a mouse and found out that the nanoparticles of the ink did not cause any inflammation and practically lasted for only three months before it was erased. The "less" side effects expected from the ink are yet to be observed hence as of now, this innovative cancer treatment tool is deemed safe for medical practice.
