» skin-cancer

Marathoners At Greater Risk for Skin Cancer

... — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 01:00:13 +0000

Austrian researchers recently reported that Caucasian marathon runners may have a greater risk of skin cancer due to prolonged sun exposure while running.

This risk seemed to increase with the number of miles run each week.

Those marathoners who ran more than 43.5 miles per week had the highest rates of skin cancer.

Only 56 percent of the runners in this study reported wearing sunscreen regularly.

It’s a good idea to wear the right clothing and to wear sunscreen.

Runners can reduce their risk of developing skin cancer by running in the morning or evening hours, and wearing water-proof sunscreen. Running clothing made with ultraviolet protection can also help.

Zolinza Approved by FDA to Treat CTCL

... — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 23:12:10 +0000

In early October, 2006, the drug Zolinza was approved by the FDA to treat CTCL (cutaneous T-cell lymphoma), a rare form of skin cancer.

Zolinza is permitted for use if the disease gets worse, persists, or recurs after treatment with other skin cancer medications. CTCL impacts about 3 in 1 million Americans per year, and was thus approved under the FDA’s Orphan Drug Program, which offer companies incentives for treating diseases which affect fewer than 200,000 Americans each year.

Zolinza is manufactured by Pantheon, Inc., for the drug giant Merck & Co.

The drug is not recommended for pregnant women, as animal studies indicate it could cause fetal harm.

Melanomas Detected Earlier by Computer Imaging

... — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 18:59:43 +0000

Teams of researchers in the UK and Austria have now shown that repeated computer imaging of skin lesions over time accurately and effectively identifies skin cancers before they are recognized by other clinical procedures.

Using sequential dermoscopy (where skin is repeatedly imaged over time) provides significant assistance in tracking so called “featureless melanomas”, that is, melanomas which are malignant, but don’t look to be malignant.

By tracking the computer images of moles over time, scientists can detect these melanomas much earlier than other methods.

By diagnosing melanoma at the early stages, sequential dermoscopy increases the likelihood of melanoma being found early enough to be cured.

In fact, in this study, more than 62% of the melanomas detected did not appear to be malignant, when they, in fact, were.

This technique can also be used to confirm that suspicious skin lesions are not cancerous, by tracking their appearance over time. If they look the same under imaging, doctors can rule out melanoma with greater certainty.

This represents a huge leap forward in the early treatment of malignant skin cancers.

Learn more about suncare for your skin