Sometimes, there’s no hiding those wrinkles. But although we often can see in real time how our loved ones are aging, our eyes lack an important tool for discerning more nuanced patterns in the skin: polarized laser light.
Specialized light microscopy can detect skin changes that are invisible to the naked eye, and a new noninvasive technique could use light to identify skin cancer in older adults, according to new research.
Skin conditions are a common problem among senior living and care residents. For instance, just under 20% of nursing home residents are affected by a condition called actinic keratosis, or rough, scaly skin patches, one study shows. Although that study did not find high incidences of melanoma within that cohort, the results showed that 7% of nursing home residents have nonmalignant skin cancer, or NMSC.
Because the latter condition is so much more common, NMSC actually may be more fatal than melanoma, according to one report.
“Understanding how various polarization states interact with skin tissue can provide valuable insights,” the study authors wrote. “Exploring the intricacies of polarization in skin scattering and tissue anisotropy (birefringence) paves the way to unlock new avenues for harnessing optical technology to further enhance healthcare and biomedical research.”
At the moment, most skin analysis, to determine potential cancer, requires either a biopsy or surgery, study authors noted.
A noninvasive light-based screening procedure for possible skin cancer could not only be less costly, the researchers note, but, if deployed, could engender new early-stage treatment options for various skin conditions, the researchers suggested, adding that it could also have implications for future drug delivery as well.
Although the research still is in early stages, the findings could be extended to evaluate the progression of other diseases, such as diabetes. The study, conducted by experts at Aston University in Birmingham, UK, will be published in the May issue of the Journal of Biomedical Optics and is available online.
