http://www.medindia.net/healthnews/Ultra-Violet-Radiation-news.asp Medindia largest health website in india. en-us Copyright 2013. All Rights Reserved. Tue, 21 May 2013 10:54:36 GMT http://www.medindia.net/news/red-hair-pigment-may-increase-risk-of-melanoma-skin-cancer-119235-1.htm Fair skin is associated with increased risk of skin cancer. However, recent animal studies reveal that factors other than UV radiations are involved in increasing the risk of melanoma in fair-skinned people with red hair. Dr. David Fisher, chief of dermatology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and his team had previously experimented with genetically modified mice and bfound that mice with pheomelanin, pigment responsible for red hair, still had high incidence of melanoma even in the absence of UV radiations....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/red-hair-pigment-may-increase-risk-of-melanoma-skin-cancer-119235-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/link-between-skin-cancer-and-lower-risk-of-alzheimers-disease-identified-119064-1.htm According to a recent study people who have skin cancer are at a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. The link does not apply to melanoma, a less common but more aggressive type of skin cancer. The study involved 1,102 people with an average age of 79 who did not have dementia at the start of the study. The participants were followed for an average of 3.7 years. At the start of the study, 109 people reported that they had skin cancer in the past. During the study, 32 people developed ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/link-between-skin-cancer-and-lower-risk-of-alzheimers-disease-identified-119064-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/new-class-of-drugs-for-skin-cancer-successfully-tested-in-humans-118792-1.htm A new class of drugs that can target a rouge protein responsible for proliferation of skin cancer has been successfully tested in humans, a new study reveals. The research involves the drug Dz13, a targeted molecular therapy, which was developed at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and has now been found to be safe in a clinical trial of patients with the common skin cancer, basal-cell carcinoma. "This is the first report of a drug of this type to be used in humans," says UNSW Medicine's ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/new-class-of-drugs-for-skin-cancer-successfully-tested-in-humans-118792-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/new-strategies-to-reduce-the-risk-of-skin-cancer-118710-1.htm A coordinated approach is required to prevent skin cancer by using indoor tanning devices. Evidence has shown that use of indoor tanning devices increases the risk of developing skin cancer, including melanoma, and these papers discuss approaches that could help reduce use of indoor tanning devices and prevent future incidence of skin cancers. Melanoma is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers among adolescents and young adults in the United States. Skin cancer is an urgent public health problem, with treatment costing an estimated (Dollor) 1....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/new-strategies-to-reduce-the-risk-of-skin-cancer-118710-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/weather-office-to-issue-uv-advisories-in-new-delhi-118459-1.htm The India Meteorological Department (IMD) announced that it will be issuing ultraviolet (UV) rays advisories at 10 locations in New Delhi which will allow the citizens in the national capital to find out the dose of UV rays that they are exposed to and take the necessary precautions to protect themselves from sunburn. Invisible UV rays are emitted by the sun and overexposure to them is said to be the major risk factor for most skin cancers. The weather office has recently launched the UV ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/weather-office-to-issue-uv-advisories-in-new-delhi-118459-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/simple-tips-to-prevent-skin-cancer-118445-1.htm Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA) has listed down six tips for prevention and early detection of melanoma. When left untreated, melanoma is the most dangerous and aggressive form of skin cancer, accounting for more than 9,000 of the 12,000-plus skin cancer deaths each year. "While SCCA doctors have developed successful and innovative methods to treat skin cancer, the true fight against melanoma starts with the simple routines each of us do daily to protect our skin," said Dr. Kim ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/simple-tips-to-prevent-skin-cancer-118445-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/skin-cancer-survivors-shy-away-from-sunscreen-118440-1.htm A recent study has revealed that one fourth of skin cancer survivors do not wear sunscreen; some even continue to use tanning beds. In a recent survey carried out by the bAmerican Association for Cancer Research/b it was found that 27.3 percent of those who have had bmelanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer/b, do not use sunscreen. Besides this shocker, the study also revealed that 21.5 percent of them continue to use tanning beds, which have been proven to increase a person's risk ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/skin-cancer-survivors-shy-away-from-sunscreen-118440-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/recommending-surgery-for-skin-cancer-among-elderly-patients-may-not-be-the-best-option-118359-1.htm Researchers suggest that recommending surgery for elderly patients suffering from skin cancer may not be the best option as they often suffer from complications from such surgeries and may not live long enough to benefit from the treatment. A new study led by UC San Francisco focused on the vexing problem of how best to handle skin cancers among frail, elderly patients. In the study sample, the researchers found that most non-melanoma skin cancers were typically treated surgically, regardless ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/recommending-surgery-for-skin-cancer-among-elderly-patients-may-not-be-the-best-option-118359-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/virus-kills-melanoma-in-animal-model-study-118001-1.htm Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) was found to kill human melanoma cells both in vitro and in animal models, says study. "If it works as well in humans, this could confer a substantial benefit on patients afflicted with this deadly disease," says Anthony van den Pol, a researcher on the study. The research was published online ahead of print in the iJournal of Virology/i. Most normal cells resist virus infection by activating antiviral processes that protect nearby cells. "The ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/virus-kills-melanoma-in-animal-model-study-118001-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/study-links-skin-cancer-to-future-risk-of-other-cancers-117848-1.htm A new study by US researchers published in this week's iPLOS Medicine/i finds white people who have types of skin cancer other than melanoma (non-melanoma skin cancer) may be at increased risk of having other forms of cancer in the future. The analysis, led by Dr. Jiali Han, an Associate Professor from Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School in the US, found that men and women with a history of non-melanoma skin cancers-the most common form of cancer in the United States and ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/study-links-skin-cancer-to-future-risk-of-other-cancers-117848-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/transcription-factors-linked-to-skin-cancer-melanoma-research-117691-1.htm At the University of North Carolina, researchers have discovered that transcription factors regulating the levels of oxygen in the blood also play a role in the spread of the skin cancer melanoma. In research published April 8 in the iJournal of Clinical Investigation/i, a research team led by William Kim, MD, member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, and graduate student and first author Sara Hanna, linked melanoma metastases to a pair of transcription factors known as HIF1 and HIF2....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/transcription-factors-linked-to-skin-cancer-melanoma-research-117691-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/english-speaking-hispanics-in-us-take-fewer-protections-against-skin-cancer-than-spanish-speaking-hispanics-117672-1.htm English-speaking Hispanics in the US were found to be more likely to put themselves at a risk for skin cancer and took fewer cancer protection practices compared to Spanish-speaking Hispanics, a new study conducted by researchers at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey reveals. Investigators say their findings show a need to consider linguistic acculturation - the way one adapts to the multiple languages to which he or she is exposed - in developing interventions for this population. The Cancer ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/english-speaking-hispanics-in-us-take-fewer-protections-against-skin-cancer-than-spanish-speaking-hispanics-117672-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/braf-mutation-less-common-among-patients-with-melanoma-in-ireland-117093-1.htm Data presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2013, held in Washington, D.C., April 6-10 reveals that the BRAF mutation was found to occur at a significantly lower frequency in patients with melanoma in Ireland. The study, which included two independent cohorts of patients in Europe, revealed that only about 20 percent of a cohort of Irish patients with melanoma harbored a BRAF mutation. "The clinical approval of a BRAF inhibitor that blocks the function of the mutant BRAF protein is currently ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/braf-mutation-less-common-among-patients-with-melanoma-in-ireland-117093-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/melanoma-patients-can-benefit-from-intermittent-treatment-with-vemurafenib-117037-1.htm A new study presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2013 reveals that intermittent treatment with Vemurafenib could help reduce the growth of tumor in melanoma patients who have vemurafenib resistant tumors. "It was exciting to witness the discovery of BRAF mutations in melanoma and the translation of this discovery into an effective therapy with vemurafenib," said Darrin Stuart, Ph.D., senior research investigator at the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research in Emeryville, Calif. "It was, ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/melanoma-patients-can-benefit-from-intermittent-treatment-with-vemurafenib-117037-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/skin-cancer-risk-lowered-in-women-with-prolonged-intake-of-aspirin-115637-1.htm Taking aspirin for a prolonged period could drastically reduce the risk of skin cancer n women, suggests a study recently published in the journal, Cancer. Dr Jean Tang, of Stanford University School of Medicine in California along with her team followed up the medical history of 59,806 Caucasian women aged between 50 and 79, enrolled in the study, for 12 years. Researchers took a note of aspirin intake and lifestyle of the women involved in the study. They also took into consideration the ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/skin-cancer-risk-lowered-in-women-with-prolonged-intake-of-aspirin-115637-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/energy-production-in-melanoma-cells-can-shift-with-braf-inhibitor-treatment-115607-1.htm BRAF-positive metastatic malignant melanomas develop resistance to treatment with drugs targeting the BRAF/MEK growth pathway via a shift in metabolism, a new study has found. The findings, which will be published in iCancer Cell/i and have been released online, suggest a strategy to improve the effectiveness of currently available targeted therapies. "We were surprised to find that melanoma cells treated with the BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib dramatically change the way they produce energy to stay alive," says David E....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/energy-production-in-melanoma-cells-can-shift-with-braf-inhibitor-treatment-115607-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/inhibiting-protein-prevents-the-spread-of-melanoma-to-the-lungs-in-mice-115363-1.htm A critical protein role in the metastasis of melanoma has been identified by researchers, the most serious form of skin cancer. Inhibition of the protein known as adenosine diphosphate ribosylation factor 6 (ARF6) reduces the spread of melanoma to the lungs in mice, according to a study published in the March 5 issue of iScience Signaling/i online, suggesting that targeting ARF6 may be an effective approach to preventing melanoma metastasis. Melanoma is the sixth most common cancer in the United States....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/inhibiting-protein-prevents-the-spread-of-melanoma-to-the-lungs-in-mice-115363-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/obesity-gene-may-increase-risk-of-deadly-skin-cancer-115299-1.htm Obesity could be a precursor to one of the deadliest forms of skin cancer after researchers at University of Leeds found that a gene that is linked with obesity also increase the risk of malignant melanoma. The researchers analyzed the DNAs of more than 73,000 people, of whom over 13,000 were melanoma patients, and found that those who carried a modification in the FTO gene had a greater risk of developing melanoma compared to others. "This is the first time, to our knowledge, that this major ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/obesity-gene-may-increase-risk-of-deadly-skin-cancer-115299-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/tattoo-inks-causing-complications-similar-to-skin-cancer-115283-1.htm An American dermatologist has claimed that new tattoo inks are leading to a number of skin problems, including allergic reactions and serious infections that mimic skin cancer. Tattoo ink's composition has changed dramatically over the years. In the past, metal salts, lead, cobalt and carbon were used in inks but today, many modern tattoo inks (especially intense reds and yellows) contain organic azo dyes with plastic-based pigments, which also have industrial uses in printing, textiles and car paint....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/tattoo-inks-causing-complications-similar-to-skin-cancer-115283-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/older-men-to-screen-themselves-for-skin-cancer-115225-1.htm Men aged 50 and older are less likely to examine their skin for early signs of skin cancer and report a suspicious mole to a dermatologist, state studies. AMERICAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY EXPERT: Information provided by Laura K. Ferris, MD, PhD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist and assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in Pennsylvania. LIFESAVING ADVICE: SKIN CANCER SCREENINGS SAVE LIVES: Recent research conducted by Dr. Ferris includes: 1....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/older-men-to-screen-themselves-for-skin-cancer-115225-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/triathlete-leanda-cave-tweets-about-her-diagnosis-of-skin-cancer-114833-1.htm Thirty-four-year-old triathlete, Leanda Cave, is a victim of skin cancer and has made this known to her fans on twitter and Facebook. The world remembers her for her victory in Hawaii in October where she won the 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run distance. Speaking about her recent diagnosis of cancer, she said: "I was just diagnosed with a skin cancer this morning. Make sure you use sun screen and wear a hat people. Take sun protection seriously." Recently, she also spoke ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/triathlete-leanda-cave-tweets-about-her-diagnosis-of-skin-cancer-114833-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/milk-thistle-extract-protects-from-skin-cancer-113708-1.htm Milk thistle extract, Silibinin, protects against UV-induced skin cancer, says a new study. "When you have a cell affected by UV radiation, you either want to repair it or kill it, so that it cannot go on to cause cancer. We show that silibinin does both," said Rajesh Agarwal, co-programme leader of Cancer Prevention and Control at the Colorado University Cancer Centre. The first study worked with human skin cells subjected to UVA radiation, which makes up about 95 percent of the sun's radiation that reaches the Earth....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/milk-thistle-extract-protects-from-skin-cancer-113708-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/new-mutations-driving-malignant-melanoma-discovered-113416-1.htm Scientists have discovered two new mutations that collectively occur in 71 percent of malignant melanoma tumors. Reporting their findings in the Jan. 24 issue of iScience Express/i, the researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Broad Institute said the highly "recurrent" mutations - occurring in the tumors of many people - may be the most common mutations in melanoma cells found to date. The researchers said these cancer-associated mutations are the first to be discovered ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/new-mutations-driving-malignant-melanoma-discovered-113416-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/researchers-drug-resistant-melanoma-tumors-shrink-when-therapy-is-interrupted-112695-1.htm New discovery shows that melanomas that develop resistance to the anti-cancer drug vemurafenib (marketed as Zelboraf), also develop addiction to the drug. Researchers say that this observation that may have important implications for the lives of patients with late-stage disease. The team, based at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research (NIBR) in Emeryville, Calif., and University Hospital Zurich, found that one mechanism by which ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/researchers-drug-resistant-melanoma-tumors-shrink-when-therapy-is-interrupted-112695-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/bmj-report-says-melanoma-patients-continue-to-opt-for-expensive-procedure-despite-concerns-over-its-effectiveness-112660-1.htm Even though there is no clear evidence that sentinel node biopsy may be effective, thousands of patients with melanoma continue to undergo the expensive and invasive procedure, a new report published in the British Medical Journal reveals. Although not recommended for routine use in England, it has become the standard care for melanoma patients in several countries including the United States, where it was estimated to cost over (Dollor) 686m in 2012. Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in the UK, affecting one in 60 people....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/bmj-report-says-melanoma-patients-continue-to-opt-for-expensive-procedure-despite-concerns-over-its-effectiveness-112660-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/how-deadly-skin-cancer-spreads-into-other-parts-of-the-body-112501-1.htm Scientists have made another important discovery in understanding the process by which the gene mda-9/syntenin contributes to metastasis in melanoma (the spread of skin cancer). Published in the journal iCancer Research/i, the study demonstrated that mda-9/syntenin is a key regulator of angiogenesis, the process responsible for the formation of new blood vessels in tumors. Mda-9/syntenin was originally cloned in the laboratory of the study's lead author Paul B. Fisher, M.Ph., Ph.D., Thelma ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/how-deadly-skin-cancer-spreads-into-other-parts-of-the-body-112501-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/ultraviolet-lights-to-combat-seasonal-affective-disorder-112055-1.htm A company in Sweden is working to provide light boxes to battle Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD during the dark winter. SAD affects 62 million Americans, according to Michael Terman, director of the Center for Light Treatment and Biological Rhythms at Columbia University and a leader in the field. About 5 percent of the population experiences the most severe symptoms of SAD-depression and hopelessness-while another 15 percent have the so-called "winter blues" or "winter doldrums....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/ultraviolet-lights-to-combat-seasonal-affective-disorder-112055-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/protein-discovery-could-pave-way-for-new-treatments-for-melanoma-111830-1.htm A protein identified by the researchers may hold the key to create more effective drug treatments for melanoma, one of the deadliest cancers. Researchers funded by Cancer Research UK have been looking at why new drugs called "MEK inhibitors", which are currently being tested in clinical trials, aren't as effective at killing cancer cells as they should be. They discovered that MITF - a protein that helps cells to produce pigment but also helps melanoma cells to grow and survive - is able ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/protein-discovery-could-pave-way-for-new-treatments-for-melanoma-111830-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/no-risk-of-cancer-from-uv-nail-lamps-111235-1.htm For women who are regular with mani-pedi of the gel variety, there is some good news that they do not cause skin cancer. A new study has said that even if one were to use nail lamps once a week for 250 years, the risks were not that much. Dermatologists had earlier warned that UV exposure could increase the risk of cancer. During the study, researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital evaluated the radiation from standard nail lamps, including two models using UV fluorescent bulbs and another which used LED lights....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/no-risk-of-cancer-from-uv-nail-lamps-111235-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/skin-cancer-risk-includes-more-than-uv-exposure-shows-genetic-data-111087-1.htm Though it's common knowledge that excessive UV exposure from sunlight raises your chances for skin cancer predicting whether someone will actually develop skin cancer remains difficult. Scientists from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and the University of Wisconsin-Madison show that the risk for skin cancer involves numerous genetic factors including family history, ethnicity, and genetic variations specific to each individual in a new report. Using these factors, the researchers ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/skin-cancer-risk-includes-more-than-uv-exposure-shows-genetic-data-111087-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/master-regulator-important-for-skin-cancer-uncovered-110932-1.htm With the X-ray vision of DESY's light source DORIS, a research team has uncovered the molecular structure of a master regulator central to the most deadly form of skin cancer, melanoma. The results, published in the scientific journal "iGenes (and) Development/i", throw new light on the workings of the so-called Microphthalmia-associated Transcription Factor MITF, that is not only connected to skin cancer, but also to a variety of hereditary diseases where the production of the skin pigment ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/master-regulator-important-for-skin-cancer-uncovered-110932-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/moustaches-facial-hair-reduce-the-risk-of-skin-cancer-110491-1.htm Moustaches and facial hair have benefits well beyond aesthetics, as a new study has found that they can reduce the risk of skin cancer. Using dosimetric techniques - instruments that measure the skin and show the amount of radiation absorbed over a given period of time - scientists from the University of Southern Queensland discovered that people with facial hair had reduced their skin's exposure to the sun by about one-third, News.com.au reported. The results of this study said that the ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/moustaches-facial-hair-reduce-the-risk-of-skin-cancer-110491-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/sunscreen-with-spf50-offers-better-uv-protection-says-australian-admin-110434-1.htm Sunscreen can be defined as a kind of 'lotion, spray, gel or other topical product that absorbs or reflects some of the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation on the skin exposed to sunlight and thus helps protect against sunburn'. Sunscreen is also known as sun tan lotion, sun block, or sunburn cream. Generally sunscreens have one of the following components: 1. Inorganic compounds such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide that can scatter, reflect, and absorb harmful UV rays. 2. ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/sunscreen-with-spf50-offers-better-uv-protection-says-australian-admin-110434-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/possibility-of-halting-melanoma-metastasis-with-the-help-of-research-breakthrough-110322-1.htm Scientists have eliminated metastasis, the spread of cancer from the original tumor to other parts of the body, in melanoma by inhibiting a protein known as melanoma differentiation associated gene-9 (mda-9)/syntenin in laboratory experiments. More than 1 million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year in the U.S., and melanoma is the deadliest form. The approach used by the scientists could lead to targeted therapies that stop metastasis in melanoma and potentially a broad range of additional cancers with further research....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/possibility-of-halting-melanoma-metastasis-with-the-help-of-research-breakthrough-110322-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/protein-inhibition-stops-spread-of-fatal-skin-cancer-110105-1.htm In laboratory experiments, melanoma differentiation associated gene-9 (mda-9) is found to eliminate metastasis of melanoma - the deadliest form of skin cancer. With further research, the approach used by the scientists could lead to targeted therapies that stop metastasis in melanoma and potentially a broad range of additional cancers. The study was led by Paul B. Fisher, M.Ph., Ph.D., Thelma Newmeyer Corman Endowed Chair in Cancer Research and program co-leader of Cancer Molecular Genetics ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/protein-inhibition-stops-spread-of-fatal-skin-cancer-110105-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/new-infrared-thermometer-for-smartphones-110010-1.htm San Diego-based Fraden Corp has come out with a new infrared thermometer for smartphones that can be used to check the temperature of a baby or the meat in the oven without the need for touching either. The thermometer camera is 5x5x5 mm in size and will be compatible with the next generation of smartphones. It can detect temperatures within the range of -30C to 200C and can be used to scan the temperature of a particular area of the skin. Stating that the technology can prove to be a major ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/new-infrared-thermometer-for-smartphones-110010-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/new-model-developed-to-predict-the-progression-of-skin-cancer-109778-1.htm UT Southwestern Medical Center scientists have developed an innovative model for predicting the progression of skin cancer in patients. They were led by Dr. Sean Morrison, director of the Children's Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern. In a new study published today in iScience Translational Medicine/i, Stage III human melanoma cells from 20 patients were implanted into specially selected mice with compromised immune systems. Using this xenograft model, in which tissue ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/new-model-developed-to-predict-the-progression-of-skin-cancer-109778-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/rattlesnake-venom-offers-hope-for-skin-cancer-cure-109465-1.htm A recent Brazilian study has thrown light on the use of rattlesnake venom in the fight against skin cancer. Chromatin, a protein isolated from the venom of the South American snake, increased the survival rate of rats with skin cancer by up to 70 percent, the Butantan Institute reported Thursday. The protein also helped to significantly retard the development of tumors and even to completely inhibit their formation, according to Butantan, an institute linked to the health department of Sao Paulo state....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/rattlesnake-venom-offers-hope-for-skin-cancer-cure-109465-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/nice-approves-two-new-skin-cancer-drugs-109418-1.htm The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in Britain has approved two new drugs for treating skin cancer after the manufacturers agreed to supply the drugs to the NHS at reduced costs. The drugs, ipilimumab and vemurafenib, are manufactured by Bristol-Myers Squibb and Roche respectively. Nice had initially decided not to recommend the drugs for NHS due to high costs but was swayed into recommending them after the manufacturers agreed on an undisclosed price discount. Vemurafenib, ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/nice-approves-two-new-skin-cancer-drugs-109418-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/redheads-with-pale-skin-at-high-risk-of-developing-skin-cancer-109319-1.htm A new study by American researchers have found that redheads who have pale skin are at a greater risk of developing the most deadly form of skin cancer regardless of their amount of exposure to the sun. Not only is this group more vulnerable to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays, but a study in mice has now shown that the pigment that gives hair a red hue may in itself have cancer-causing effects, said a paper in the journal Nature. "We studied melanoma formation in 'redheaded' mice and discovered ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/redheads-with-pale-skin-at-high-risk-of-developing-skin-cancer-109319-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/routine-blood-test-may-predict-survival-in-patietns-with-aggressive-skin-cancer-109289-1.htm A routine blood test may help predict survival in patients with an aggressive form of skin cancer known as Merkel cell carcinoma, reveal new findings by Fox Chase Cancer Center researchers. The results will be presented on Wednesday, October 31 at the American Society for Radiation Oncology's 54th Annual Meeting. "With such a fast-growing cancer, we get one question a lot: 'how long do I have?'," says Matthew Johnson, MD, a resident physician in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Fox Chase and lead author on the study....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/routine-blood-test-may-predict-survival-in-patietns-with-aggressive-skin-cancer-109289-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/a-new-type-of-t-cell-to-target-melanoma-exposed-by-mouse-model-109206-1.htm It is a known fact that cancers arise in the body all the time. They are mostly nipped in the bud by the immune response, not least by its T cells, which detect telltale molecular markers-or antigens-on cancer cells and destroy them before they grow into tumors. For their part, cancer cells, evolve constantly to evade such assassination. Those that succeed become full-blown malignancies. Yet, given the right sort of help, the immune system can destroy even these entrenched tumors. In the October ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/a-new-type-of-t-cell-to-target-melanoma-exposed-by-mouse-model-109206-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/effectiveness-of-ultraviolet-light-in-hospital-infection-control-shown-by-study-109038-1.htm Research shows that a specific spectrum of ultraviolet light killed certain drug-resistant bacteria on the door handles, bedside tables and other surfaces of hospital rooms. The research that was presented at IDWeek 2012 suggests that this could be possible future weapon in the battle to reduce hospital-associated infections. Researchers at Duke University Medical Center and the University of North Carolina Hospital System used short-wave ultraviolet radiation (UV-C) to nearly eliminate iAcinetobacter/i, ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/effectiveness-of-ultraviolet-light-in-hospital-infection-control-shown-by-study-109038-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/skin-cancer-can-be-fought-off-by-mice-at-risk-of-asthma-allergies-108653-1.htm According to scientists, a molecule involved in asthma and allergies has now been shown to make mice resistant to skin cancer. The scientists are from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The molecule, called TSLP (thymic stromal lymphopoietin), is produced by damaged skin and activates the immune system. Chronic low levels of TSLP are suspected in making the immune system oversensitive to what should be a harmless environment, leading to the skin rashes and overproduction of mucus common in allergies and asthma....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/skin-cancer-can-be-fought-off-by-mice-at-risk-of-asthma-allergies-108653-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/new-peptide-synthesised-to-kill-melanoma-cells-108643-1.htm A peptide that mimics the activity of a virus protein in killing off cells of melanoma have been successfully synthesised by researchers. Melanoma - the most virulent skin cancer and the leading cause of death from the disease. Taghrid Istivan of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) said lab tests with the peptide (short chain of amino acids) have shown that it kills melanoma cells, which may lead to new and non-invasive treatments. "Currently, the only effective treatment ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/new-peptide-synthesised-to-kill-melanoma-cells-108643-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/melanoma-cells-become-invisible-to-immune-cells-by-changing-their-external-characteristics-108440-1.htm Bonn University researchers have discovered that the ability of tumor cells to become invisible to defense cells by temporarily altering their external characteristics could be the reason why treatment approaches that make immune cells to search and destroy melanoma cells are only temporarily effective. This knowledge forms an important foundation for the improvement of combination therapies. The results have been published online in the renowned journal "iNature/i." In Germany, approximately ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/melanoma-cells-become-invisible-to-immune-cells-by-changing-their-external-characteristics-108440-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/melanoma-risk-high-in-immunosuppressed-patients-108199-1.htm Melanoma strikes roughly 1 in 50 people in the general population, Dr. Brewer says. Melanoma is on the rise nationally, and transplant recipients and lymphoma patients are far likelier than the average person to get that form of skin cancer and to die from it, a Mayo Clinic review has found. That is because their immune systems tend to be significantly depressed, making early detection of melanoma even more important, says co-author Jerry Brewer, M.D. a Mayo dermatologist. The findings are ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/melanoma-risk-high-in-immunosuppressed-patients-108199-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/melanoma-may-be-treated-by-a-simple-cream-in-future-108180-1.htm Researchers at Melbourne's RMIT University have revealed that they have managed to create a new chemical that acts as a known virus and destroys melanoma cells, leading to hopes that a simple cream solution to treat melanoma can be developed in the future. The researchers revealed that the initial research showed that while the chemical destroys the melanoma cells, it does not affect normal skin cells. Lead researcher Dr Taghrid Istivan said that there are a number of benefits in developing ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/melanoma-may-be-treated-by-a-simple-cream-in-future-108180-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/confirmed-indoor-tanning-increases-skin-cancer-risk-107949-1.htm Study confirms indoor tanning increases the risks of developing non-melanoma skin cancer (known as basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma), especially among those exposed before the age of 25. The study is published on http:www.bmj.com. It follows a iBMJ/i study published in July that showed 3,438 (5.4%) new cases of melanoma diagnosed each year in Western Europe are related to sunbed use, particularly among young adults. Some experts are now calling for Europe to follow the ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/confirmed-indoor-tanning-increases-skin-cancer-risk-107949-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/for-melanoma-drug-combinations-effective-study-107886-1.htm At the ESMO 2012 Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology in Vienna, promising new data on drug combinations to treat metastatic melanoma was presented. The phase I and II trials focus on combining drugs to slow the development of resistance to drugs that inhibit BRAF, a gene that is mutated in about half of melanomas. Earlier trials with drugs that target BRAF generated excitement for their ability to quickly shrink melanoma tumors in suitable patients. But for many patients ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/for-melanoma-drug-combinations-effective-study-107886-1.htm