Houston Breakthrough Shields Skin From Radiation Burns

Cancer patients may soon avoid one of radiation therapy's most painful side effects thanks to a breakthrough from Houston Methodist Research Institute.

Up to 95% of cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy experience skin damage around the treatment area. The burns can range from redness and peeling to severe ulcers and infections, sometimes forcing doctors to pause or stop cancer treatment entirely.

Researchers have now discovered an mRNA-based therapy that protects skin cells before radiation exposure. The treatment instructs cells to produce a protein called telomerase reverse transcriptase, or TERT, which shields DNA from damage.

The team tested the therapy on human skin cells and tissue samples, treating them with TERT mRNA before exposing them to radiation. The results showed significantly reduced DNA damage at clinically relevant doses.

"We could reverse clinically relevant doses of radiation-induced DNA damage with telomerase," said Dr. John Cooke, who chairs the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences at Houston Methodist Research Institute. "This is exciting because it could potentially be a therapy to help people who undergo radiotherapy."

The discovery surprised researchers because telomerase was previously thought to only protect the ends of chromosomes. Instead, they found it helps safeguard all DNA inside cells while also protecting mitochondria, the tiny powerhouses that keep cells alive.

Currently, no FDA-approved therapy exists to prevent or treat radiation-induced skin damage. Patients often endure painful burns, long-term scarring, and interrupted cancer treatment with no medical options for relief.

Why This Inspires

This breakthrough represents more than scientific progress. It addresses a gap in care that has affected cancer patients for decades, offering hope for uninterrupted treatment and better quality of life.

The therapy could allow patients to complete their full course of radiation without painful delays. That means better cancer outcomes, less suffering, and fewer complications from undertreated disease.

Lead researcher Shuang Li noted the therapy could prevent radiation burns and long-term scarring for millions of cancer patients worldwide. The study, published in Molecular Therapy, opens the door to clinical trials that could bring this treatment to hospitals within years.

For cancer patients facing the difficult choice between effective treatment and debilitating side effects, this innovation offers a third option: both.