Sunscreens and melanoma: the future looks bright

[Editor-in-Chief]

British Journal of Dermatology
Volume 153 Issue 2 Page 378 - August 2005
doi:10.1111/j.1365-2133.2005.06729.x

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Sunscreens and melanoma: the future looks bright

B.L. Diffey Summary

Background Meta-analyses of observational casecontrol studies have demonstrated no association between sunscreen use and the development of malignant melanoma.

Objectives To examine whether this observation is to be expected given the period during which the casecontrol studies were conducted, the sunscreens prevalent at that time, and how sunscreen is used and applied in practice. To predict whether modern sunscreens are likely to be effective as a preventative agent in melanoma.

Methods The protection against solar ultraviolet radiation delivered by sunscreens available prior to the early 1990s (when the data used in most published casecontrol studies were collected) was estimated by combining their absorption properties with the amount applied in a way reflecting common usage. Similar estimates were made for the protection offered by modern sunscreens.

Results It is not surprising that casecontrol studies have failed to find any association between sunscreen use and the risk of melanoma when consideration is given to the sunscreens in common usage at the time and the way in which sunscreen is applied in practice. Modern high Sun Protection Factor, broad-spectrum sunscreens, on the other hand, can be expected to be an effective measure in helping to prevent melanoma compared with sunscreens typical of those used 1020 years ago.

Conclusions It is reasonable to suppose that the improvement in performance of modern sunscreens will lead to a worthwhile benefit as a preventative agent against melanoma, although these benefits may not be seen for several decades.



Source

[stan@sunsys]

Originally Posted by Editor-in-Chief

Results:It is not surprising that casecontrol studies have failed to find any association between sunscreen use and the risk of melanoma when consideration is given to the sunscreens in common usage at the time and the way in which sunscreen is applied in practice.

Interesting that the authors of studies that look at the effects of indoor tanning equipment refuse to make similar considerations for the types of tanning lamps in use and the exposure schedules applied in practice.

Looks like even Diffey will massage the data and conditions to fit the desired outcome.

OH WAIT!! I forgot. They get millions of dollars from the sunscreen companies and nothing from the tanning industry. Now it makes sense.

[solarmeter®]

Amazing new tanning lamp study funded by, er, um, ........

Results: It is not surprising that case control studies have failed to find any association between tanning lamp use and the risk of melanoma when consideration is given to the exposure schedules in common usage at the time and the way in which UVR dose is applied in practice. Modern high and low pressure broad-spectrum lamps, on the other hand, can be expected to be an effective measure in helping to prevent melanoma and boost vitamin D compared with lamps typical of those used 10-20 years ago.

Conclusions: It is reasonable to suppose that the improvement in performance of modern sunlamps will lead to a worthwhile benefit as a preventative agent against melanoma and many internal cancers as well, although these benefits may not be seen for several decades.

Dream Weaver Science Institute LLC

[Tanning Queen]

Good one Steve!

One can only dream of the day....