Simple Laser Treatment May Help Prevent Common Skin Cancers, New Study Finds

A simple laser treatment may help prevent the most common types of skin cancer in the U.S. Basal cell and squamous cell cancers are diagnosed an estimated 5 million times each year, but researchers say they may have found a way to lower that number.

They recruited 95 patients who had a history of these cancers on their face and were at high risk of recurrence. Forty-three of them were then treated with non-ablative fractional lasers, which deliver heat in a way that leaves the skin intact.

After six years of monitoring, 21% of those in the laser treatment group had a recurrence, compared to 40% of those in the untreated group. While the study did not determine exactly how non-ablative fractional lasers fight these cancers, one author says he suspects the treatment reduces the amount of photodamaged cells in the epidermis and may promote a wound healing response.