Retinoids. Photodamaged skin and the prevention of nonmelanotic skin cancer
Tăranu, T.; Tăranu, T.
Revista Medico-Chirurgicala a Societatii de Medici Si Naturalisti Din Iasi 102(3-4): 56-59
1998
ISSN/ISBN: 0048-7848 PMID: 10756844 Document Number: 493687
Sun radiation produce structural and functional changes in skin structures which are known as dermatoheliosis. It becomes clinically manifest after the age of fifty when a general involution of the skin occurs. Vitamin A (retinol) is a critical factor in keratinocyte differentiation. A major progress in clarifying the control mechanism of cell growth and differentiation was the finding that the retinic acid shows hormone-like and morphogenetic effects. The retinoids, generic name for both the term including both natural products of Vitamin A as well as several thousands of synthetic products mimicking either its chemical structure or its biological effects, have proved efficient in a range of skin disorders, including dermatoheliosis. Their effectiveness comes from the overall impact on the skin structures, the ability to change the structure of the epidermis, dermis and sebaceous glands as well as the systemic effect on immunoreactivity. The prophylactic effect of retinol on various types of epithelial cancers has been well demonstrated. It has been proved lately that the association of retinoids and cytokines significantly improves the therapy efficiency in malignancy.