Melanoma is a malignant tumour of melanocytes. Melanocytes predominantly occur in the skin but can be found elsewhere, especially the eye. The vast majority of melanomas originate in the skin.
FDA: 35 innovative new drugs approved in fiscal year 2011 — Report shows quick approvals of safe and effective medicines occur in the United States before other countries – Over the past 12 months, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved 35 new medicines for patients, like two new treatments for hepatitis C; a drug for late-stage prostate cancer; the first new drug for Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 30 years; and the first new drug for lupus in 50 years.
Tanning bed ban for minors under 18 in California US – Teens and owners object to tanning-bed ban – California toughens teen tanning laws – California Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr., signed groundbreaking legislation today that will prohibit the use of commercial indoor tanning devices for those under the age of 18. California is the first state to ban minors from using commercial tanning booths.
Pale people may need vitamin D supplements — Fair-skinned people may need extra vitamin D in their diet – Researchers at the University of Leeds, funded by Cancer Research UK, suggest that people with very pale skin may be unable to spend enough time in the sun to make the amount of vitamin D the body needs – while also avoiding sunburn.
NIH-funded researchers discover genetic link to mesothelioma — Identified gene mutation may underlie other cancer types – Individuals who carry a mutation in a gene called BAP1 are susceptible to developing two forms of cancer ? mesothelioma, and melanoma of the eye. Mesothelioma tumors are typically associated with asbestos and erionite exposure.
FDA approves Zelboraf and companion diagnostic test for late-stage skin cancer — Second melanoma drug approved this year that improves overall survival – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved Zelboraf (vemurafenib), a drug to treat patients with late-stage (metastatic) or unresectable (cannot be removed by surgery) melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer.
New survey finds teen girls and young women need a lesson on dangers of indoor tanning – Despite repeated warnings from dermatologists on the health dangers of tanning, results of a new survey by the American Academy of Dermatology (Academy) confirmed that a large percentage of Caucasian teen girls and young women admitted using tanning beds or intentionally tanning outdoors in the past year.
New technique extends cancer-fighting cells’ potency in melanoma patients – Researchers trained white blood cells to attack tumors tend to fade away quickly when injected into cancer patients.
Biomarker test shows promise for melanoma diagnosis – Biomarker test for DNA methylation is technically feasible and could aid in earlier, more precise diagnosis of melanoma, revealed by US researchers.
Plexxikon Reports Overall Survival Benefit for Melanoma Patients in PLX4032 Phase 3 Trial – Plexxikon Inc. announced positive data from an interim analysis of the BRIM3 trial, a large multi-center Phase 3 clinical study of PLX4032 (RG7204) in patients with previously untreated metastatic melanoma with the BRAF mutation.
Follow-Up Program Helps Detect Melanoma Earlier in High-Risk Patients – A follow-up program for patients at high risk of developing skin cancer appears to be associated with the detection of melanomas at early stages and with good prognosis.
Parents favor genetic testing for melanoma in their children – The vast majority of parents who tested positive for a genetic mutation that increases the risk of melanoma (the most serious form of skin cancer) support genetic testing of their children or grandchildren. Results of the two-year study at Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) at the University of Utah (U of U) appear in the December issue of the journal Genetics in Medicine. The data could lead to the establishment of formal, evidence-based guidelines for genetic testing of people younger than 18 years.
International clinical trial tests targeted drug for melanoma — Rush University Medical Center enrolls first US patient – Rush University Medical Center has just enrolled the first U.S. patient in an international clinical trial testing a novel drug to treat certain kinds of melanoma, a deadly skin cancer that in its advanced stages currently has few effective treatments.
