Category Archives: Melanoma / Skin Cancer

Did a risk of skin cancer drive the evolution of black skin in humans?

A new analysis suggests that black skin may have evolved in humans as a protective measure against skin cancer.Previously, skin cancer has been disregarded as an influence in the evolution of black skin in humans. This is based on the belief that skin cancer only rarely causes death at ages young enough to affect reproduction.

Popularity of indoor tanning among younger people ‘alarming’

New research analyzing the prevalence of indoor tanning has revealed the activity is very common in Western countries, particularly among young people. Because the use of tanning beds has been associated with a higher risk of skin cancers, researchers say its popularity is a public health risk.Indoor tanning exposes the user to ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

Cancer-prevention strategies should improve with discovery that adult stem cells suppress cancer while dormant

Researchers at UCLA's Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research have discovered a mechanism by which certain adult stem cells suppress their ability to initiate skin cancer during their dormant phase - an understanding that could be exploited for better cancer-prevention strategies.

Trade-offs for fair skin

The proclivity of Spaniards to bask in regions like the Costa del Sol while their northern European counterparts must stay under cover to protect their paler skin or risk skin cancer is due in large part to the pigment producing qualities of the MC1R gene locus. The MC1R gene, expressed in skin and hair follicle cells, is more diverse in Eurasian populations compared to African populations...