After a long dreary winter and drenching spring rains, the warmth of the summer sun can feel so good that we may forget the harmful effects of those warming rays.

That’s why the American Academy of Dermatology designates the first Monday in May “Melanoma Monday.”  This observance reminds us that the risk of getting skin cancer is not only real--it’s one of the fastest growing cancers.

Did You Know?

• Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, accounting for half of all cancers.
• Current estimates are that one in five Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime.
• Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, is the most common cancer for 25- to 29-year-olds.
• According to estimates, more  than 76,600 cases of melanoma will occur  this year.

Once melanomas have metastasized, they are often deadly, but new research is giving us hope for new treatments.

Just in the last month, scientists found that gossypin, a flavone originally isolated from the hibiscus plant (H. vitifolius), inhibits the action of two gene mutations that commonly occur in people with melanoma. Gossypin treatment also reduced tumor volume and increased survival rate in mice transplanted with human melanoma tumors containing the two mutated genes.

In another recent study, researchers report that a virus-based melanoma drug TVEC is showing promising early results in a phase 3 trial.

Protect Yourself

Most skin cancers are preventable and survivable if you follow these basic steps:

• Prevent. Seek shade, cover up, and wear at least an SPF 15 sunscreen.
• Detect. Look for new or changing spots on your skin.
• Live. See a dermatologist if you spot anything changing, itching, or bleeding.

The good news is, you don’t have to give up your favorite outdoor activities or that sun-kissed glow to be sun safe. Just remember to wear sunscreen before going outdoors and instead of baking in the sun or a tanning bed, try sunless tanning sprays or lotions.

In addition to lowering your risk of skin cancer, protecting your skin from damaging rays also prevents premature aging—wrinkles and skin discoloration.

A Final Word

If you’re a parent with teenagers, you know that it’s often difficult to convey to them that they are not invincible. Unfortunately skin cancer often strikes young men and women with a history excessive tanning (both indoors and outdoors).

This video is a must-watch for parents and young people.

Sources:

Melanoma Monday

American Cancer Society

Medical News Today

Chances are you’ve heard that using tanning beds can increase the risk of skin cancer. But the results of a new study indicate that using tanning beds when you’re younger—under 35—can raise your risk of skin cancer by 87%. (That should make even the most die-hard tanning bed user think twice before baking in the coffin-shaped beds.)

The French study also estimates that one in every 20 cases of melanoma—the most lethal form of skin cancer—can be attributed to tanning bed use.

The study findings were based on an analysis of data from 27 published studies between 1981 and 2012 involving over 11,000 cases of skin cancer.

Among people who regularly used tanning beds, they found a 20% increased risk of developing skin cancer compared to those who never used them. That risk increased to 87% if a person started using beds before age 35. The risk increased almost 2% for every additional tanning session reported per year.

But, the news gets worse.  Since the use of tanning beds is relatively new—the researchers believe the risk might even be greater.

Bans on Beds

Tanning bed bans are already in place in Brazil and New South Wales with France considering a ban. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration have also been eyeing a ban for anyone less than 18 years of age.

Source:

Health Finder

While you may embrace the idea of using sunscreen to reduce your risk of skin cancer and prevent premature aging, let’s face it, applying sunscreen can be a chore. It’s often messy, inconvenient, and downright impossible to apply on “hard to reach” places--unless you’re a double-jointed circus contortionist.

Anyone who’s ended up with the tell-tale “oops, I must have missed a spot” patch of sunburn can tell you, “There’s just got to be a better way!”

As it turns out, scientists are working on one. They hope to replicate a UV blocking compound found in coral to create a sunscreen pill.

Coral Sun Protection

Scientists have known for some time that coral and some algae could protect themselves from UV rays in tropical climates by producing their own sunscreens. Researchers from King's College London working in the waters along Australia's Great Barrier Reef discovered the genetic and biochemical processes behind coral's innate ability to block UV rays.

They found that the algae living within the coral makes a compound that they believe is transported to the coral, which then modifies it into a sunscreen for the benefit of both the coral and the algae. And, fish that feed on the coral also benefit from the sunscreen protection. So it appears the benefits are transferable.

The first step for use in humans involves synthetically replicating the key compounds in the lab and testing them in a lotion form. If all goes well, you might be able to get inbuilt sun protection for your skin and eyes in a convenient pill. But it’s going to be a few years before that happens, so don’t toss your sunscreen lotions just yet.

The researchers are also exploring other applications for these coral compounds--like crop protection for plants in hot climates.  

Until the “sunscreen pill” makes its way to store counters, here are some natural ways to boost your sun protection.  

Sources:

BBC News

As melanoma rates continue to climb, perhaps the most alarming trend in skin cancer is the growing use of tanning beds among young women—especially among those that are aware of the risks. Melanoma is the most common form of cancer in young women and it is increasing faster in females 15-29 years old than any other group under 40. And many experts cite tanning beds as the chief culprit.

Risky Business

As you might expect, a recent survey conducted by the American Academy of Dermatology (Academy) confirms that most teen girls and young women tan because they feel it makes them look better, but that’s not all it revealed.

The nationwide survey asked 3,800 white females age 14-22 about their tanning knowledge, attitudes and behavior.

• A vast majority (86 percent) of respondents who tan indoors knew that using tanning beds can cause skin cancer – yet they still reported using an indoor tanning bed in the last year.
• When asked if they think people look more attractive with a tan, a large percentage of respondents (66 percent) answered yes, especially indoor tanners (87 percent).
• Despite the fact that ultraviolet radiation from tanning beds can lead to developing wrinkles sooner in life, indoor tanners were more concerned about wrinkles than their non-indoor tanning peers (42 percent vs. 28 percent, respectively).
• Nearly one-half of respondents who have indoor tanned in the past year (48 percent) knew someone who has or has had skin cancer.

Commenting on the survey results, dermatologist and Academy president, Dr. Ronald L. Moy, said, “It’s absurd that many people who indoor tan are doing it for cosmetic reasons because that tan can actually accelerate the aging process and can lead to melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer,” said.

“If this behavior trend continues and young women’s attitudes toward tanning do not change, future generations will develop more skin cancers earlier in life and the consequences can be fatal,” Moy added.

Protect Yourself and Loved Ones

May is Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month®. Visit www.melanomamonday.org to find tools and resources to prevent and detect skin cancer and locate free skin cancer screenings in your area.

Sources:

American Academy of Dermatology

After years of delay, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced new sunscreen labeling designed to give consumers a better idea of the level of sun protection they are actually getting. The new regulations include testing procedures for manufacturers to ensure that products meet a minimum standard before they can claim to reduce the risk of skin cancer or premature aging.

Sunscreen products that pass the FDA’s test for protection against both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays may be labeled as “Broad Spectrum.” Both UVB and UVA radiation contribute to sunburn, skin cancer, and premature skin aging. Sunburn is primarily caused by UVB radiation.

Under the new rules, sunscreens labeled as both Broad Spectrum and SPF 15 (or higher), may state that if used regularly, as directed, and in combination with other sun protection measures, the sunscreen will help prevent sunburn, reduce the risk of skin cancer, and reduce the risk of early skin aging.

Products that have SPF values between 2 and 14 may be labeled as Broad Spectrum if they pass the required test, but only products that are labeled both as Broad Spectrum with SPF values of 15 or higher may state that they reduce the risk of skin cancer and early skin aging, when used as directed.

Any product that is not Broad Spectrum, or that is Broad Spectrum but has an SPF between 2 to 14, will be required to have a warning stating that the product has not been shown to help prevent skin cancer or early skin aging.

The new labels also will tell consumers how much time they can use a "water resistant" product while either swimming or sweating before they lose protection and need to reapply. The terms waterproof, sweatproof, and sunblock will no longer be allowed on sunscreen labels as no product can completely block all the sun’s rays or be completely waterproof. The new regulations will become effective for most manufacturers in one year.

For tips on how to get healthier, younger skin naturally, read more here...

Sources:

Food and Drug Administration

CNN Health

With Spring Break 2011 safely in our rear view mirror and summertime fast approaching, many young people have already turned their fleeting attention to looking healthy, tanned and buff in that new bathing suit, conveniently forgetting once again that spending way too much time in a tanning booth can be very problematic for their health -- think skin cancer -- down the road.

If you're a parent, grandparent or someone who just happens to spend lots of time in the company of young people as I do, part of our job this time of year is to bother a few of them very loudly and sometimes embarrassingly about why they feel the need to bake their skin so soon -- evidence of spending way too much time at indoor tanning salons -- especially since summer is right around the corner. Before you give up trying to talk any sense into those young know-it-alls, I urge you to review a pair of studies that found their way to my web browsers of choice (Firefox 4.0, Google Chrome 10 and Safari 5) that underscore the problems with ignoring the tanning salon problem.

Perhaps, most alarming is a recent finding that young non-Hispanic Caucasian girls and women (age 15-39) living in more prosperous socioeconomic neighborhoods were almost six times more likely to be diagnosed with malignant melanoma than their peers living on the poorer side of town. Or, according to background information, that the age-adjusted incidence of cutaneous melanoma among adolescents more than doubled over a 30-year period (1973-2004).

Of course, you may not feel the need to say anything, because local and state legislators have seen these scary numbers too and may have enacted age-based restrictions on teens using tanning booths. Unfortunately, an analysis has found that these state laws have done little to restrict their use among teens. Perhaps, the heart of the problem lies with parents who give their permission expressly or tacitly by mimicking their teen's tanning behaviors.

One expert points out that most of the skin damage that leads to melanoma happens before age 20. The good news: This problem is very preventable with the right sunscreen strategy.

Archives of Dermatology March 21, 2011

ScienceDaily March 21, 2011

healthfinder.gov March 21, 2011

American Journal of Public Health March 18, 2011

Bloomberg Businessweek March 17, 2011

Need an incentive to reduce your carbon footprint? Consider the implications of this study of some 900 St. Louis residents that discovered an association between long periods of driving and an increased risk of skin cancer.

Based on a review of medical data on all patients diagnosed with non-midline skin cancer at St. Louis University in 2004, some 53 percent had skin cancer on the left sides of their bodies or faces. What's more, out of the 557 men whose records were reviewed for the study, 300 had skin cancer on their left sides. Interestingly, women under age 51 were predisposed to skin cancers on the left side too, a number, researchers say, that's emblematic of the way our society has changed over the past quarter-century to two-car families and equal-opportunity driving.

One more finding worth noting: Malignant melanoma in situ, also called stage 0 melanoma, was found 75 percent of the time on the left side of the body.

Hopefully, science and the FDA will agree on safer sunscreen formulations very soon. Perhaps, a soybean oil-based alternative is in the mix…

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Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology March 12, 2010

DenverPost.com May 17, 2010

LiveScience May 7, 2010

Last month in this space, we told you about the fight many childhood cancer survivors may face with heart disease as they mature into adulthood. Evidently, the reverse may be true as well, specifically for patients undergoing heart transplants who have a greater risk of skin cancer.

Although it's no secret organ transplant recipients cope with a greater risk of skin cancers, Mayo Clinic researchers learned heart transplant patients are at least twice as likely to tackle skin cancer issues compared to those who receive new kidneys.

Based on health reviews of 312 heart transplant patients, nearly half developed skin cancer over the course of the 19-year study. Additionally, the incidence of squamous-cell carcinoma after the diagnosis of the first basal-cell carcinoma (the most common form of nonmelanoma skin cancer and the most easily treated one) was nearly 100 percent, within seven years. The primary culprits for this growing risk: The older age of the patient and the immunosuppressant drugs heart transplant patients take to prevent their bodies from rejecting their new organs.

Surprisingly, however, the mortality rate associated with skin cancer among transplant patients was very, very low: Only one transplant patient died from skin cancer.

Archives of Dermatology, Vol. 145, No. 12, pp. 1391-1396, December 2009

heartwire December 29, 2009

ScienceDaily December 24, 2009