Non-surgical Removal of Basal Cell Carcinoma by Apis Mellifera L Venom

Abstract

Background: Honeybee’s venom is potent anticancer drug without exhibiting any side effects. Skin Basal Cell Carcinoma (SBCC) is a common malignancy. It can cause significant local destructions depending on affected site. The diagnosis of SBCC can be suspected from clinical findings and confirmation of diagnosis histopathology. The present SBCC is recurrent and aggressive in the skin of head [upper right, in front of the right ear]; the patient was 65 years old in time of first intervention. Materials & Methods: Following the lesions primarily surgically excised, the malignant growths recurrent and visual recognition occurred after 1 year from first operation, then another (the second) surgical removal of SBCC from affected skin with removal of all skin layers near the affected site but another recurrence visually occurs after about 4 months, in the form of malignant growth in the skin of right ear. Dry honeybee’s venom 1 mg was dissolved in 1 ml dist. water as injectable solution. Moreover, ointment contains 2% bee venom was prepared to be used topically inside affected ear as injection is not possible. Results: Before this novel intervention, the desperate patient situation seems very dangerous; as the new growths appear as continuous spread near the removed skin, so that patient’s family decided to apply more noninvasive and non-surgical intervention. The only precaution was testing the patients to assure she is not hypersensitive to honeybees’ venom. The treatment performed by subcutaneous injection of 0.3 ml from prepared Honeybees venom (0.1 % conc.) in the skin of affected part of the ear. Subcutaneous infiltration was applied around the lesions of about 0.5 ml as well, topical application of the ointment inside inner part of affected ear. This process repeated daily with cleaning of the ear every time by suitable safe and sterile saline solutions. Management of healing process was enhanced by ascorbic acid solution as topical application on dead cancer cells and to help in exudates debris removal. The complete removal of malignant growths and recovery obtained after 1 month from first bee venom injections. No recurrence of SBCC seen for 3 yrs. Conclusions: Honeybees venom is highly effective and safe anticancer drug that can be used for all patients’ categories of all ages. Regarding the present case invasive surgical intervention was not the good choice from the beginnings, as recurrence and giving chance for spreading following the time lapse between every surgery.