HPV Infection May Raise Skin Cancer Risk 07/12/2010
It appears that infection with certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) may be linked with the incidence of squamous cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer. These findings were recently published in the journal BMJ. There are three main types of cancers that originate in the skin: basal cell carcinoma; squamous ...

Indoor Tanning May Be Addictive in Some Individuals 04/29/2010
Researchers report that some individuals may meet criteria for addiction to indoor tanning and are more likely to exhibit other addictive behaviors and affective disturbance. These results were recently published in the journal Archives of Dermatology.[1] Each year in the Unites States, an estimated 28 million people ...

More Evidence of Prevalence of Youth Tanning Bed Use 04/15/2010
Use of tanning beds by youths age 11-17 in the UK is widespread according to results recently published in the British Medical Journal.[1] Use of tanning beds has been linked with an increased risk of melanoma, the most deadly type of skin cancer. Each year in the ...

High Incidence of Non-melanoma Skin Cancer in the U.S. 03/24/2010
A significant increase in the incidence of non-melanoma skin cancers in the United States since the 1990s has been reported in two studies recently published in the  Archives of Dermatology.[1],[2] Non-melanoma skin cancers include basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Basal cell carcinoma very ...

Moh's Micrographic Surgery More Effective than Excision for Recurrent Basal Cell Carcinoma of the Face 12/02/2008
Moh's micrographic surgery (MMS) for the treatment of recurrent basal cell carcinoma (rBCC) of the face results in fewer recurrences than surgical excision, according to the results of a study published in the December 2008 issue of the Lancet Oncology.[1]Skin cancer is often ...

GDC-0449 Is Promising New Drug for Advanced Basal Cell Skin Cancer 04/15/2008
A novel drug still in early clinical trials, GDC-0449, appears highly effective in shrinking large basal cell skin cancer with limited side effects. These results were recently presented at a late-breaking session at the 2008 Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is a ...

Surgery Reduces Recurrence Risk in Patients with Nodular Basal Cell Carcinoma 09/25/2007
Among patients with nodular basal cell carcinoma of the skin, surgery results in a lower risk of recurrence, but also a worse cosmetic result, than photodynamic therapy. These results were published in the Archives of Dermatology.Each year, more than one million new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in ...

Biologic Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis Linked with Increased Risk of Skin Cancer 09/10/2007
According to the results of a study published in Arthritis and Rheumatism, treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with drugs such as Remicade® (infliximab) or Enbrel® (etanercept) may increase the risk of skin cancer but does not appear to increase the risk of other types of cancer.Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune ...

Antioxidant Supplements Linked to Increased Rates of Skin Cancer in Women 08/22/2007
According to an article published in the Journal of Nutrition, antioxidants consumed in supplement form appear to be associated with an increase in the rate of skin cancer among women but not men.Results from recent studies have clearly demonstrated a link between diet and risks of various types of ...

Don't Rely Solely on Sunscreen to Protect Your Skin 05/09/2007
According to an article published in The Lancet, the best ways to protect your skin from the sun are to wear sun-protective clothing and hats and to minimize your time in the sun. Sunscreen can play a role in sun protection, but it must be used correctly and should ...

FDA Approves New Over-the-counter Sunscreen Product 07/25/2006
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Anthelios SX, a sunscreen from L'Oreal, to be sold over-the-counter (OTC) for the prevention of sunburn and for protection against ultraviolet B (UVB) and ultraviolet A (UVA) rays. It has a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15.  UVB exposure is associated ...

High-Fat Diet Not Associated with Increase in Skin Cancer 06/02/2006
According to an article recently published in BMC Cancer, high levels of dietary fat do not increase the risk of developing skin cancer and may, in fact, have a protective effect against its development. There are three main types of skin cancer: melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and basal cell carcinoma. ...

Aldara™ Effective Against Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Situ of the Skin 05/31/2006
According to the results of a study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, Aldara™ (imiquimod 5% cream) effectively treats squamous cell carcinoma in situ of the skin. More than one million new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year in the U.S., making it the ...

Interferon May Provide Cures for Basal Cell Carcinomas 05/30/2006
According to an article published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, injections of interferon directly into the cancer may provide cures for a large portion of patients with basal cell carcinoma. Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer—it affects 800,000 Americans each year. ...

Remicade® and Humira® Increase Risk of Cancer 05/18/2006
According to an article recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, patients taking the rheumatoid arthritis drugs Remicade® (infliximab) or Humira® (adalimumab) had a three-fold increased risk of developing various types of cancers. Remicade and Humira are agents referred to as anti-tumor necrosis factor (Anti-TNF) antibodies; they ...

Human Papillomavirus Infection Linked with Squamous Cell Skin Cancer 03/17/2006
Infection with certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) appears to increase the risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin but not basal cell carcinoma of the skin. These results were published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Each year, more than one million people are diagnosed with ...

Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs May Prevent Actinic Keratoses and Skin Cancers 02/02/2006
According to results recently published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, the use of aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) may prevent the development of actinic keratosis and squamous cell cancers of the skin. Actinic keratosis refers to a condition of precancerous areas or spots that ...

History of Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Increases Risk of Melanoma 12/23/2005
According to a study published in the journal Cancer, postmenopausal women with a history of non-melanoma skin cancer have a roughly 70% greater risk of developing melanoma than women without such a history. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer. It is generally divided into two categories: melanoma ...

Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Increasing in Younger Adults 08/11/2005
Rates of both basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma have increased over time among people under the age of 40, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer. It is generally divided into two ...

Moh's Micrographic Surgery May Be Superior to Surgical Excision for Large Basal Cell Carcinoma 12/06/2004
According to a recent article published in the Lancet, Moh's micrographic surgery may be superior to conventional surgical excision for large and aggressive basal cell carcinomas. Basal cell carcinoma is typically a slow growing type of cancer that originates in the skin. Basal cell carcinoma is the most common cancer ...

Aldara Approved for Superficial Basal Cell Skin Cancer 07/19/2004
The Food and Drug Administration recently approved the topical cream Aldara® (imiquimod) for the treatment of superficial basal cell cancer of the skin. However, this indication excludes treatment of superficial basal cell cancer that occurs on the face. Basal cell cancer of the skin is one of the most common types ...

Review of Cancer Incidence in Airline Pilots over Five Decades 09/17/2002
According to a recent article published in the British Medical Journal, results from a clinical study indicate that the incidence of skin cancers and prostate cancer may be increased in airline pilots. However, the researchers could not directly attribute the development of these cancers to cosmic radiation. Concern ...

Imiquimod 5% Cream is Effective Treatment for Basal Cell Cancer 02/14/2002
A skin cream called Imiquimod 5% appears to eradicate basal cell cancers that only invade superficial layers of the skin, according to a recent article published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. Basal cell cancer is the most common form of skin cancer and is an ...

The Presence of More Than One Basal Cell Cancer at a Time Increases the Risk of Cancer Recurrence 02/14/2002
Researchers in England claim that the presence of more than one basal cell cancer at a time increases the risk of cancer recurrence. Researchers in England evaluated over 900 patients with basal cell cancer to determine whether patients that had clustering, two or more basal cell cancers ...