Belfast Researchers 3D-Print a Dissolvable Patch for Skin Cancer Treatment

A patch that could replace repeated creams and injections

Researchers at Queen's University Belfast have developed a dissolvable 3D-printed patch designed to treat localised skin cancer without the repeated topical treatments, invasive procedures, or needle anxiety that current options often bring.

The patch contains tiny microneedles small enough to pass through the outer layer of the skin without drawing blood. Once applied, the microneedles release two anti-cancer drugs directly into the affected tissue: curcumin and 5-fluorouracil. After delivery, the patch dissolves.

One-step 3D printing loads the drugs into the needles

The team, led by PhD student Rutuja N Meshram and Professor Dimitrios A Lamprou from the School of Pharmacy, used a one-step 3D-printing method that adds both drugs directly into the printable resin before the patch is made. That approach blends the medicine into the microneedles during manufacturing rather than coating it on afterward.

According to the researchers, this gives better skin penetration, higher drug loading, and a controlled two-stage release pattern. The study has been published in Advanced Healthcare Materials.

Why it matters for patients

Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers, and existing treatments can be a burden. Topical creams need repeated application. Injections work but bring pain, waste, and needle-stick risks. A single-use dissolvable patch that delivers the drug straight to the lesion could simplify the process for both patients and clinics.

Professor Lamprou pointed out that the system could also cut medical sharps waste, since the microneedles dissolve after use. The researchers believe the same manufacturing approach could eventually support vaccines and other drug-delivery technologies where precise, localised release is useful.