The method avoids surgery and is indicated for patients with basal cell carcinoma, the most common type of skin cancer
The Unified Health System (SUS) will offer a skin cancer treatment developed by the São Carlos Physics Institute of the University of São Paulo (USP). The therapy is considered unique in the world, with a double system on the same platform: it allows diagnosis and treatment, being able to evaluate and treat the disease on the same day, avoiding mutilations and painful procedures.
The technology is part of the Brazilian photodynamic therapy project, which started in 2012 at the USP. The initiative involved research institutions, companies and hospitals, to make the technique applicable on a large scale. The National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) financed the development of the technique and equipment. This was the first application by a university to incorporate a technology into the SUS.
The National Commission for the Incorporation of Technologies into the Unified Health System (Conitec) has recommended the incorporation of the technique to the SUS, after evaluating it and concluding that there are good results from photodynamic therapy for patients with non-melanoma skin cancer of the superficial basal cell carcinoma of the nodular and nodular types, and which has proven to be a safe and effective alternative for cases where surgery is not recommended.
Basal cell carcinoma is the most frequently diagnosed of all types of malignant cancer, and the first line of treatment is surgery to remove the lesions. Conitec noted that, in cases of patients who cannot undergo surgery or who have been diagnosed with low-risk tumors, the procedure has advantages over surgery, as it is an outpatient procedure and does not require large infrastructure.
Furthermore, for the recommendation for inclusion in the SUS, it was taken into account that there are already trained professionals and a structure installed with the equipment, in dozens of public health services.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
