A medicine derived from the sap of a common weed could help to treat non-melanoma skin cancer, new research suggests.
Scientists at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research in Brisbane, Australia, carried out a small study involving 36 patients in order to investigate the effects of sap from Euphorbia peplus (also known as petty spurge).
The sap has long been used as a traditional medicine, although scientists have advised people not to try it at home, as it can irritate the skin.
During the study, sap was applied to the participants' skin cancer lesions once a day for three days.
After a month, 41 out of 48 lesions had disappeared, and two-thirds of the lesions were still showing a complete response after about 15 months.
The researchers, whose findings are published in the British Journal of Dermatology, observed that the treatment was most effective against a particular type of skin cancer called intraepidermal carcinoma.
Kimberley Carter, a spokeswoman for the British Association of Dermatologists, said that larger studies are needed.
She commented: 'Whilst it would not provide an alternative to surgery for the more invasive skin cancers or melanoma, in the future it might become a useful addition to the treatments available to patients for superficial, non-melanoma skin cancers.'
Jessica Harris, Cancer Research UK's senior health information officer, said that the research is still in an early stage.
'More research and further trials will be needed to identify any substances in the plant that could be having an effect, and to see whether treatments based on these would be effective,' she added.