Skin Cancer Information Center

Skin Cancer : How to for self-exams

2007-02-08T02:41:00.000-08:00

New research shows that couples who check one another for skin cancer tend to do so more scrupulously than people who do skin self-exams alone. The researchers trained both individuals and couples to practice skin self-examination, finding that the couples conducted the tests more frequently, and thoroughly, resulting in reduced odds of developing skin cancer. "A simple head-to-toe skin check should be done at least once every month," said Perry Robins, MD, President of The Skin Cancer Foundation. "Conducting the exam with a partner can dramatically reduce the risk for skin cancer and could possibly be the difference between life and death," said Dr. Robins. The researchers noted that half of all melanomas are discovered by patients themselves, confirming the importance of self-examination in early detection.

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Skin Cancer Linked to Frequent Driving

2007-02-06T02:38:00.000-08:00

You might want to slather on the sunscreen before getting behind the wheel. Early research results suggest driving a lot can raise your chances of skin cancer. Early findings from the St. Louis University study, presented Sunday at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) in Washington, D.C., suggested a link between an increased risk of skin cancer on the left side of the body and frequent driving. "Our initial findings confirm that there is a correlation between more time spent driving and a higher incidence of left-sided skin cancers, especially on sun-exposed areas in men," St. Louis University researcher Scott Fosko, MD, says in an AAD news release. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S., with more than a million cases diagnosed each year.

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Stronger sunbeds 'heighten skin cancer risk'

2007-02-02T02:37:00.000-08:00

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New anti skin cancer tool

2007-01-31T02:42:00.000-08:00

Queensland researchers are conducting tests on a mannequin with the aim of lowering skin cancer rates among school aged children.The team from Toowoomba's University of Southern Queensland have placed a special film on the mannequin's head to gauge how ultraviolet rays affect the face.Their findings confirm that the nose and cheeks bear the brunt of sunburn.They now want to test the dummy in different environments and eventually develop a computer model so that schools can find out where the danger spots are on any day, in any season at any time. Back to Health .

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Brown algae polyphenols may protect against skin cancer

2007-01-29T02:40:00.000-08:00

Substances extracted from a marine seaweed may be used as a preventative against skin cancer caused by excessive exposure to ultraviolet B rays, according to a new study by the Ohio State University researchers. Oral or topical administration of chemicals called brown algae polyphenols (BAPs), found in a type of brown marine seaweed, reduced the number and size of skin tumors in mice induced by UVB radiation, the researchers found. UBS radiation from natural sources such as sunshine and artificial sources such as UV lamps is believed to be the cause of 90 percent of 1.3 million of non-melanoma skin cancer cases in the U.S. each year. The chemopreventative effect of BAPs against skin cancer was potent, according to the researchers. Both topical application and oral administration of BAPs in hairless mice at fairly low doses reduced the number of skin tumors by up to 60 percent and the size of the tumors by up to 43 percent.

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Shipping after 1/2/2007 is this Stylish and fashion setting 14K Yellow Gold St Peregrine Medal

2007-01-23T03:10:00.000-08:00

Solid 14K Yellow Gold St Peregrine Medal comes carefully prepared and placed in our jewelry gift box, personally sealed, placed in our signature gold-stamped miniature pure white shopping bag that is perfect for gift giving. Patronage: St. Peregrine Laziosi had a cancer in his foot and was scheduled for amputation; he prayed and had a vision that Christ healed him ? and he did. Peregrine is the patron saint of CANCER PATIENTS. A FREE POCKET PRAYER Token is included as our gift to you. RELIGIOUS JEWELRY STORE is the Internet's Largest and Most Caring Religious Jewelry Store plus So Much More. We are truly Customer Committed and do our best to help you in any way that we can.

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Skin cancer rates too high

2007-01-23T02:50:00.000-08:00

LEE Hemming can only ever remember getting sunburnt twice a year – on the days of her school swimming and athletics carnivals. As a teenager she was never desperate for a tan and recalls caking the zinc cream on after being told the sun causes wrinkles. Yet at 18, she was diagnosed with a potentially deadly melanoma just under her collar bone. As she prepares to turn 21 in the next few days, Ms Hemming has definite ideas about the need for twilight sports carnivals and for schools to take a bigger role in preventing skin cancer – particularly in Queensland. "Kids are at school from nine to three. They're the killer hours," she said. "It's crazy to have sports carnivals during the day. "They put crossings outside schools so kids don't get hit by cars.

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Improve Skin Cancer Self-Examination Practices By Learning With A ...

2007-01-21T02:43:00.000-08:00

Individuals who received instruction on skin self-examination with their partners may be more likely to engage in this cancer prevention behavior, according to a report in the January issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Skin self-examination can help detect the skin cancer melanoma early, decreasing death rates and the physical and emotional burdens associated with the disease, according to background information in the article. "Persons who perform skin self-examination present for care at an earlier stage in the disease process and have 50 percent less advanced melanoma and markedly lower mortality from melanoma," the authors write. "Skin self-examination can be learned by those who recognize that they are at risk of developing melanoma, including the elderly," who are more likely to both develop melanoma and to die from it than younger individuals.

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Analysis: Skin cancer test pays off

2007-01-19T02:49:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 (UPI) -- A one-time screening of adults over 50 for skin cancer is a cost-effective way to save lives, a new study says. The rate of melanoma, a serious form of skin cancer, rose 29 percent from 1975 to 2000, but the screening rate did not increase with it. In 2006 there were more than 60,000 new cases at a total treatment cost of $740 million. But a routine visual scan for the disease by a doctor could dramatically reduce the disease's mortality rate, because, like most cancers, melanoma is most treatable in earlier stages. The cost: about $7,400 for every year of life saved, according to an article appearing this week in the Archives of Dermatology. Treatments are considered cost-effective if they cost less than $50,000 per additional year of life.

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Technique Increases Cure Rates For Skin Cancer

2007-01-17T02:54:00.000-08:00

(CBS4) DENVER Doctors are continuing to use a technique that has increased cure rates for skin cancer while reducing scarring.Mohs surgery involves removing the cancer in horizontal sections and looking at each section in its entirety for the microscopic roots of cancer."Cancer has little roots, if you will, that track out and by using the Mohs technique we can look at 100 percent of the edge to determine if there are any roots there," said Dr. Shawn Allen with Kaiser Permanente. "Whereas the other technique, it looks at less than 1 percent."Allen is among a handful of surgeons in the metro area that's trained in the technique and performs about 500 of the surgeries a year."It has the highest cure rate of any treatment available," Allen said.Mohs has a 99 percent cure rate as opposed to standard surgery which runs 90 percent.Allen said the technique also removes less healthy tissue which results in a reduction of scarring."Knowing that you got it all done right the first time is huge," said Bekki French.She grew up applying baby oil to her skin to get a tan and is now a cancer survivor."I've been a sun worshipper since I was a teenager," French said.

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Parents can help teens prevent skin cancer

2007-01-15T02:53:00.000-08:00

New York - A collaborative approach involving parents, sports coaches, teachers, health professionals and youngsters may motivate teens to better protect themselves from the sun's harmful UV rays, the results of a new study suggest. The findings are integral to public health efforts to reduce the incidence of skin cancer, in light of previous research showing that children are less likely to use sunscreen or other sun-protective measures as they reach high-school age and young adulthood. To change teenager's sun protection habits, we need to "create an environment around the teen where people are all using and talking about skin protection", study author Dr Ardis L. Olson, of Dartmouth Medical School, in Lebanon, New Hampshire, told Reuters Health. Increased sun exposure raise the risk of melanoma, the most deadly and increasingly common form of skin cancer.

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Intervention can protect teens from skin cancer

2007-01-13T02:40:00.000-08:00

NEW YORK: A collaborative approach involving parents, sports coaches, teachers, health professionals and youngsters may motivate teens to better protect themselves from the sun's harmful UV rays, the results of a new study suggest. The findings are integral to public health efforts to reduce the incidence of skin cancer, in light of previous research showing that children are less likely to use sunscreen or other sun-protective measures as they reach high-school age and young adulthood. To change teenager's sun protection habits, we need to "create an environment around the teen where people are all using and talking about skin protection," study author Dr Ardis Olson, of Dartmouth Medical School, in Lebanon, New Hampshire, said Health. Increased sun exposure raise the risk of melanoma, the most deadly and increasingly common form of skin cancer.

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Free skin cancer screenings offered at SJH-Elmer Hospital

2007-01-11T02:42:00.000-08:00

ELMER South Jersey Healthcare Cancer Services will offer free skin cancer screenings and skin health information on Feb. 10 at SJH Elmer Hospital from 9 a.m. to noon in the Same Day Surgery Department. More than one million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed annually in the United States. The American Cancer Society recommends that adults between the ages of 20 and 40 receive skin cancer exams from a physician every three years and then annually after the age of 40. The event is sponsored by SJH Cancer Services and Dr. Ingrid Warmuth, who will provide the free screenings. Advance registration is requested. For more information or to register, please call SJH Cancer Services at 575-4430. SJH Cancer Services, located in the Frank and Edith Scarpa Regional Cancer Pavilion, have been affiliated with the Fox Chase Cancer Center since 1995.

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Skin cancer gene traced back to Scotland

2007-01-09T03:06:00.000-08:00

SCIENTISTS HAVE identified a skin cancer gene which is believed to have originated in Scotland around 1600 years ago. Glasgow University researchers are studying people with an inherited form of melanoma - the most deadly form of skin cancer - as part of an international project. They noticed that an unusually high number of families in the Scottish group shared a specific type of gene mutation that increases the risk of developing melanoma. .

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Miss Goldsboro speaks out about skin cancer and in honor of her dad

2007-01-07T02:49:00.000-08:00

Miss Goldsboro 2007 Nicki Sanderson had no problem deciding what her platform in the pageant would be -- it would center around a defining moment for her family. Her father, Kenneth Sanderson, was diagnosed with malignant melanoma nearly a dozen years ago. The imprint it left has served as a catalyst that has brought the family closer. And today, Nicki eagerly seeks ways to educate others on skin cancer prevention. For one of her college classes, she asked about conducting a survey on guarding against skin cancer. She was surprised by the results and the lack of awareness. Nicki decided to take it a step further and spoke to the class on the topic. "I told them the risk factors, how to prevent it," she said. "A lot of people didn't even know what it was." Her passion on the subject might have prompted her to enter the Miss Goldsboro pageant, but whether or not she won the title, Nicki said she knew she wanted to make a difference.

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Health Tip: Keep Deadly Skin Cancer Away

2007-01-03T02:55:00.000-08:00

(HealthDay News) -- Melanoma is a deadly form of skin cancer. But it can be prevented with some safe-sun practices. Follow these suggestions from the American Cancer Society to help reduce your risk: Keep your skin covered when outside with long sleeves, long pants and a hat. If you're outside for a long time, head for the shade. Use sunscreen any time you are outside -- even if it's cloudy. Be sure to apply it properly by following the instructions on the product. Wear sunglasses. Don't use tanning beds. Look for any moles that look abnormal and have them checked by your doctor. .

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High exposure area: Skin cancer a year-round concern, especially ...

2006-12-30T02:49:00.000-08:00

First lady Laura Bush's recent admission to receiving treatment for skin cancer has brought to light the serious nature of a disease not limited to summertime exposure.It can strike anywhere, anytime, experts warn."It is important to protect your skin year-round," said Dr. Perry Robbins, president of the Skin Cancer Foundation, a nonprofit group based in New York City. "Skin cancer is not just a summertime concern."Although temperatures may be dropping, ultraviolet radiation is still very strong. According to statistics provided by the Skin Cancer Foundation, fewer than 33 percent of Americans routinely use sun protection."We've got to realize that in Florida and Putnam County, we are really in a high-exposure area," said Dr. Michael Lutz, a Jacksonville-based skin cancer specialist and lecturer, who previously worked at the Mayo clinic.

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SciClone Climbs On Phase II Zadaxin Data In Skin Cancer

2006-12-26T02:52:00.000-08:00

Positive interim survival data from a Phase II skin cancer study of Zadaxin, an immunomodulator, pushed SciClone Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s stock up more than 38 percent. Shares of the San Mateo, Calif.-based firm, (NASDAQ:SCLN) which traded as high as $4.16 Friday morning, ended the day at $3.13, up 87 cents. New York-based Jefferies & Co. Inc. upped SciClone's price target to $3.50 on the data, though it's maintaining a "hold" rating pending a report of the final trial results, expected at the annual American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in June. Data from the ongoing study, which is being conducted by SciClone's European partner, Sigma-Tau SpA, of Rome, show that all patients receiving Zadaxin in combination with standard of care - dacarbazine (DTIC) chemotherapy, with or without interferon alpha - had a longer median survival compared to standard-of-care treatment alone.

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Suntimer times you giving yourself skin cancer

2006-12-17T02:49:00.000-08:00

If you can't tell that you're getting sunburned by the pinkness of your skin or the soft scent of burning flesh wafting through the air, you might just be an idiot. And if you're an idiot, there's all sorts of products to back up your lack of acumen and allow you to continue to function as a normal member of society. Take this Minox Suntimer, for instance. It wraps around your arm while you're out soaking up the rays, giving you a sweet armband tanline. While it's blocking the sun from hitting a strip of your skin, it also tells you just how much sun you've been getting and when to get out of the sun and into the shade. It factors in skin type and what kind of sunscreen you have on to predict the exact moment you'll go from healthy, tanned sunbather to cancer-stricken leather catcher's mitt.

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Hope for vitamin D research to cut skin cancer rate

2006-12-15T02:46:00.000-08:00

A researcher from Toowoomba, in southern Queensland, is hoping his research into vitamin D could reduce the high rate of skin cancers in Queensland. A vitamin D deficiency can lead to problems like osteoporosis, rickets and has been linked to diabetes and bacterial infections. The University of Southern Queensland's Dr David Turnbull is trying to prove that people do not need direct sunlight to receive their vitamin intake. He says exposure to good ultraviolet B rays under the shade could do the trick. "What I'm suggesting is that we can utilise shade especially in the high exposure climates like Queensland because the wavelengths that we require for vitamin D are present in the shade, but the majority of the rays that we don't need are quite reduced compared to the full sun," he said.

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Spinach prevents skin cancer

2006-12-13T02:54:00.000-08:00

SKIN cancer survivors could halve their chance of relapse by eating generous helpings of leafy green vegetables, new Australian research suggests. Scientists have investigated the impact of healthy dietary habits on skin cancer and discovered that green vegies can help guard against the disease. They showed that spinach and silverbeet were linked with a reduction in the risk of skin cancer, particularly among those with a previous history of the disease. Dr Jolieke van der Pols, from the Queensland Institute of Medical Research, said these vegetables contain a variety of vitamins, minerals and other bioactive substances that are known to have anti-cancer properties. "Green leafy vegetables are good sources of folic acid, vitamins A, C and E, the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, and other components which may help boost the skin's natural defence against damage caused by UV rays,'' Dr van der Pols said.

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Eating spinach slashes skin cancer recurrence risk by 55 percent ...

2006-12-09T02:52:00.000-08:00

Eating green, leafy vegetables may reduce the risk of skin cancer recurrence by as much as 55 percent, according to the results of an 11-year Australian study. The study, conducted by the Queensland Institute of Medical Research, found that participants who ate at least three servings of green leafy vegetables per week -- such as spinach -- more than halved their risk of skin cancer recurrence. Researchers found that leafy vegetables such as spinach and silverbeet (chard) were linked to the reduction in skin cancer risk, especially for patients who had a history of the disease. The conclusion of this article appears on NewsTarget.com, the independent natural health news source for consumers.

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Skin cancer awareness highlighted in WA

2006-12-07T02:56:00.000-08:00

SEEK, slip, slop, slap and slide was the message from the Cancer Council of Western Australia as they celebrated National Skin Cancer Action Week last week. The aim of the week was to raise awareness of skin cancer and educate people on the signs and risks of developing skin cancer as well as how to prevent skin cancer. Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world with one in every two Australians diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime. In 2004 Western Australia had 120 deaths as a result of skin cancer although 90 per cent of skin cancers can be successfully treated if detected early and of course skin cancer is preventable. There are several signs of skin cancer to look out for including a skin spot that is different to other spots, a mole or freckle that has changed shape or colour, and an inflamed sore that hasn't healed after three weeks.

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Fashion impedes skin cancer campaign

2006-12-03T02:47:00.000-08:00

Australia's chief medical officer admits the federal government's latest skin cancer awareness campaign faces an uphill battle against teenage fashion. Professor John Horvath, who helped launch the publicity blitz at Sydney's Bondi Beach on Sunday, said it was not easy to change young people's behaviour and perceptions. "We're not only fighting fashion, we're fighting culture," he told ABC radio. "Our sports heroes are often sun-tanned and it's cool to be tanned and you're puny if you're pale, and it's not cool to wear long sleeves and a hat. "All the things that are cool are pretty well dangerous." About 1,500 Australians a year die from melanoma, a form of skin cancer caused by sun exposure. The government's new television ads show a large piece of skin being removed from a cancer patient, in an effort to persuade young people of the risks of melanoma.

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Young warned as skin cancer kills 1500 a year

2006-11-27T03:01:00.000-08:00

THE lure of a suntan and a belief that skin cancer affects only older people is endangering young people, a senior health official says. Speaking at the launch of the Federal Government's latest skin cancer prevention campaign yesterday, Australia's chief medical officer, John Horvath, said new Health Department research showed that many young people were putting fashion ahead of health. "Few young people reported using a combination of protective measures, with most relying on single measures, particularly sunscreen, which they saw as not impinging on fashion," he said. "Wearing a hat or long-sleeved clothing was seen as potentially unfashionable." In an attempt to raise awareness about the dangers of skin cancer for young people, the Commonwealth will spend more than $5 million on television advertising for the campaign.

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Skin cancer warning in the Midlands

2006-11-25T02:53:00.000-08:00

Changes to the West Midlands' climate could mean we are sitting on a skin cancer time bomb, a meteorologist and local weather expert has warned. A new study by researcher John Kings has revealed that the number of days with high UV radiation in has doubled over the past five years, as the region has warmed up. Mr Kings, who has also headed the city's meteorological office for over two decades, said that this meant there was a greater risk of sunburn and therefore skin cancer, particularly in children. But the effects of this higher UV exposure will not be known for over a decade, Mr Kings warned. He said: "Children are outside three times longer than adults so, by the time they are 18 years old, their skin will have already been exposed to 80 per cent of the UV rays it will see.

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Study says marathoners face higher risk of skin cancer

2006-11-23T02:41:00.000-08:00

NEW YORK -- Compared with those who don't run marathons, long-distance runners are more likely to get skin cancer and have more irregular moles and liver spots because they're exposed to more ultraviolet radiation while training, according to a study released this week in the Archives of Dermatology. .

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Study highlights farmer skin cancer apathy

2006-11-21T02:45:00.000-08:00

A study by the Cancer Council Victoria has found many farmers do not use sunscreen when they are working outside, despite being aware of the risks of skin cancer. The study questioned about 350 farmers and outdoor workers. It found that less than 50 per cent wore a wide-brimmed hat when working outside and about 30 per cent wore a long sleeved shirt. SunSmart's Kylie Strong says farmers are at a higher risk of skin cancer because they are often out in the sun all day. "Men who are over 50 are more likely to get skin cancer and we know that the majority of farmers and rural outdoor workers are actually men and obviously they work well into their 50s and often get skin cancer at that stage," she said. .

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Skin cancer on the rise

2006-11-19T02:40:00.000-08:00

SKIN cancer afflicts almost five times as many NSW residents as all other cancers combined, and young sports enthusiasts are most at risk. Statistics show the State has an annual rate of 145,000 cases of skin cancer, compared with 30,600 cases of other cancers, including breast, lung and prostate. Young men aged 20 to 29, especially sportsmen, are the group at highest risk because of the time they spend in the sun. Men are 50 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with melanomas and are more than three times more likely to die from the cancer. Worryingly, the overall rate of melanoma in NSW has risen by about 20 per cent in the past decade. Assistant Health Minister Frank Sartor said the NSW Government would give $4.46 million to fund skin cancer research over the next three to five years.

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Scientists find new way to drum out skin cancer

2006-11-17T02:48:00.000-08:00

LONDON - The body's own immune system can fight the deadly cancer melanoma if scientists can flip the system's "off" switch to "on," two preliminary studies suggest. Scientists have long sought to rev up the disease-fighting cells of the immune system to fight melanoma. The new work addresses the other side of the coin, the regulatory cells that normally keep disease-fighting cells in check. By shutting those inhibiting cells off, scientists hope to enable the disease-fighting cells to mount a continuous attack on the cancer. Two new studies of that strategy were reported this week in Prague at a European cancer research meeting. "This is a fundamentally different approach to treating cancer," said Dr. Alexander Eggermont, professor of surgical oncology at the University of Rotterdam, Netherlands, the conference's chairman.

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Body's immune system used to fight skin cancer

2006-11-15T02:47:00.000-08:00

Scientists have shown that the body's immune system can be used as an effective weapon against skin cancers, researchers revealed yesterday. Patients whose self-defence mechanisms were boosted by drugs saw their malignant melanomas shrink and they remained alive for longer. Malignant melanomas are notoriously difficult to treat - average life expectancy is around nine months, and fewer than 20% of patients survive more than two years after diagnosis. It is the fastest-growing cancer, especially among the young - more than 8,000 new cases are diagnosed every year in the UK with 1,777 deaths from the disease in 2004. Current treatments use surgery or high doses of chemotherapy drugs, and, though these are good ways to reduce the size of tumours, they cannot prevent the tumours from coming back.

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Bright idea of sticky plaster that can beat skin cancer

2006-11-05T02:37:00.000-08:00

SCOTTISH scientists have invented a light-emitting "sticking plaster" for treating skin cancer which could revolutionise the way the disease is treated. The high-tech patch is operated by a pocket-sized battery and could allow patients to receive treatment at home or at a GP surgery instead of undergoing lengthy hospital visits. .

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Diagnosing Skin Cancer

2006-10-30T02:59:00.000-08:00

There are several different types of cancer, all of which are very dangerous and must be detected early in order to have the best possible prognosis. Skin cancer, which is an increasingly common form, is often associated with over exposure to sun or other ultraviolet radiation, including tanning beds. Because individuals with fair skin are more susceptible to a sunburn, they are also more susceptible to skin cancer. In order to protect themselves from the sun's strength, individuals should wear sunscreen with a high SPF, hats and long sleeve shirts. In addition, taking special care to not fall asleep in the sun or spend hours every day in it's presence may help to lessen it's harmful effects and possibly may even prevent skin cancer. .

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Slimming may deter skin cancer

2006-10-26T03:39:00.000-07:00

Researchers conducted tests on mice with a form of non-melanoma skin cancer and found that lean animals were better able to fight the disease. Some of the animals had fat surgically removed, while others were encouraged to stay slim by exercising on a running wheel. Both cases showed increased levels of cancer cell death. The research showed tumour cells were more likely to undergo apoptosis, a process when the body rids itself of damaged and potentially dangerous cells. Recent studies have already proved the link between diet and cancer. Being overweight is considered to lead to a higher risk of cancer, although the reasons are not fully understood. Dr Allan Conney, from Rutgers University in Piscataway, New Jersey, led the latest research and said: "Our results help explain why exercise or various dietary regimens that decrease tissue fat inhibit carcinogenisis." His team wrote in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS): "The results of our studies suggest that fat cells secrete substances that inhibit apoptosis in cells with DNA damage, and possibly also in tumours." Mar 23, 2005: Experts issue skin cancer warning .

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Miss Maryland: Even Teens Can Get Skin Cancer

2006-10-25T04:28:00.001-07:00

Brittany Lietz has a highly personal platform. The 21-year-old nursing student and newly crowned Miss Maryland was diagnosed with melanoma at age 20–a result, she thinks, of her obsession with tanning. After two dozen surgeries, Lietz is looking forward to spreading the word about the risk of skin cancer at the Miss America pageant on Jan. 29, 2007. How did you get started tanning? At 17, I started using tanning beds because of the prom. I'm very, very, very pale, and I bought a white prom dress, of all things, and decided that the only way I was going to look pretty in that dress was to be tan. By the end of two years I was going four to five times a week, about 20 minutes a time. A lot of girls I know tan twice a day. When I look back on it now, I really do believe that it was addictive for me.

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Daylight saving not linked to skin cancer, says QCF

2006-10-25T04:28:00.000-07:00

The Queensland Cancer Fund (QCF) has dismissed the Premier's claim that daylight saving would expose people to more sunlight and increase their risk of contracting skin cancer. Peter Beattie says it is one of the reasons he does not want daylight saving in Queensland. But Cancer Fund spokeswoman Joanne Aitken says that is not a valid reason. "We need to stay out of the sun between the hours of 10(am) and 3(pm) if possible, or use protection," she said. "Those peak UV hours won't be lengthened by having daylight saving. "There is no evidence that skin cancer increases with daylight saving." .

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Namibia: Dozens Dying of Skin Cancer

2006-10-25T04:27:00.001-07:00

With a population of albinos numbering some 1 000 people in Namibia, the association representing albinos says about 40 of them die due to skin cancer each year. President of the Namibia Albino Association, Joseph Ndinomupya, yesterday revealed that skin cancer remains the leading cause of death among albinos. With a sense of worry, Ndinomupya said, "It is the main killer among our community. Our greatest fear is if nothing is done, the majority of our people will die." He noted that most albinos do not live long due to a lack of understanding of how to care for their skins, such as applying sunscreen lotions. The Cancer Association of Namibia (CAN) could however not confirm the statistics. The majority of albinos in Namibia are found in the Kavango, Caprivi, Kunene, Omusati, Otjozondjupa, and Oshikoto regions.

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Toothpaste Ingredient Guards Against Skin Cancer

2006-10-25T04:27:00.000-07:00

ISLAMABAD: A common antibacterial and antifungal ingredient in mouthwashes and toothpaste also can also guard against skin cancer. The surprise finding was presented Oct. 19 at the American Association for Cancer Research meeting in Seattle. Sanguinarine, an alkaloid present in the bloodroot plant, has been shown to enhance production of proteins that induce the death of cells damaged by ultraviolet-B radiation. The substance also restricts skin cell production of proteins that promote the proliferation of cancer cells. "This natural compound may protect skin from cells that acquire the genetic damage caused by UV radiation from advancing toward cancer," lead researcher Nihal Ahmad, an assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Wisconsin, said in a prepared statement. Cells pretreated with sanguinarine were 49 percent to 66 percent more likely to die off after exposure to ultraviolet-B radiation than were untreated cells, Ahmad found.

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