Dissolvable skin cancer patch developed in Belfast aims to ease treatment

How the skin cancer patch works

Created at Queen’s University Belfast, the small patch carries tiny microneedles that pass through the outer layer of the skin without drawing blood.

The microneedles deliver two anti-cancer drugs, curcumin and 5-fluorouracil, straight to the affected area.

By putting the medicine exactly where it is needed, the researchers say the approach offers more targeted delivery and could cut the need for repeated topical treatments or more invasive procedures such as injections.

The team developed a one-step 3D-printing method that blends both drugs directly into a printable resin before the microneedle patch is made.

It is said it allows better skin penetration, higher drug loading and a controlled two-stage release.

The research was carried out by Rutuja N Meshram, a final-year PhD student, and Professor Dimitrios A. Lamprou, chair of Biofabrication and Advanced Manufacturing, both of the School of Pharmacy at Queen’s.

Because the microneedles dissolve after use, Professor Lamprou added, they may also reduce the risk of needle-stick injuries and cut medical sharps waste, a practical gain for hospitals on this island already managing pressure on resources.

The development was reported by both RTÉ News and the Irish Mirror on Sunday.

The researchers believe the same technique could support the next generation of medicine delivery technologies, including vaccines and other life-saving drugs.

For now it remains a research advance rather than an approved treatment, but it is a notable one to have come out of a pharmacy school in Belfast.