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2010 Medical News Updates in Melanoma
Tanning Beds Categorized as Carcinogenic to Humans Previously tanning beds were classified as “probably carcinogenic to humans.” Now after extensive review of studies done on indoor tanning equipment they are determined to be more dangerous than originally thought and have been classified as carcinogenic to humans. The risk of melanoma increases by 75 percent when tanning bed use begins before the age of 35; the use of tanning beds has increased in people under the age of 30. Historically, the incidence of skin cancer is highest in people over 75, however, in Britain, melanoma is now the leading cancer diagnosis in women in their 20’s.
The sun lamps in tanning beds emit UV radiation. There is an association between UV radiation and skin and ocular melanoma as well as immune suppression. The UV-B radiation may make you less able to fight disease, including skin cancer, by suppressing normal functioning of the immune system. The FDA has attempted to regulate tanning bed exposure to no more than three sessions in the first week. Unfortunately, less than 11 percent of facilities follow FDA recommendations.
Given the above, the FDA (Federal Drug Administration), NCI (National Cancer Institute), the American Academy of Dermatology and other health organizations advise limiting exposure to natural UV radiation from the sun and avoiding artificial UV sources entirely. Sources: American Cancer Society, FDA Consumer Updates.
More Important Tanning Bed News from AOL Health
Ongoing Research in Staging and Treatment A new test to find melanoma in lymph nodes is being studied in clinical trials. The test can find one melanoma cell among a million normal cells.
In regards to treatment, research is looking at new and different treatment modalities, which include immune therapy, gene therapy and molecular targeting. Unfortunately, all the new modalities are still in clinical trials. Research continues to look at vaccines that make a person immune to his/her melanoma cells. Studies are also trying to make an individual’s immune system attack the melanoma cells. In addition, researchers are making drugs that attack abnormal genes, such as BRAF. This is an abnormal gene in most melanoma cells; the hope is to make a drug that attacks the abnormal gene. Finally, some clinical trials are adding genes to cancer cells to try and fight the melanoma.
As we enter 2010 we look forward to ongoing advances in melanoma research, particularly in regards to treatment. Melanoma continues to be the deadliest form of skin cancer; perhaps this new decade will change that. Sources: American Cancer Society, FDA Consumer Updates.
August 21, 2007, Berkeley Heights, NJ
The initial patients have been enrolled in Genta Incorporated’s phase 3 trial of Genasense injection in advanced melanoma. The trial, AGENDA, is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in which patients will receive either Genasense and dacarbazine or dacarbazine alone. Genasense works by blocking the production of a protein called Bcl-2, which appears to be a fundamental cause of cancer treatment resistance. Genasense may enhance the effectiveness of chemotherapy in patients with advanced melanoma by blocking the protein Bcl-2. For more information go to http://www.fiercebiotech.com.
June 5, 2007, Chicago, IL
2007 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting. Medarex and Bristol-Myers Squibb presented results from multiple clinical trials of an investigational immunotherapy drug called ipilimumab (MDX-010) for patients with advanced melanoma. Ipilimumab is a fully humanized antibody designed to bind to and block activity of CTLA-4 (cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4). CTLA-4 helps to regulate natural immune responses. Blocking CTLA-4 is believed to sustain an active immune response in attack on cancer cells. The drug showed anti-tumor response when used alone (as a monotherapy) or when used in combination with other therapies. For more information go to http://www.medarex.com.
March 8, 2007, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
“Guardian of the genome” protein found to underlie skin tanning. Researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute report the protein p53, one of the best known tumor suppressor proteins in our body, may have a significant role in protecting us against sun damage in the skin. It is already known that the greatest risk factor for melanoma is an inability to tan, the protein p53 may prompt the skin to tan in response to ultraviolet light (from the sun), thereby deterring the development of melanoma. For more information go to http://www.dana-farber.org.
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