The new guidelines are designed “to reduce consumer confusion,” said Dr. Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

With help of New FDA Guidelines, Consumers can Spot Sunscreen Effectiveness. Judy Woodruff discusses the new rules with The Skin Cancer Foundation’s Dr. Ali Hendi. you can see more info there: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/health/jan-june11/sunscreen_06-14.html.

An estimated 3.5 million Americans develop skin cancer every single year. Basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma are readily curable if detected early, but melanoma that has spread throughout the body is exceptionally difficult to deal with and generally proves fatal.

Video: FDA releases new sunscreen guidelines
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/video?id=8190592

FDA’s New Sunscreen Rules: FAQ
http://blogs.webmd.com/breaking-news/2011/06/fdas-new-sunscreen-rules-faq.html

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The follow 9 Sunscreens Get Top Ratings by Consumer Reports

Three sunscreens were given the Consumer Reports “Best Buy” rating:

Up & Up Sport SPF 30
No-Ad with Aloe and Vitamin E SPF 45
Equate Baby SPF 50

Six others were recommended:

Banana Boat Sport Performance SPF 30
Coppertone Sport Ultra Sweatproof SPF 30
CVS Fast Cover Sport SPF 30
Walgreens Sport SPF 50
Ocean Potion Kids Instant Dry Mist SPF 50
Banana Boat Sport Performance SPF 100

It’s good to know which sunscreens are most effective with summer just around the corner.

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Ronald L. Moy, MD, FAAD, president of the American Academy of Dermatology, said:

“Our survey underscores the importance of educating young women about the very real risks of tanning, as melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer – is increasing faster in females 15 to 29 years old than in males of the same age group.

In fact, most young women with melanoma are developing it on their torso, which may be the result of high-risk tanning behaviors such as indoor tanning. In my practice, I have had patients – young women with a history using tanning beds – who have died from melanoma.”

Tanning — including the use of tanning beds — is still extremely common among young women despite the increased risk of skin cancer.

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With warmer temperatures and the urge to spend more time outside come the dangers of sun exposure and heat exhaustion.

As forecasts continue to improve, those who go out in the sun should take care to protect their skin and stay cool, medical professionals say.

Tips for safe-sunning

Wear a hat
Putting on a broad-brimmed hat will protect your face and shade your eyes. Extra care should be taken for facial skin, as it is thinner and more delicate compared to the rest of the body.

Be mindful of the sun’s peak hours
The sun is at its peak between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Try to stay out of the sun during these hours. If it is unavoidable, cover exposed skin with long-sleeved shirts and pants — not shorts.

Always wear SPF
Even on a cool, overcast day, the sun’s rays seep through the clouds. Apply sunscreen 15–30 minutes before and after sun exposure. Make sure the SPF is at least 15 and offers both UVA and UVB protection.

Don’t like the sticky feeling of sunscreen? Use a spray, which disperses thin, even layers. Also, many body lotions have SPF mixed into their formula.

Avoid tanning
Achieving the “healthy” bronzed look is still possible without having to cook under the sun. A tan is a result of melanin pigment being produced by the skin to protect against UV damage. Symptoms of sun damage could be dry and leathery skin, freckles, fine lines, moles and premature aging. Try self-tanners or gradual tan moisturizers, which are risk free.

Eat
To protect against free radicals the skin absorbs from sun exposure, incorporate foods rich in antioxidants into your diet. Green tea, pomegranate, blueberries and tomatoes have high vitamin A, C and E. Although topical protection is the most effective, a healthy diet adds to the body’s resilience against damaging factors.

The skin is composed of layers that function to assist us in heating and cooling as well as providing color. Unprotected exposure to the sun can damage any of those layers and create serious or even life-threatening problems. Skin cancer is unusual cell growth and is named after the layer in which it occurs.

The most deadly form is melanoma, which happens in cells that make pigment (melanocytes). Melanoma is not the most common form however; the two most common forms are basal cell carcinoma (from the outer layer of the skin) and squamous cell (from the flat surface cells). It is estimated that more 1 million new cases occur annually in the non-melanoma types.

These cancers are treatable, particularly if caught early. But would you not prefer to prevent them altogether if you could?

Risk factors

» Excessive exposure to UV radiation

» Light complexion

» Family history

» Many moles or unusual moles

» History of severe sunburns as a child

Signs to watch for

» Change in color, shape or size of a mole

» New growth

» Change in oozing, itching or tenderness

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Spread of cancer is currently detected with blood work (to examine liver function, blood cell counts and enzyme levels), X-rays and body scans.

A new study suggests that a blood test could be used to predict the risk of cancer spreading, or metastasizing, in people who have melanoma skin cancer. The study findings are reported in the April 15 issue of Clinical Cancer Research.

High blood levels of seven proteins can predict the spread of melanoma, the most invasive and the deadliest form of skin cancer, a new study says.

After measuring the blood levels of these proteins in 108 people with metastatic melanoma and 108 others with stage 1 or 2 of the disease, which have no spread to other organs, the US scientists realized that patients with metastatic melanoma had higher levels of these biomarkers.

Researchers at the Yale Cancer Center and Yale School of Medicine found that the blood levels of CEACAM, ICAM-1, osteopontin, MIA, GDF-15, TIMP-1 and S100B were significantly higher in the blood of 83 percent of people whose melanoma had spread to other organs.

In addition, elevated levels of the proteins were not seen in the blood of 76 percent of patients with early-stage melanoma.

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Stages of Melanoma and Corresponding Treatments:

Stage 0:
Treatment for stage 0 melanoma is usually to remove the cancerous cells and a small area of skin surrounding them.

Stage IA:
Treatment – Surgical removal of any remaining tumor and a margin of normal-looking skin. The normal-looking skin is examined under a microscope to verify that cancer cells are not present.

Stage IB:
Treatment – In stage 1B, treatment consists of:
*Surgical removal of any remaining tumor and a margin of normal-looking skin (surgical excision). The normal-looking skin is examined under a microscope to verify that cancer cells are not present.
*Clinical trial – Some patients with stage IB melanoma participate in clinical trials that evaluate new techniques for detecting the spread of melanoma to the sentinel lymph node.

Stage I melanoma cancer is generally easily treated. Simple excisions and re-excisions are the surgical procedures that are most commonly used to treat this type of cancer. The five-year survival rate of patients with stage I melanoma are approximately 90 to 95 percent.

Stage II:
Treatment for stage II melanoma is much more detailed. It begins with removal of the melanoma and some of the surrounding “normal” skin, followed by removal of the nearby lymph nodes. The National Cancer Institute reports that after surgery, patients often undergo “biologic therapy,” which uses vaccines and antibodies to attempt to restore the immune system so it is better able to fight cancer and infections. The five-year survival rate for stage II melanoma is between 56 and 78 percent, depending upon the thickness of the tumor.

Stage III:
Treatment of Stage III melanoma includes the surgical removal of the melanoma tumor and surgical removal of the lymph nodes. Adjuvant therapy is also usually necessary. Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy and vaccine therapy are all treatment options that are sometimes used to treat Stage III patients. Exactly which combination of methods is used is determined on a case-by-case basis.

Stage IV:
Stage IV is the most advanced stage of melanoma. At this point, the cancer has spread to other lymph nodes, areas of skin and bodily organs such as the liver, lungs or kidneys. If there are few cancerous tumors, the doctor may choose to remove them. If there are several, at this stage she may decide that the best course of treatment is to not remove the tumors, but treat the symptoms of the cancer so the patient can be as comfortable as possible. Some of the optional treatments are chemotherapy, biologic therapy and radiation. The American Cancer Society reports that the five-year survival rate for stage IV melanoma is around 18 percent.

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Melanoma ABCD Defined

Melanoma ABCD Defined

Melanoma is the most deadly of all skin cancers. An estimated 46,000 Americans will develop melanoma every year, and 7,700 Americans will die from melanoma every year.

How do I know if my mole is melanoma?

l. It is important to regularly inspect the moles on your body, looking for any warning signs that they might be cancerous:

1.A harmless mole is usually round, and for the most part symmetric. If your mole is asymmetric it may need to be looked at by your doctor, and could be melanoma.

2.A harmless mole is usually all one color. Most regular moles are either all black or all brown in color. If your mole is several different shades of black, brown, and or red it may need to be looked at by your doctor, and could be melanoma.

3.A harmless mole usually has smooth even edges. If your mole has jagged or rough edges it may need to be looked at by your doctor, and could be melanoma.

4.A harmless mole usually remains a constant size. If your mole appears to be growing in size or if another mole develops beside a pre-existing mole it may need to be looked at by your doctor, and could be
melanoma.

5.A harmless mole is usually about the size of a pencil eraser or smaller. If your mole is larger in size, it may need to be looked at by your doctor, and could be melanoma.

Videos for mole or melanoma

How to Examine Moles for Melanoma 3 min – 12 Aug 2009 5min.com

When to Test Moles for Melanoma 48 sec – 26 Aug 2009 5min.com

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Melanoma Pictures - Introduction

Staging

Further context on cancer staging is available at TNM.

Also of importance are the “Clark level” and “Breslow’s depth” which refer to the microscopic depth of tumor invasion.

Melanoma stages:

Stage 0: Melanoma in Situ (Clark Level I), 99.9% Survival

Stage I/II: Invasive Melanoma, 85-99% Survival

* T1a: Less than 1.00 mm primary tumor thickness, w/o Ulceration and mitosis < 1/mm2
* T1b: Less than 1.00 mm primary tumor thickness, w/Ulceration or mitoses ≥ 1/mm2
* T2a: 1.00-2.00 mm primary tumor thickness, w/o Ulceration

Stage II: High Risk Melanoma, 40-85% Survival

* T2b: 1.00-2.00 mm primary tumor thickness, w/ Ulceration
* T3a: 2.00-4.00 mm primary tumor thickness, w/o Ulceration
* T3b: 2.00-4.00 mm primary tumor thickness, w/ Ulceration
* T4a: 4.00 mm or greater primary tumor thickness w/o Ulceration
* T4b: 4.00 mm or greater primary tumor thickness w/ Ulceration

Stage III: Regional Metastasis, 25-60% Survival

* N1: Single Positive Lymph Node
* N2: 2-3 Positive Lymph Nodes OR Regional Skin/In-Transit Metastasis
* N3: 4 Positive Lymph Nodes OR Lymph Node and Regional Skin/In Transit Metastases

Stage IV: Distant Metastasis, 9-15% Survival

* M1a: Distant Skin Metastasis, Normal LDH
* M1b: Lung Metastasis, Normal LDH
* M1c: Other Distant Metastasis OR Any Distant Metastasis with Elevated LDH

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What are the chances of getting skin cancer from sunbed ?
What are the actual chances of getting skin cancer ? people say it can increase your chances by 75%, but if it’s only like a 2% of getting it to start with, it’s going to be unlikely. I use sunbeds, obviously i get concerned about skin cancer because i don’t want to die anytime soon, but i hate looking pale. So what are the chances ? How many people who use sunbeds actually fall unlucky. Thanks.
Answer: Rays from a sunbed are 10 times more harmful than the sun. What is the point of being tanned and dead!
Not only that, it will ruin your skin and end up looking like leather. There are some great fake products around these days try those.

What are the first signs of skin cancer?
I can get sunburned pretty easily. I’ve already gotten sunburned pretty bad more then once. My mother’s worried I’ll get skin cancer, so I would like to know what are signs of skin cancer.
Answer: Extremely dark freckles, dark or pale patches on your skin void of any colour. If you have an area that concerns you please speak with your doctor as they are trained to recognize precancerous skin.

How long before you can detect skin cancer?
Recently, I got sunburned really bad on my back and shoulders. I have a couple new flat freckles. How and when can you tell you have skin cancer? And, can you develop skin cancer without seeing anything noticeable?
Answer: There is usually some change in the skin – a mole or even a red area which a friend of mine has just had diagnosed as skin cancer and is using a chemo cream instead of surgery. Any suspicious spots should be reported to a doctor for checking.

How can I keep my skin safe from skin cancer?
I have read some extremely heart-breaking stories about teens who have gotten skin cancer before. After hearing that, I want to keep my skin safe as possible!
Answer: Always wear sunscreen and never stay out in the sun for too long, especially in the middle of the day when the sun is stronger than in the morning and late afternoon. Also cancer can happen to anyone who has had bad sunburn, so be very careful.

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A: If the bumps are white, they may be the result of dry skin. If they are red or itchy, uneven in shape and are changing in appearance, you should check with your doctor. If not, try some vaseline or dry skin lotion for the problem. ChaCha!

images_elbow-skin

images_elbow-skin

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