Eczema is one of the most common skin conditions affecting up to 30% of the population in the United States..

Eczema symptoms include dry skin, itching and rash.

The other day, British scientists surprised patients and their doctors - it turned out that this disease somehow protects against skin cancer..

In a study published in eLife magazine, researchers at King's College London found that eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is associated with the activation of a local immune response, which leaves no chance for hostile cancer cells..

According to a research team led by Professor FionaWatt of the Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine at King's College, early work has already suggested such a link..

However, this association is very difficult to confirm in human studies.. This is because some eczema medications can affect cancer risk.. Moreover, the symptoms of eczema vary from case to case..

Eczema slows tumor formation in mice.

For their study, scientists bred genetically modified mice that had skin defects similar to eczema in humans.. They did this by removing structural proteins from the outer layer of the skin, which resulted in specific changes..

The researchers then tested the two carcinogens in genetically modified and normal rodents.. It turned out that the number of benign tumors in modified mice is 6 times less compared to normal relatives..

Further study revealed that while the modified and normal mice were equally susceptible to chemical-induced mutations, the modified animals still exhibited an "

In his paper, Professor Watt writes: “We are delighted with these results because they reveal an association between cancer susceptibility and allergic disease in an experimental model.. They also support our views on the use of immune therapy in cancer treatment.. I hope this study provides some comfort to people who suffer from eczema.

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According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the incidence of melanoma - a dangerous type of skin cancer that can spread to other organs - has increased significantly over the past 30 years.. Experts now estimate that 1 in 50 Americans will develop cancer at some point in their lives..

Dr Mike Turner, Head of Infectious Diseases and Immunobiology at WellcomeTrust (UK) who helped the researchers, says the latest discovery could bring scientists closer to new cancer prevention methods..

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medbe. en.