Polyhydroxy Fullerene Sunscreen for Preventing UV-Induced Skin Cancer
Abstract
Topic Area: Melanoma and other skin cancers. Military Relevance Focus Area: Gaps in cancer prevention, diagnosis, early detection, or treatment that may affect the general population but have a particularly profound impact on military health. Every year, over one million new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the United States, outnumbering the total number of all other types of cancer combined. Military personnel, in particular, are at very high risk for skin cancers, which develops as a result of intense sun exposure in tropical and desert climates. A recent report suggests that the incidence of melanoma, the most aggressive form of skin cancer, is increasing at a higher rate (40% vs. 7%) among young military personnel than in the general population. Excessive sun exposure causes sunburn (characterized by redness), skin aging, and changes in the DNA, all of which contribute to skin cancer development. Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight is the most common, and also the most preventable, cause of skin cancers. Dermatologists recommend sun avoidance and application of sunscreens to protect against these harmful effects of sunlight. However, avoiding the sun may be difficult in military environments. Current sunscreens protect the skin partially from damaging UV rays and, thus, have proven ineffective at reducing the incidence of skin cancer. This may be because chemicals used today to make sunscreens are unstable in sunlight (generating toxic, highly reactive molecules called "free radicals"). Current sunscreens are effective only during a short window of time of few hours, and they can also cause skin allergies. An effective sunscreen should be safe, stable (without generating free radicals during exposure to sunlight), and be effective for long periods without the need for reapplication. This proposal offers a new approach to creating a sunscreen that meets all of these requirements. We discovered that PHF (polyhydroxy fullerenes, a powerful antioxidant that has already been in use in antiaging skin-care products) absorbs twice as much UV light as a commercial SPF60 sunscreen. PHF is not degraded by sunlight nor does it generate toxic free radicals. The aim of this research is to demonstrate that PHF can prevent skin cancer. The project will also create "sustained-release" PHF-containing particles for use as long-lasting sunscreens. The long-term goal of the research is develop a safe sunscreen with only one active ingredient PHF (instead of the 4-10 different ingredients used in current sunscreens), which is effective for more than 12 hours and can be applied once daily. In this Idea Award, the performance of a novel, safe sunscreen will be evaluated in a laboratory model. Positive results from this study will lead to more far-reaching studies and, eventually, clinical trials in humans.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Apr 04, 2016
- Source ID
- W81XWH1510580
Entities
People
- Vijay Krishna
Organizations
- Cleveland Clinic
- United States Army