Illinois, U.S.A. – The state of New York took a positive step to protect youth from the dangers of skin cancer by prohibiting the use of indoor tanning beds by those 16 and younger, and requiring 17-year-olds to obtain parental consent. This law is based on significant scientific evidence that indoor tanning is undeniably linked to increased risk of developing melanoma and other forms of skin cancer.

“The American Academy of Dermatology Association commends New York for joining in the fight against melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, and non-melanoma skin cancers. This law will help prevent skin cancer and reduce our country’s health care costs,” said Daniel M. Siegel, MD, FAAD, president of the American Academy of Dermatology Association and a New York-based dermatologist. “Melanoma rates have been increasing for the last 30 years, with the most rapid increases occurring among young women, the primary users of indoor tanning. Prohibiting access to indoor tanning for young people helps limit this risky behavior before it can become a habit that continues through adolescence into adulthood.”

Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the bill Monday, July 16, and it will go into effect in 30 days. In a statement, Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg, a bill sponsor, said indoor tanning at an early age is one of those things people live to regret.

Additional support for the ban was provided by The Medical Society of the State of New York, American Cancer Society, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery Association, AIM at Melanoma, and the New York State Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery.

More than 3.5 million skin cancers in more than 2 million people are diagnosed annually. It is estimated that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. In fact, it is estimated that more than 4,700 new cases of melanoma will be diagnosed in New York in 2012.

“Prevention is one of the most valuable tools that we have as dermatologists. We need to continue educating patients about the risks of indoor tanning and encouraging healthy decisions to help prevent skin cancer,” said Dr. Siegel. “This law will protect children and adolescents from the health hazards of indoor tanning and send a strong message from the state that tanning is a dangerous behavior and should be avoided.”

New York is the latest state to pass legislation that limits the use of indoor tanning by young people. California and Vermont have passed laws prohibiting use by minors.

The United States Department of Health and Human Services proclaimed in 2002 that ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun and artificial sources, such as tanning beds and sun lamps, is a known carcinogen. Yet, nearly 30 million people tan indoors in the United States annually. Of these, 2.3 million are teens.

In an effort to increase the public’s understanding of skin cancer and motivate people to change their behavior to prevent and detect skin cancer, the Academy launched the SPOT Skin Cancer public awareness initiative. Visit the SPOT Skin Cancer website — www.SpotSkinCancer.org — to learn how to perform a skin self-exam, download a body mole map for tracking changes on your skin, and find free skin cancer screenings in your area. Those affected by skin cancer also can share their story via the website and download free materials to educate others in their community.

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Ann Arbor, U.S.A. – A new free app developed at the University of Michigan Health System allows users to create a photographic baseline of their skin and photograph suspicious moles or other skin lesions, walking users step-by-step through a skin self-exam. The app, UMSkinCheck, sends automatic reminders so users can monitor changes to a skin lesion over time, and provides pictures of various types of skin cancers for comparisons. The app is designed for iPhone and iPad and is available to download on iTunes.

“Whole body photography is a well-established resource for following patients at risk for melanoma. However, it requires a professional photographer, is not always covered by insurance, and can be an inconvenience. Now that many people have digital cameras on their phones, it’s more feasible to do this at home,” says Michael Sabel, M.D., associate professor of surgery at the U-M Medical School, who was the lead physician involved in developing the app.

More than 2 million Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer each year, and some 50,000 will be diagnosed with melanoma, the most serious kind. Regular skin checks can help people discover melanoma in its earliest stages.

The app, a collaboration of the University of Michigan’s technology and clinical expertise, guides users through a series of 23 photos, covering the body from head to toe. Photos are stored within the app and serve as a baseline for future comparisons. The app will create a reminder to repeat a skin self-exam on a regular basis.

If a mole appears to be changing or growing, the photos can then be shared with a dermatologist to help determine whether a biopsy is necessary.

“We recommend skin self-exams for everyone in order to detect skin cancer at the earliest stages, when treatment is less invasive and more successful. If you have fair skin or burn easily, have had sunburns in the past or used tanning beds, or have a family history of melanoma, you are considered high-risk, and so it’s even more important,” Sabel says.

Not sure if you’re at high risk of skin cancer? The app includes a risk calculator that allows you to input your personal data to calculate your individual risk.

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Schaumburg, U.S.A. – The City of Chicago City Council approved Alderman Debra Silverstein’s ordinance to prohibit minors under the age of 18 from using indoor tanning beds at Chicago salons. This important action is based on significant scientific evidence that indoor tanning is undeniably linked to increased risk of developing melanoma and other forms of skin cancer.

“The American Academy of Dermatology Association is proud to have supported this ordinance and commends Alderman Silverstein and the City of Chicago for being leaders in the fight against melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, and non-melanoma skin cancers,” said Daniel M. Siegel, MD, FAAD, president of the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AADA). “A ban on indoor tanning for minors is critical to preventing skin cancer. Melanoma incidence rates have been increasing for the last 30 years, with the most rapid increases occurring among young, white women, the most common users of indoor tanning beds. Prohibiting minors’ access to indoor tanning stops this behavior before it can become a habit that continues into adulthood.”

More than 3.5 million skin cancers in more than 2 million people are diagnosed annually. The American Cancer Society estimates one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. In Illinois, approximately 2,460 people will be diagnosed with melanoma this year, making the state the eighth highest in number of new melanoma cases in the U.S. An estimated 360 people in Illinois will die this year from melanoma.

In addition to the AADA’s support, the ordinance also was supported by the American Cancer Society, the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery Association, the Chicago Department of Health, the Illinois Dermatologic Society, Skin of Steel and AIM at Melanoma.

“This ordinance will protect young people who do not fully understand that they are hurting themselves when they tan,” said Dr. Siegel. “Prevention is one of the most valuable tools that we have as dermatologists. We need to continue educating patients about the risks of indoor tanning and encouraging healthy decisions to help prevent skin cancer.”

The United States Department of Health and Human Services proclaimed in 2002 that ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun and artificial sources, such as tanning beds and sun lamps, is a known carcinogen. Yet, nearly 30 million people tan indoors in the United States annually. Of these, 2.3 million are teens.

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Washington, U.S.A. – Despite skin cancer being largely preventable, it remains by far the most common type of cancer in the United States. There are more than 3.5 million cases of skin cancer diagnosed in more than two million people each year, which is more than new cases of breast, prostate, lung and colon cancers combined.

To help reduce rising rates of skin cancer, the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention designated the Friday before Memorial Day, May 25, 2012, as “Don’t Fry Day.”

This year, the National Council urges everyone to go beyond sunscreen to protect their skin while enjoying the outdoors. While generous sunscreen usage is an important way to protect your skin from the sun, there are additional sun-safety measures that can help prevent skin cancer:

• Avoid sun burning, intentional tanning, and using tanning beds;
• Wear sun-protective clothing, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses;
• Seek the shade when you can. Use umbrellas or other shade structures when outdoors.
• Use extra caution near water, snow, and sand;
• Get vitamin D safely through food and vitamin D supplements.

“As millions of Americans head outdoors for family fun on Memorial Day weekend – the unofficial kick-off to summer – “Don’t Fry Day” is an important reminder for the public to protect their skin from ultraviolet (UV) radiation while enjoying the outdoors,” said board-certified dermatologist Sandra I. Read, M.D., co-chair of the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention. “While most everyone enjoys a sunny day, keeping your skin safe from overexposure to UV radiation can be easy by practicing simple sun-safety tips.”

When choosing a sunscreen, the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention recommends a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher for protection from ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. Sunscreen should be applied 15 minutes before going outdoors and reapplied every two hours.

Skin cancer is on the rise in the U.S. Here are some statistics:

• There are more than 3.5 million new cases of skin cancer diagnosed and 2.2 million people treated in the U.S. each year.
• The American Cancer Society estimates that 76,250 cases of melanoma (the most serious form of skin cancer) will be diagnosed in 2012 in the U.S., and 9,180 people will die from the disease.
• Melanoma incidence rates have been increasing for at least 30 years. Since 2004, incidence rates among whites have been increasing by almost 3% per year in both men and women.
• Most skin cancers are caused by overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
• Sunburns during childhood increase the risk of melanoma and other skin cancers later in life.
• Melanoma is now one of the most common cancers among young adults ages 15-29.

To minimize the harmful effects of too much UV exposure, the National Council advocates that comprehensive protection from UV radiation should be a life-long, year-round practice for everyone.

For more information on how to protect yourself from skin cancer, visit the National Council’s site. The National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention is the united voice of more than 40 organizations, associations, and agencies dedicated to reducing skin cancer morbidity and mortality in the United States. Council members represent some of the nation’s premier physicians, researchers, clinicians and advocates for melanoma and skin cancer prevention.

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Some skin lotions and antiseptic soaps claim to clean and lighten skin while removing freckles and wrinkles. Instead, these illegally imported cosmetic products make consumers ill from exposure to high levels of mercury.

The U.S. Government is warning consumers about these products after dozens of people in at least seven states were diagnosed with mercury poisoning. Victims include a woman in California who was hospitalized after using an unlabeled skin lotion for three years. Several members of her family also had high levels of mercury in their bodies, even though they didn’t use the lotion.

“Exposure to mercury can damage your kidneys and nervous system. It also interferes with brain development in unborn babies and very young children,” said Gloria Sanchez-Contreras, a spokesperson for the Food and Drug Administration.

Immigrants Are at High Risk

The FDA has identified dozens of products that contain high levels of mercury, and has taken steps to deny shipments of these products into the United States. However, many of these lotions and soaps are brought into the country by mail or by international travelers. Once here, they often end up on store shelves that cater to immigrants, including Hispanics, Asians, Africans and people from the Middle East.

People who buy these products are not putting only their own health at risk, small children can also be exposed to mercury by breathing in the vapors of a skin lotion or by touching someone who has used the cream and then putting their fingers in their mouth.

“That’s why it’s so important for consumers and sellers to know about the dangers of possible mercury poisoning associated with the use of or exposure to these skin products,” said Sanchez-Contreras.

The FDA prohibits the use of mercury in skin lotions and cosmetic soaps manufactured abroad. To avoid skin lightening and anti-aging products tainted with mercury.

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Recently, Erivedge was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat adult patients with basal cell carcinoma, the most common type of skin cancer. The drug is intended for use in patients with locally advanced basal cell cancer who are not candidates for surgery or radiation and for patients whose cancer has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic).

Erivedge, reviewed under the agency’s priority review program, is the first FDA-approved drug for metastatic basal cell carcinoma. Erivedge was reviewed under the FDA’s priority review program that provides for an expedited six-month review of drugs that may offer major advances in treatment. The drug is being approved ahead of the March 8, 2012, prescription user fee goal date.

Basal cell carcinoma is generally a slow growing and painless form of skin cancer that starts in the top layer of the skin (epidermis). The cancer develops on areas of skin that are regularly exposed to sunlight or other ultraviolet radiation.

Erivedge is a pill taken once a day and works by inhibiting the Hedgehog pathway, a pathway that is active in most basal cell cancers and only a few normal tissues, such as hair follicles.

“Our understanding of molecular pathways involved in cancer, such as the Hedgehog pathway, has enabled the development of targeted drugs for specific diseases,” said Richard Pazdur, M.D., director of the Office of Hematology and Oncology Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “This approach is becoming more common and will potentially allow cancer drugs to be developed more quickly. This is important for patients who will have access to more effective therapies with potentially fewer side effects.”

The safety and effectiveness of Erivedge was evaluated in a single, multi-center clinical study in 96 patients with locally advanced or metastatic basal cell carcinoma.

The clinical study’s primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) or the percentage of patients who experienced complete and partial shrinkage or disappearance of the cancerous lesions after treatment. Of the patients with metastatic disease receiving Erivedge, 30 percent experienced a partial response and 43 percent of patients with locally advanced disease experienced a complete or partial response.

The most common side effects observed in patients treated with Erivedge were muscle spasms, hair loss, weight loss, nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, distorted sense of taste, decreased appetite, constipation, vomiting, and loss of taste function in the tongue.

Erivedge is being approved with a boxed warning alerting patients and health care professionals of the potential risk of death or severe birth effects to a fetus (unborn baby). Pregnancy status must be verified prior to the start of Erivedge treatment. Male and female patients should be warned about these risks and the need for birth control.

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��P�� lse’s mistake. “Tattoo Nightmares” is created by Sally Ann Salsano (“Jersey Shore”) and 495 Productions.

“Rat Bastards” – An invasive species of giant swamp rats are ravaging America’s Southern wetlands and are especially dangerous to the tenuous ecological system of the Mississippi delta region.  This non-scripted series follows a pack of industrious guys dubbed the “Cajun Commandoes” in Louisiana who hunt these elusive 40-pound menaces both to sell and to eat.

These determined rat hunters compete over a limited four month window to earn big bucks by capturing these loathsome pests for a bounty.  The series is co-created by Eli Holzman and Stephen Lambert of Studio Lambert and Royal Malloy, Duke Straub andColt Straub of American Chainsaw. They are also the production team behind the upcoming Spike series, “Diamond Divers.”

Spike will also create new episodes of “World’s Wildest Police Videos,” which will give viewers access to shocking and outrageous police footage never-before-seen on television.  From high-speed car chases that turn deadly and bank robberies gone wrong to international hostage holdups, the wildest police videos from around the world are on display.

Retired Sheriff John Bunnell hosts the series that is produced by Pilgrim Studios and Pursuit Productions. Executive Producers are Pilgrim Studios’ Craig Piligian andScott Popjes, and Pursuit Productions’ Paul Stojanovich, Jr., Robert Ballantyne and John Bunnell.  The original version was created by Paul Stojanovich Sr. and aired on FOX from 1998-2002.

Spike will air a two-part special, “Urban Jungle Man,” which follows the country’s preeminent extreme animal handler, John Brennan, who rescues, captures and relocates dangerous and exotic animals in New York City’s urban jungle. This non-scripted series chronicles Brennan’s daily adventures as he runs the Urban Animal Relocation team, a privately-owned exotic and dangerous animal relocation service whose perilous missions runs the gamut from removing an alligator from a bathtub to capturing an escaped deadly python.  

Bitten or stung by nearly every animal in existence, Brennan is fearless when it comes to apprehending nature’s deadliest creatures.  “Urban Jungle Man” is produced by Asylum Entertainment and will be shot throughout the country.

Image Courtesy of   http://www.flickr.com/photos/christianacare/

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