Wearable patch may provide new treatment option for skin cancer

Nanoneedles deliver chemotherapy over several months

A doctor examines a patient for symptoms of skin cancer (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Scientists have created a wearable patch as an improved treatment for people with skin cancer.

Traditional therapies for melanoma such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy suffer from toxicity and side effects from repeated treatments, as the melanoma cells they are intended to combat are aggressive and recurrent.

While less invasive methods of delivering chemotherapy to specific areas of the body are available, their use has been hindered by the painful size of the they use.