Sunshine might stop skin cancers

From: Roman Bystrianyk (rbystrianyk_at_gmail.com)
Date: 02/02/05

  • Next message: xyzer_at_hotmail.com: "Re: Sunshine might stop skin cancers" 
    Date: 1 Feb 2005 18:35:58 -0800

    http://www.healthsentinel.com/news.php?event=news_print_list_item&id=585

    "Sunshine might stop skin cancers", BBC News, February 1, 2005,
    Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4225195.stm

    Sunshine might stop certain cancers from growing, including skin
    cancers, according to two new studies.

    One found it helped beat the deadly skin cancer malignant melanoma. The
    other found the sun helped with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

    It could be down to the vitamin D made by sun-exposed skin, the Journal
    of the National Cancer Institute reported.

    Experts warned too much sun could cause cancer and advised people to
    protect themselves against sun damage.

    UV rays

    The lymphoma study, by Swedish researchers at the Karolinska Institute
    and Uppsala University together with scientists from Denmark, found UV
    rays from the sun and sun lamps reduced the risks of developing cancer
    by 30-40%.

    They based their findings on interviews with more than 3,000 lymphoma
    patients and 3,000 healthy members of the public.

    Meanwhile, researchers at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque
    looked at the influence of sun exposure on the risk of dying from
    malignant melanoma.

    They found melanoma patients with higher levels of sun exposure were
    less likely to die than fellow melanoma patients.

    Previous studies have hinted that skin cells damaged by the sun commit
    suicide, thereby cutting the risk of cancer.

    Alternatively, it might be the increased production of vitamin D which
    reduces cancer risk, said the authors.

    Be sun 'savvy'

    Cancer Research UK experts said it was also possible that patients who
    already had melanoma and a lot of sun exposure were prone to less
    aggressive tumour type.

    CRUK's Dr Julia Newton Bishop said: "We should view with caution the
    assertion that sunlight may be beneficial for melanoma overall.

    "There is no doubt that sun exposure causes melanoma in the first
    place.

    "Therefore, the public health message should remain unchanged.

    "It's important to remember that covering up during the peak hours of
    sunshine, seeking shade and wearing factor 15 plus sunscreen, as
    advised in Cancer Research UK's SunSmart campaign, are still the best
    ways to avoid sunburn that can lead to skin cancer."

    In an accompanying editorial, Dr William Blot from the International
    Epidemiology Institute in Rockville, the US, said further studies of
    sunlight and vitamin D's connection to cancer were warranted.

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