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There is a wonderful article in the Cutaneous Oncology section of Dermatology Times (February 2010) by the veteran researcher Harry Rubin D.V.M.,D.Sc. that confirmed what I had been suspecting for some time: Skin and skin cells may act as early detector of internal cancers.

Skin cells contain fibroblasts which contain a copy of our genetic material. Flaws in the genetic material, which may lead to internal cancers such as Colon Cancer, can easily be researched in fibroblast cultures obtained from skin.

Many other internal conditions: Diabetes, Lupus, Hepatitis, Thyroid Disorders, etc. have skin manifestations that are often the way these conditions present themselves.

Other exciting research involves Stem Cells and their abundance in skin. Maybe one day harvested skin can help cure internal malignancies and forever change the course of medicine.

A. David Rahimi, MD, FAAD,