New advances in treatment of skin malignant tumors with nanosecond pulsed electric field: A literature review

•Nanosecond pulsed electric field(nsPEF) is a novel therapy in skin tumors.•NsPEF can induce cell death and synergize with radiotherapy and chemical reagents.•NsPEF deliver sufficient energy for therapy without causing extra thermal damage. Background: Nanosecond pulsed electric field, with its unique bioelectric effect, has shown broad application potential in the field of tumor therapy, especially in malignant tumors and skin tumors. Main body: In this paper, we discuss the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of nanosecond pulsed electric field on three common skin cancers, namely, malignant melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma, as well as its application to other benign skin diseases and future development and improvement directions. Conclusion: In general, nanosecond pulsed electric field mainly exerts its ablative effect on tumors through subcellular membrane electroporation effect. It is cell type-specific, has less thermal damage, and can have synergistic effect with chemotherapy drugs, making it a very promising new method for tumor treatment.