Radiotherapy is one of the main treatment forms for cancer. Among its most common side effects is skin damage, right up to chronic inflammation and fibroses. At present, such long-term damage can only be treated symptomatically and leads to thickened, painful, or sensitive skin for months to years after the radiation treatment. A team has now identified a protein called Dickkopf 3 (DKK3) as a main cause of long-term skin damage after radiotherapy—a decisive step for the development of novel, more targeted therapy options.
This article was originally published on MedicalXpress.com
