Polymertronics is another UK company besides Lumicure that has started developing OLED light plasters, which are claimed to be very useful in skin cancer treatment.
Polymertronics’ OLED light plasters will be used in photodynamic therapy, in which light-sensitive drugs are to be applied as cream to the skin, which can then be activated by red light. Once activated by red light, the drugs will be able to effectively kill tumors on the skin.
At the moment, red light can only be produced by expensive lamps or lasers, so the photodynamic treatment can only be performed in hospitals. But with OLED light plasters, patients can even have their own treatment at home, which is a more effective, faster and much cheaper way to treat skin cancer.
The company has developed a way to print square clusters of battery-powered red OLEDs, each 4 millimetres square, onto a strip of flexible plastic. The pattern of OLEDs exactly matches the shape of the patient’s tumour. The plaster is then placed over the tumour, allowing the red light to be targeted directly at the cancerous tissue.
Polymertronics’ OLED light plasters have been tested in the lab, which were able to destroy a range of cancer cells and they will soon begin human trials of the light-emitting plasters.
via oled-info
October 16th, 2009 at 8:13 am
[...] OLED lighting technology has made it possible for OLED lamps to offer greater flexibility. Here comes an OLED lamp concept by designer Johanna Schoemaker. This OLED lamp shines light like daylight and it offers lots of flexibility for you to have different lighting conditions to suit your need. [...]
June 23rd, 2010 at 1:29 pm
I’m a 20 year survivor of squamous cell carcinoma. I’m happy to see new methods being tested. Believe me I know the short and long term effects of chemo, surgery and radiation.
Detecting it early is of great importance.
I’m curious to learn the results of testing on humans and up to what stage it can be effective.