Utah's Highest Rates Of Melanoma.

Report: Southeast Sandy Has Utah's Highest Rates Of Melanoma.

The AP (11/30) reports, "Southeast Sandy has the state's highest rate of melanoma, breast and colorectal cancer cases, according to a Utah Department of Health report released Tuesday." The new "report also identified more than two dozen other Utah locations as having higher-than-average cancer rates."

        According to the Deseret Morning News (UT) (11/30, Leonard), "The report identifies breast, colon, lung, prostate and skin cancer, mortality and screening rates in 61 designated small areas of Utah, to give community leaders and policymakers an idea of what can and needs to be done to 'best allocate limited funds to communities with the greatest need,' said State Epidemiologist Dr. Robert Rolfs."

        The Salt Lake (UT) Tribune (11/30, May) reports that "women from Utah are some of the least likely to get mammograms to detect breast cancer, and health officials are stumped as to why." According to the Tribune, however, "Utah has the nation's second-lowest cancer rate and the lowest cancer death rate in the country."

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Allergy and Decreased Skin Cancer

Certain Allergies May Reduce Risk Of Skin, Breast Cancers.

Bloomberg News (7/11, Mead) reports that a study in BMJ Open suggests that "people with adverse reactions to common metals and chemicals were less likely to get skin and breast cancers," a result that "backs up a theory known as immunosurveillance hypothesis, which says people with allergies have immune systems that are more vigilant at patrolling the body and eliminating transformed cells, reducing the risk of cancer." However, "the scientists also observed a higher incidence of bladder cancer in those with allergies, possibly because more chemical remains accumulated in their blood."

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laViv (azfibrocel-T),

FDA Approves Treatment That Uses Patient's Own Cells To Restore Skin Elasticity.

Bloomberg News (6/23, Peterson) reports Fibrocell Science won Food and Drug Administration "approval for an injectible wrinkle treatment that uses a patient's own cells to restore elasticity to the skin." The treatment, called laViv (azfibrocel-T), "will be Fibrocell's initial marketed product and the first wrinkle smoother made from a patient's cells."

        The New York Times (6/22, Pollack) "Prescriptions" blog reported the treatment "involves taking a sample of skin cells called fibroblasts, which make collagen, from behind the person's ear." Next, the "sample is sent to the company's laboratory, where the fibroblasts are multiplied in cell culture, a process that takes 11 to 22 weeks." Finally, "the cells are then sent back to the doctor, who injects them into the smile lines, (or frown lines), which are technically known as nasolabial folds."

        AFP (6/23) reports, "Fibrocell said the FDA approval came after two phase III randomized, double blind trials of 421 patients who received either laViv or a placebo in three treatments about five weeks apart." AFP reports, "In one study, 57 percent of patients on laViv saw an improvement compared to 30 percent who received the placebo treatment, according to a summary of the research published by the New York Times. In the other, 45 percent of patients receiving laViv thought they looked better afterward, compared to 18 percent in the control group." Medscape (6/22, Brooks) also covered the story.

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Men Undergoing More Cosmetic Procedures

Men Underwent 1.2 Million Cosmetic Procedures In 2010.

The Washington Post (6/21, Tamura) reports, "Men had 1.2 million cosmetic procedures last year, up two percent from 2009, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons." Psychologist Ann Kearney-Cooke, PhD, of the Cincinnati Psychotherapy Institute, explained that "society is much more image-conscious, and male patients from their mid-30s through their 60s say looks are important to both social and professional success," particularly in a tight and highly competitive job market.

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Dyport Over Botox

AbobotulinumtoxinA Trumps OnabotulinumtoxinA At Smoothing Crow's Feet Wrinkles.

MedPage Today (6/20, Bankhead) reported, "Crow's feet responded significantly better to treatment with abobotulinumtoxinA (Dysport) than with onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox)," according to an article published online June 20 in the Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery. In a study of 90 patients, 77 of which were women, doctors "and patients alike rated the cosmetic results of Dysport superior to those of the comparator (P=0.01, P=0.03, respectively)." What's more, "patients favored the Dysport-treated side of the face by a 2:1 margin during the 30-day split-face trial."

        HealthDay (6/20, Mozes) reported that Allergan, the maker of Botox, "issued a statement Monday that challenged the findings on several grounds, which included the small size of the study, the short length of the trial and, most importantly, the dosing ratio the researchers used when deciding how much of each product to use on the patients' faces." Dermatologist Doris Day, MD, of New York City's Lenox Hill Hospital, who was not involved in the study, "also cautioned that the attempt to analytically stack two 'very similar' drugs against one another can pose difficulties." She pointed out, however, that "both drugs are FDA-approved and have good safety track records to date."

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Scar Dressings

New Silicone Wound Dressing May Reduce Surgical Scars.

The UK's Daily Mail (6/14, Hagan) reported that, according to research published in the Annals of Surgery, "a revolutionary type of wound dressing could reduce scars caused by surgery. The dressing, made from a form of silicone, is stretched over the wound and left in place for up to eight weeks. It works by reducing the tension on the skin that leads to scarring." Researchers from Stanford University have tested the dressing in pigs and "on a group of nine women who had undergone tummy-tuck surgery, a procedure which normally leaves scars that are both wide and thick." Wounds treated with the new dressing showed considerably less scarring, the study authors reported.

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Sun and Infants

Too Much Sun Exposure May Be Especially Harmful For Infants.

The Time (6/10, Rochman) "Healthland" blog reported, "Too much time in the sun may be especially harmful for Baby, according to a review of new insights by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) into the importance of protecting young skin." Sunscreen may be applied to "babies six months and older," AAP guidelines say, but parents "should also practice sun avoidance, especially for kids under six months old, which means staying out of the sun during the hottest parts of the day -- 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.," and dressing the little ones in "protective clothing."

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Shingles and Multiple Sclerosis Link

Shingles Outbreak May Nearly Quadruple Risk Of Developing MS.

The Los Angeles Times (6/9, Maugh) "Booster Shots" blog reported, "A shingles outbreak can nearly quadruple the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) in the following year," according to research published online June 7 in the Journal of Infectious Diseases. After studying 315,550 adults with herpes zoster and 946,650 matched healthy controls, then following them for a year and adjusting for confounding factors, Chinese "researchers found that the group with herpes zoster outbreaks was 3.96 times more likely to develop MS than the control group," with MS developing on average approximately 100 days following the shingles outbreak. An accompanying editorial "argued that the research should be corroborated in other regions of the world."

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Weaker Bones May Mean More Wrinkles

Having More Wrinkles Associated With Lower BMD.

MedPage Today (6/5, Fiore) reported, "In a cross-sectional analysis, having more wrinkles was associated with having lower bone mineral density (BMD; P<0.01)," according to research presented at a press briefing at the Endocrine Society's annual meeting. In a study of 114 patients, researchers "found that more skin wrinkling was associated with having lower bone density at the spine, femoral neck, and total body (P<0.01 for all)." In addition, "having more glabellar wrinkles on the forehead was related to lower bone density at the femoral neck (P=0.033), while increasing skin rigidity at the face and the forehead was tied to stronger bones at the hip and spine (P<0.001)."

        HealthDay (6/4, Mozes) reported, "Because poor bone density can lead to broken bones, a link between wrinkles and bone density -- if confirmed -- might prompt development of an inexpensive way to identify postmenopausal women at highest risk for fractures," the study authors theorized. The investigators pointed "out that a possible relationship between bone and skin health could be rooted in the fact that the two share the same building blocks -- proteins called collagens." And, "age-related collagen changes, they noted, could explain both the wrinkling and sagging of skin and a simultaneous deterioration of bone quality and quantity."

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Melanoma Vaccine

Vaccine For Advanced Melanoma Yields Promising Results During Phase 3 Trial.

HealthDay (6/1, Goodwin) reported that for patients with advanced melanoma, a "vaccine combined with an immune-boosting drug is showing promise," according to the results of a Phase 3 clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine. In the trial, which was "conducted at 21 care centers," researchers randomized "185 patients with metastatic melanoma" to receive either the vaccine "followed by interleukin-2" or interleukin-2 alone. They found that roughly "16 percent of those given the vaccine/interleukin-2 combination saw their tumors shrink by 50 percent or more, compared to six percent given interleukin-2 alone."

        MedPage Today (6/1, Smith) reported that progression-free survival was "longer in the vaccine group -- 2.2 months versus 1.6 months -- and the difference was significant at P=0.008. ... Grades 3 to 5 toxic effects were 'consistent with the expected side effects' in patients getting high-dose interleukin-2," the researchers noted, with one exception: The vaccine patients experienced "increased rates of arrhythmias." WebMD (6/1, Goodman) also covered the trial results.

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Tanning and Melanoma

People Who Use Tanning Beds More Likely To Develop Melanoma.

The Chicago Sun-Times (5/31, Szabo) reported that "since 1992, rates of melanoma -- once considered an old person's disease -- have risen three percent a year in white women 15 to 39, the American Cancer Society says." Unfortunately, "people who have used tanning beds are 74 percent more likely than others to develop melanoma, a 2010 study shows." For that reason, among others, "the American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Dermatology and World Health Organization all have called on states to ban children under 18 from tanning salons."

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Skin Neurons

Researchers Convert Human Skin Cells Into Functioning Neurons.

BBC News (Bowdler) reported that, according to a study published in the journal Nature, researchers claim to "have managed to convert human skin cells directly into functioning brain cells." For the study, "the scientists used genetically modified viruses to introduce four different 'transcription factors' into foetal skin cells." The investigators "found the introduction of these four transcription factors had the effect of switching a small portion of the skin cells into cells which functioned like neurons."

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Obesity in Childhood Leads to Psoriasis

Obesity In Childhood May Increase Risk Of Developing Psoriasis.

The Los Angeles Times "Booster Shots" reported, "Obesity in childhood significantly increases the risk of developing psoriasis, and psoriasis may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease later in life by increasing cholesterol levels," according to a study published in the Journal of Pediatrics. For that reason, "patients with psoriasis early in life should be monitored for early signs of cardiovascular disease and given therapy to reduce the risk of later heart attacks and stroke, a team from Kaiser Permanente" suggested. Researchers arrived at these conclusions after examining "electronic health records of 710,949 ethnically diverse children."

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Eczema and Mercury

Environmental Mercury Exposure May Increase Adult Atopic Dermatitis Risk.

MedWire (5/27, Albert) reported that, according to a study published in the journal Environmental Research, "exposure to environmental mercury may increase a person's risk for developing adult-onset atopic dermatitis (AD)." In a study of "1,990 randomly selected Korean people aged 20 years or above" who underwent blood tests and who filled out a questionnaire on their medical history, researchers found that "individuals in the highest (greater than 6.04 µg/l) versus the lowest (less than 3.56 µg/l) tertile of blood mercury concentration were 50% more likely to have a lifetime history of AD."

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Sunscreens Not the Answer!

Environmental Working Group: Sunscreens Alone Cannot Prevent Skin Cancer.

The CNN (5/24, Caruso) "The Chart" blog reported that, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), "sunscreens alone cannot prevent cancer," a message the group drives home in its latest sunscreen report, encouraging people to stay in the shade, don clothing protective of the sun, avoid being out in the sun from 10 am to 4 pm, in addition to the use of sunscreens. This coming Friday, May 27, has been designated by the National Council on Skin Cancer, one member of which is the American Academy of Dermatology, as "Don't Fry Friday." The council recommends that people who want to prevent sun-related skin damage wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses designed for UVA and UVA protection, and choose sunscreen "products with UVA filters like avobenzone and octocrylene, as well as protection against UVB rays."

        WebMD (5/23, Doheny) focused on the EWG's "annual guide to sunscreen products," noting that "just one in five of more than 600 beach and sport sunscreens made the cut," while 11 products were consigned to the Hall of Shame. The EWG advised consumers to avoid using sunscreen sprays because they might be accidentally inhaled. Report co-author Sonya Lunder, MPH, of EWG, explained that "sunscreens with a form of vitamin A known as retinyl palminate -- in about 30% of sunscreens -- should also be avoided because of concerns about it producing skin lesions." In addition, "oxybenzone, which EWG calls a "hormone disrupter,' is another ingredient to be avoided, she says."

        AAD's Moy Addresses Health Concerns About Sunscreen Ingredients. In a press release (5/23), AAD president Ronald L. Moy, MD, FAAD, stated, "Contrary to recent reports, available scientific literature and decades of public use does not support a link between oxybenzone in sunscreen and hormonal alterations, or other significant health issues in humans." With regard to retinyl palmitate, a form of vitamin A, "there is no evidence to suggest that use of sunscreen with" the chemical poses a risk for skin cancer. Finally, addressing the fear that nanoparticles found in sunscreens also pose a health risk, Dr. Moy said, "Considerable research on the use of nanoparticles on healthy, undamaged skin has shown that the stratum corneum -- the outermost layer of the skin -- is an effective barrier to preventing the entry of nanoparticles into the deeper layers of the skin."

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Botox Under 18 Ban

New Jersey Bill Would Ban Physicians From Giving Botulinum Toxin To Patients Under 18 For Cosmetic Reasons.

The AP (Lederman) reports that the New Jersey Legislature's "Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee approved legislation Thursday to clamp down on doctors injecting people under 18 with botulinum toxin for cosmetic purposes." The AP reports, "Federal and state regulations already restrict the use of Botox on patients under 18. The new legislation would require doctors to document in a patient's chart the non-cosmetic medical reason for performing the procedure on a minor."

        The Star-Ledger (Friedman) reports, "Use of Botox on minors for medical reasons would still be allowed, since it is used to treat facial spasms and certain eye conditions. The bill would leave it up to the State Board of Medical Examiners and the commissioner of Health and Senior Services to develop the regulations and set penalties." The Gloucester County Times (Beym) also covers the story.

Seems sad that this legislation is even necessary...BB

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Mysterious Morgellons Disease

Researchers Find No Physical Explanation For Delusional Infestation.

CNN /Health.com reported that, according to a study published online May 16 in the Archives of Dermatology, physicians now have "firm proof that...infestations -- known as delusional parasitosis or delusional infestation -- are not real." Patients who suffer from the problem "feel a constant creepy-crawly sensation beneath their skin, which they believe is due to bugs, worms, or eggs below the surface." The article also noted, "The CDC recently completed its own study of the condition, which the agency refers to as unexplained dermopathy, but the results have not yet been published."

        For the study, investigators performed skin biopsies and examinations on 108 "patients convinced that bugs, worms, or germs had invaded their skin," HealthDay reported. Notably, "the majority of the skin samples showed signs of dermatitis and other skin conditions, such as ulceration or inflammation. Only one skin sample revealed an insect with infestation potential -- a pubic louse."

        WebMD (5/16, Mann) reported that dermatologist Donald S. Waldorf, MD, "has developed his own approach to treating these patients," many of whom simply do not want to believe they are suffering from a psychiatric disorder. "Waldorf will often prescribe topical agents to prevent infections from scratching and may suggest steroids to reduce inflammation." If necessary, he may even prescribe an antipsychotic. In the case of many of these patients, he explained that if he told them to consult a psychiatrist, "I will have lost them, so I basically give them support and prevent infection."

        Reuters (5/17, Pittman) notes that delusional infestation is also referred to as Morgellons Disease. MedPage Today (5/16, Walsh) also covered the story.

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