Scientists Spot Psoriasis Gene

Scientists Spot Psoriasis Gene
WEDNESDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- A variant of a single immune system gene boosts the risk for psoriasis , researchers report.
A team from the University of Michigan looked for the gene -- called PSORS1 -- in more than 2,700 people from 678 families in which at least one family member had psoriasis.
According to the researchers, PSORS1 is the first genetic determinant of psoriasis to be definitively identified in a large clinical trial. The finding may help in the development of new, more effective treatments for the disfiguring inflammatory skin disease.
To develop psoriasis, people must inherit several disease-related genes and also be exposed to one or more environmental triggers, such as a strep infection, the researchers noted.
"For every individual with psoriasis who carries the PSORS1 gene, there are 10 other people with the gene who don't get psoriasis," study director Dr. James T. Elder, a professor of dermatology and of radiation oncology, said in a prepared statement.
The PSORS1 gene is actually one of more than 20 different varieties of a gene called HLA-C, one of several genes that regulate how the immune system fights off infection.
While Elder and his colleagues have identified the PSORS1 gene -- which they believe is the major gene involved in psoriasis susceptibility -- they said that much more research is needed to identify other genes involved in the development of psoriasis.
The findings appear in the May issue of the American Journal of Human Genetics.
-- Robert Preidt
SOURCE: University of Michigan Health System, news release, March 15, 2006
Copyright ? 2006 ScoutNews LLC. All rights reserved.

FDA Panel Backs Shingles Vaccine

FDA Panel Backs Shingles Vaccine
Experts Say Vaccine Is Safe and Effective for People Over 60
By?Todd?Zwillich
WebMD Medical News
Reviewed By?Louise?Chang,?MD
on Thursday, December 15, 2005
Dec. 15, 2005 -- An FDA advisory panel backed the approval of the first shingles vaccine Thursday, though for a narrower group of patients than manufacturers had sought.
But experts also strongly urged more studies of how the vaccine works in patients with chronic disease and suppressed immune systems and asked the agency to require manufacturer Merck to carefully monitor safety if it is released to the U.S. market.
The vaccine -- known as Zostavax -- is actually a double dose of chickenpox vaccine. Both shingles and chickenpox are caused by the same virus, called varicella.
Shingles usually occurs in older adults and the immunocompromised and is a reactivation of the chickenpox virus. It can cause chickenpox-like skin blisters that usually appear in a band-like pattern; hence the name "shingles." The rash can cause severe pain, tingling, and numbness in some patients that can last long after the visible rash has resolved.
In trials, the vaccine cut the risk of shingles roughly in half for patients over 60. Patients between 60 and 69 who got the vaccine were nearly two-thirds less likely to develop shingles than patients who got an inert placebo shot, but the treatment was progressively less effective as it was used in older patients.
That fact concerned some experts. People over 80 are at greatest risk for severe pain and chronic nerve pain known as postherpetic neuralgia that can result from shingles.
Age Limitations
Merck sought to sell the vaccine to adults over 50 years of age. But members of the advisory panel unanimously recommended that the agency reject that bid because the company did not present clinical evidence that it is safe and effective in patients under 60.
Bonnie M. Word, MD, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine and a member of the expert panel, says Merck was asking for "a leap of faith" concerning use of the vaccine in patients under 60.
"My guess is it will work once the company does the studies but until we have the studies we really can't comment," says David Markovitz, MD, another committee expert.
Experts unanimously backed the vaccine as safe and effective in preventing shingles in patients over 60. Though positive for Merck, the panel made its recommendation considerably narrower than the company had wanted.
Merck had also asked the FDA to approve Zostavax for prevention of postherpetic neuralgia in patients who already have shingles, which can linger for years. The company's data suggested that the vaccine could cut that risk by nearly 40% overall.
But several experts questioned whether trials showed a strong ability to prevent neuralgia itself or whether the effect was mostly due to a lower rate of shingles.
Booster Shot Needed?
Researchers still don't know exactly how the vaccine would be used if the FDA grants approval. The FDA isn't required to follow the recommendations of its advisory panel, but it usually does. Merck's clinical study lasted four years, leaving open questions on whether or not patients may require a booster shot if the vaccine's effect dips after that time.
Experts also asked the FDA to require Merck to study how the vaccine works in patients with suppressed immune systems caused by medical treatments or HIV infection. Those patients are the most vulnerable to debilitating shingles but are also at the highest risk for vaccine complications.
"The concern is that you're talking about giving this to a universally large population without adequate safety data, says Gary D. Overturf, MD, a professor of pediatrics and pathology at the University of New Mexico, and chair of the advisory committee.
Jeffrey Silber, MD, Merck's senior director of clinical research, tells WebMD that the company would begin trials with immunosuppressed patients in 2006. The company also plans to continue its study to find out how long the vaccine's protective ability lasts.
"That question is in the process of being answered but will of course take several years," he says.



SOURCES: Bonnie M Word, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine; member, FDA advisory panel. David Markovitz, MD, professor of internal medicine, University of Michigan; member, FDA advisory panel. Gary D. Overturf, MD, professor of pediatrics and pathology, University of New Mexico; chairman, FDA advisory panel. Jeffrey Silber, MD, senior director, clinical research, Merck & Co.
? 2005 WebMD Inc. All rights reserved

Skin: Are Hypoallergenic Cosmetics Really Better?

Are ?Hypoallergenic? Cosmetics Really Better?
Medical Author: Melissa Conrad St?er, MD
Medical Editor: Jay W. Marks, MD
When shopping for cosmetics or skin care products, you?ll frequently see products that are labeled ?hypoallergenic.? Implicit in this term is that these products are less likely to cause allergic reactions than other cosmetic products and that these products will be gentler or even safer for the skin than other products.
However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration(FDA) counsels that consumers should realize that no federal standards or regulations exist governing the use of the term ?hypoallergenic.? In other words, the decision as to whether or not a cosmetic may be labeled as ?hypoallergenic? lies solely with the manufacturer. And, this term may be applied without any demonstration or proof that the product causes fewer allergic reactions than others.
When labeling of cosmetics as ?hypoallergenic? first became popular, the FDA attempted to regulate use of the term. In 1975, the FDA issued a regulation governing use of the term ?hypoallergenic,? stating that a cosmetic product could be labeled "hypoallergenic" only if scientific studies on human subjects showed that it caused a significantly lower rate of adverse skin reactions than similar products not making such claims. The manufacturers of cosmetics claiming to be "hypoallergenic" were to be responsible for carrying out the required tests. But this regulation was subsequently declared invalid by U.S. courts, leaving manufacturers free to apply the term as they wish.
The FDA Office of Cosmetics and Colors Fact Sheet notes that the ingredients used to make all cosmetic products are basically the same throughout the industry. Decades ago, harsh ingredients were sometimes used that indeed caused adverse reactions in some users, but these ingredients are no longer used in the cosmetic manufacturing process. Scientific studies demonstrating that certain products or classes of products cause fewer adverse reactions than others on the basis of ?hypoallergenicity? are lacking.
The bottom line is that the term ?hypoallergenic? has very little meaning and is primarily used as a marketing tool. It?s important to understand that it is impossible to guarantee that a cosmetic or skin care product will never produce an allergic reaction. Since the FDA does require that cosmetic ingredients be listed on product labels, consumers who have had allergic reactions or problems with a specific substance can avoid purchasing products that contain these substances.
For more, please visit the Skin Center.
Reference: U. S. Food and Drug Administration. Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. Office of Cosmetics and Colors Fact Sheet. December 19, 1994; revised October 18, 2000

Melanoma: Scientists Discover New Skin Color Gene

Scientists Discover New Skin Color Gene
By Ed Edelson
HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, Dec. 15 (HealthDay News) -- A discovery that at first glance seems to be at the most basic level of genetic research might someday be used to prevent or help cure one of the deadliest human cancers -- melanoma.
Scientists studying zebrafish have found a gene that can make them change their stripes. That is, a mutation in the gene changes the color of those stripes.
While much more research is needed, the finding could help in the fight against melanoma, said Dr. Keith C. Cheng, an associate professor of pathology at Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine. He is leader of the research effort that appears in the Dec. 16 issue of Science.
According to Cheng, there's "a variation of this particular gene [that] helps determine the lighter skin color of the European population," compared to Africans and certain Asians.
And people of European descent, including those living in America, often want to make their skin fashionably darker by sunbathing. But doing so makes them more likely to develop melanoma, the dangerous and potentially fatal skin cancer whose incidence is rising as more people spend more time absorbing ultraviolet radiation from sunlight.
So there may be some practical applications for this basic research, Cheng said.
"One is that this gene may become a target for development of safer ways to make skin lighter or darker," he said. Instead of going to the beach or a suntan parlor, someone could use a lotion or pill that would prompt the gene to change skin color.
"And possibly this gene might serve as an immunotherapy target for human malignant melanoma," Cheng said. Immunology is not his field, he stressed, but since the gene is active in melanoma cells, "my friends in the field tell me that you might be able to develop cells that recognize antigens [proteins produced by the gene] and generate cells that kill cells that express that protein."
That's a satisfying possibility for someone whose animal of choice for experiments is a little-known fish. Cheng has been studying zebrafish -- in depth and at length -- for a decade. The paper reporting the gene discovery lists 25 authors, whose locations range from Hershey, Pa., to Salt Lake City to Denton, Texas, to Dublin, Ireland.
"This was a 10-year project, and many people came in and out of my lab," said Cheng, who added that he continues his exploration of the fish.
SOURCES: Keith C. Cheng, M.D., Ph.D, associate professor, pathology, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey; Dec. 16, 2005, Science
Copyright ? 2005 ScoutNews LLC. All rights reserved.

Researchers Unravel Sunlight-Skin Cancer Link

Researchers Unravel Sunlight-Skin Cancer Link
THURSDAY, Dec. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Exposure to ultraviolet B (UV-B) light was associated with an increased risk of basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma skin cancers , but not melanoma, new research suggests.
Researchers at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston also found that UV-B exposure can reduce the ability of cells to repair DNA damage.
The study included 469 patients with both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers and 329 cancer-free people. Blood samples taken from study volunteers were exposed to UV-B radiation and analyzed 24 hours later for the number of breaks in cell structures called chromatids, an indirect marker of DNA repair.
A high number of chromatid breaks in the blood samples exposed to UV-B was associated with a three-fold increased risk of basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, but was not associated with an increased risk of melanoma, the researchers found. They also found that increased sensitivity to UV-B radiation may interact with other known risk factors -- such as hair and skin color, sunburn history, tanning ability, and freckling -- to increase the risk of basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas.
The study appears in the Dec. 21 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
-- Robert Preidt
SOURCE: Journal of the National Cancer Institute, news release, Dec. 21, 2005
Copyright ? 2005 ScoutNews LLC. All rights reserved.

Skin Cancer Prevention

Skin Cancer Prevention
Doctors cannot always explain why one person gets cancer and another doesn?t. However, scientists have studied general patterns of cancer in the population to learn what things around us and what things we do in our lives may increase our chance of developing cancer.
Anything that increases a person?s chance of developing a disease is called a risk factor; anything that decreases a person?s chance of developing a disease is called a protective factor. Some of the risk factors for cancer can be avoided, but many cannot. For example, although you can choose to quit smoking, you cannot choose which genes you have inherited from your parents. Both smoking and inheriting specific genes could be considered risk factors for certain kinds of cancer, but only smoking can be avoided. Prevention means avoiding the risk factors and increasing the protective factors that can be controlled so that the chance of developing cancer decreases.
Although many risk factors can be avoided, it is important to keep in mind that avoiding risk factors does not guarantee that you will not get cancer. Also, most people with a particular risk factor for cancer do not actually get the disease. Some people are more sensitive than others are to factors that can cause cancer. Talk to your doctor about methods of preventing cancer that might be effective for you.
Purposes of this summary on skin cancer
The purposes of this summary on skin cancer prevention are to:
Give information on skin cancer and how often it occurs.
Describe skin cancer prevention methods.
Give current facts about which people or groups of people would most likely be helped by following skin cancer prevention methods.
You can talk to your doctor or health care professional about cancer prevention methods and whether they would be likely to help you.
Skin Cancer Prevention
The skin protects the body against heat and light, injury, and infection. It also helps regulate body temperature, stores water and fat, and produces vitamin D. The skin is the body?s largest organ and is made up of two main layers: the outer epidermis and the inner dermis.
There are 3 types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma (together referred to as nonmelanoma skin cancer), and melanoma. The outer layer of the skin is made up of squamous cells. Basal cells are found below the squamous cells. Melanocytes are in the deepest layer of epidermis. Melanoma develops from melanocytes.
Significance of skin cancer
Skin cancer is the most commonly occurring cancer in the United States. Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma (nonmelanoma skin cancer) are the most common forms of skin cancer, but are easier to cure than melanoma. The number of new cases of skin cancer appears to be increasing each year. The number of deaths due to skin cancer, however, is fairly small.
Skin cancer prevention
Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer (Basal Cell Carcinoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma)
Studies have suggested that reducing exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation decreases the incidence of nonmelanoma skin cancer. Ultraviolet radiation is a stream of invisible high-energy rays coming from the sun. Artificial sources such as tanning booths and sunlamps also produce ultraviolet radiation.
Sun exposure can be reduced by changing patterns of outdoor activities to reduce time of exposure to high-intensity UV radiation (the sun is strongest from 11 am to 3 pm), wearing protective clothing (such as long sleeves and hats) when exposed to sunlight, and by using adequate amounts of sufficiently protective sunscreen.
Whether sunscreens are effective in protecting against nonmelanoma skin cancer has not been determined.
People whose skin tans poorly or burns easily after sun exposure are particularly susceptible to nonmelanoma skin cancer. These people in particular may benefit by following prevention methods for nonmelanoma skin cancer.
Melanoma
It is not known if avoiding sunburns reduces a person's chance of developing melanoma skin cancer.
Sunburn can be avoided by changing patterns of outdoor activities to reduce time of exposure to high-intensity UV radiation (the sun is strongest from 11 am to 3 pm), wearing protective clothing (such as long sleeves and hats) when exposed to sunlight, and using sunscreen.
Sunscreen is not a substitute for avoidance of sun exposure.
People whose skin tans poorly or who have a large number of abnormal moles may have an increased risk of developing melanoma skin cancer. These people in particular may benefit by following prevention methods for melanoma.
For additional information please read the following articles:
Sun Protection and Sunscreens
Making Sense of Sunscreen Products
Summer Beach Survival Kit
Test Your Sunscreen Savvy
Source: National Cancer Institute, www.cancer.gov

Deadly Skin Cancer on Rise Among Hispanics

Deadly Skin Cancer on Rise Among Hispanics
By Kathleen Doheny
HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, Jan. 23 (HealthDay News) -- The deadly skin cancer melanoma is increasing among Californians of Hispanic descent, especially men, according to a new study.
What's more, their tumors, when diagnosed, are generally thicker than those of non-Hispanics, which means a poorer outlook, said Myles G. Cockburn, lead author of the study published in the March 1 issue of the journal Cancer.
Hispanics tend to underestimate their risk of melanoma, added Cockburn, an assistant professor of preventive medicine at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine. "They believe they will be protected because of their [darker] skin color, which may be true but is not always true. Having darker skin is a potentially protective factor for melanoma," he said.
"But light skin is not the most important risk factor," Cockburn said. "The most important risk factor is having a large number of moles. We are talking about large moles over 4 millimeters in diameter, about pencil-eraser size."
Melanoma is a tumor that starts in the melanocytes, the cells that produce the pigment that colors the skin. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, one in 50 Americans by the year 2010 is projected to get melanoma in his or her lifetime. Right now, the risk is about one in 62, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
For the study, Cockburn and his colleagues looked at data from the California Cancer Registry. Between 1988 and 2001, the rate of invasive melanoma increased significantly among Hispanic men compared to Hispanic women and non-Hispanic whites. Overall, the incidence rate among Hispanic men rose an average of 1.8 percent per year, with a 7.3 percent annual increase between 1996 and 2001. Hispanic women's rates also increased, he said, but the 0.6 percent increase was not statistically significant.
Cockburn emphasized that the problem of melanoma is still much more common among fair-skinned individuals. In the study, non-Hispanic men had a 3.9 percent annual increase in melanoma over the years studied, and non-Hispanic women had a 3.3 percent increase.
But the increase in skin cancer among Hispanics points to a need to step up education efforts, Cockburn said. Everyone is advised to get a full body skin check by a dermatologist preferably every six months, Cockburn said, as well as to wear sunblock to minimize penetration of ultraviolet rays.
Especially troubling, Cockburn said, was the finding thatthicker melanomas were found in Hispanics, suggesting they may have been discovered at a later stage.
More than 55 percent of invasive tumors in Hispanic males were more than 0.75 millimeters thick, while just 47 percent of those found in non-Hispanic white males were as big. And 35 percent of Hispanic males had tumors more than 1.5 millimeters thick, compared with 24 percent of non-Hispanic white males.
Melanomas less than 1.5 millimeters thick at diagnosis typically mean a 10-year survival rate of 80 percent to 100 percent, according to Cockburn, citing data from the California Cancer Registry. Melanomas thicker than 1.5 millimeters at diagnosis are associated with a 40 percent to 80 percent survival rate, he said.
Dr. Jean-Claude Bystryn is a professor of dermatology at New York University School of Medicine and former head of the melanoma program and vaccine clinic at the NYU Medical Center. He agreed that the Cockburn data suggest Hispanics aren't getting diagnosed with melanoma early enough.
"I'm not aware that this [type of] analysis has been done before," Bystryn said. He also emphasized that melanoma is a bigger problem among those with fairer skin, but education efforts to recognize the warning signs of the disease should be stepped up and targeted to Hispanic populations.
"The general teaching is that melanoma is a disease of whites," he said. "This [study] shows if you are Hispanic, you still have to worry about this disease."
If a mole or other growth looks suspicious, get it checked by your dermatologist, Bystryn said.
SOURCES: Myles G. Cockburn, Ph.D., assistant professor of preventive medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles; Jean-Claude Bystryn, M.D., professor of dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, and former head, melanoma program and vaccine clinic, New York University Medical Center, New York City; March 1, 2006, Cancer
Copyright ? 2006 ScoutNews LLC. All rights reserved.

Cancer Screening Rates Remain Unchanged

Cancer Screening Rates Remain Unchanged
By Janice Billingsley
HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, Jan. 30 (HealthDay News) -- While proven tests are increasingly available to screen early for common cancers when they can be most successfully treated, too many people aren't taking advantage of the examinations, a new report finds.
There were some slight increases -- and decreases -- in the rates for screening for various cancers overall in 2004. However, the rates were basically unchanged compared to the previous year, said Robert A. Smith, director of cancer screening for the American Cancer Society.
Smith, who wrote the report, said this year's ACS survey showed some changes in screening numbers, including a slight increase in the number of people getting colonoscopies, a test for colorectal cancer, and a slight dip in the numbers of women screened for breast cancer, although the drop might just reflect a normal statistical variation.
But, he added, the important finding was that "the [screening] numbers didn't go up -- what we can take to the bank is that they're too low, whatever's going on."
The result, he said, is that each year people are unnecessarily missing chances to have their cancers diagnosed in earlier, more treatable stages.
For instance, 45.6 percent of Americans received either a colonoscopy of flexible sigmoidoscopy in 2004; 58 percent of women 40 and older received a mammogram; 54 percent of men 50 and older got a PSA test for prostate cancer; while 85 percent of women aged 18 and older received a Pap test for cervical cancer, the survey found.
The report is part of annual ACS screening guidelines, first released in 2000. The new report appears in the January/February issue of CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. The survey of cancer screening rates is based on data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), which works with the 50 state health departments, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to gather health information annually.
This year, there were no updates to the screening recommendations for common cancers, including breast, prostate, colon and cervical cancers. But the cancer society is in the process of updating screening recommendations for a number of cancers, including early detection of skin cancer, breast cancer screening for women with an inherited risk for the disease and stool testing for colon cancer, Smith said.
There are a number of reasons people aren't taking advantage of available screening tests, he said.
"A doctor's recommendation is the single strongest influence on whether people get cancer screening," Smith said. But there's been a trend away from regular medical checkups, he said, adding, "They are not endorsed by any organization." As a result, doctors are seeing patients only when there's a problem that needs attention, rather than when they would have time to talk about the importance of early screening, he said.
A lack of health insurance is the other big reason people aren't getting regular cancer screenings, Smith said, with the survey showing that for those with no health insurance, screening rates for all cancers except cervical cancer are less than half the rates for those with insurance.
"I am concerned that the pattern of delivery to preventive health practice makes the goal of achieving a high rate of cancer screening very difficult," he said.
Dr. Raymond DuBois, director of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, Tenn., agreed, saying lack of insurance as well as low reimbursement rates keep many people from getting cancer screenings.
In his field of colon cancer screening, he said, "We only screen 40 to 50 percent of the population, and in that group we are really increasing early detection and decreasing mortality. It's so sad we can't implement this throughout the whole population."
Smith urged people to become proactive about pushing for screening tests.
"People need to appreciate the fact that if they don't do it, it's not going to happen," he said.
More information
To learn more, visit the American Cancer Society's cancer detection guidelines.
SOURCES: Robert A. Smith, Ph.D., director, cancer screening, American Cancer Society, Atlanta; Raymond N. DuBois, M.D., Ph.D., director, The Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, Tenn.; January/February 2006 CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians
Copyright ? 2006 ScoutNews LLC. All rights reserved.

Melanoma Vaccine for Dogs May Aid Humans

Melanoma Vaccine for Dogs May Aid Humans
TUESDAY, Jan. 31 (HealthDay News) -- An anti-cancer vaccine for dogs with melanoma shows promise, and may help in the development of similar cancer treatments for humans.
The experimental canine anti-cancer vaccine has been produced at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine since 1998.
"Not all dogs with melanoma respond to this treatment. But those that do seem to do quite well," Ilene Kurzman, a researcher in the veterinary medical school's oncology section, said in a prepared statement.
Dog melanoma is very aggressive, and usually appears around the mouth or toes. Even with treatment, about 75 percent of dogs with oral melanoma die within a year.
About 40 percent of dogs with melanoma respond to this injected anti-cancer vaccine. Melanoma tumors completely disappeared in about 12.5 percent of dogs treated with the vaccine, the researchers said.
The vaccine is created from dog melanoma tumor cells grown in the laboratory. The cells are treated so they're no longer able to divide and cause a tumor. DNA inserted into the cells instructs them to secrete an immune stimulant. The combination of cells and immune stimulant is designed to stimulate the dog's immune system to fight melanoma cells, the researchers said.
The current results are promising, but funding problems prevent Kurzman and her colleagues from doing further research to improve the vaccine and increase the percentage of dogs that respond to it, the scientists said.
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), melanoma accounts for about 4 percent of skin cancer cases, but it causes most skin cancer deaths. The number of new cases of melanoma in the United States is on the rise -- the ACS estimated that there were about 59,580 new cases of melanoma in 2005, and an estimated 7,770 people were expected to die of the disease.
-- Robert Preidt
SOURCE: University of Wisconsin-Madison, news release, Jan. 26, 2006
Copyright ? 2006 ScoutNews LLC. All rights reserved.

Health Tip: Protect Your Eyes From the Sun

Health Tip: Protect Your Eyes From the Sun
(HealthDay News) -- The same dangerous rays that can harm your skin can also harm your eyes.
People who spend long hours in the sun can get sunburn of the cornea, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Though the condition is treatable, it's painful. And it can occur during seasons other than summer. Sun reflecting off snow can contribute to it, too.
To protect your eyes, choose sunglasses that are dark enough to reduce glare but aren't dark enough to distort perception or affect colors. Lenses that are best for color perception are neutral gray, amber, brown or green.
Protect your kids' eyes, too. Buy them sunglasses and make sure they wear them.
-- Deborah DiSesa Hirsch
Copyright ? 2006 ScoutNews LLC. All rights reserved.

Health Tip: Prevent Bath Water Burns

Health Tip: Prevent Bath Water Burns
(HealthDayNews) -- Every year, thousands of children are scalded in bath water that's too hot, according to the Shriners Hospital for Children.
These injuries are easily prevented. Here are some suggestions:
Run cold water into the tub first, then add hot water to reach a safe temperature. This will prevent a scald burn if your child should fall into the tub while it is being filled.
Before placing your child into the tub, check the water temperature by running your hand through the water for a few seconds. If it feels hot, it's too hot for your child.
Face your child away from the faucet, and closer to the other end of the tub.
-- Felicity Stone
Copyright ? 2005 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved.

Wrinkle Fillers: How Long Do They Last?

How Long Do Wrinkle Fillers Last?
More Than 4 Months, States Report on Fillers Using Hyaluronic Acid
By?Miranda?Hitti
WebMD Medical News
Reviewed By?Louise?Chang,?MD
on Friday, February 17, 2006
Feb. 17, 2006 -- Wrinkle fillers containing hyaluronic acid smooth out wrinkles for more than four months, according to researchers.
New York plastic surgeon Sydney Coleman, MD, wrote the report which appears in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Three products containing hyaluronic acid have been approved by the FDA in recent years, Coleman notes. Those products are Restylane, Hylaform, and Hylaform Plus.
Coleman's report is not a head-to-head comparison of those products. Instead, it sums up current knowledge about safety and duration of results.
Coleman writes that the products are "clearly effective at diminishing wrinkles and folds for longer than four months."
"It is generally believed that hyaluronic acid injection fillers are safe and have no occurrence of serious adverse reactions or allergic reactions," Coleman writes.
However, he mentions a "low incidence of risks," such as temporary discoloration, bruising, and redness at the injection site. Occasionally, some symptoms last more than 10 days, including swelling, redness, darkening of the skin, blue discoloration, and lumpiness, the report states.
Patients should be informed about any risks, however rare, before getting the wrinkle fillers, Coleman notes. He adds that the fillers aren't intended to be injected into blood vessels because of the potential risk of serious side effects, including blood clots.



SOURCES: Coleman, S. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, February 2006; vol 117: pp 661-665. News release, American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
? 2005 WebMD Inc. All rights reserved

Virus May Raise Skin Cancer Risk

Virus May Raise Skin Cancer Risk
WEDNESDAY, March 15 (HealthDay News) -- A subtype of the virus best known for its links to cervical cancer may also raise the risk for a form of skin cancer, researchers report.
A human papillomavirus (HPV) subtype called beta HPV may be associated with increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma skin cancer , according to a study in the March 15 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
"Although sun exposure and sun sensitivity are the major risk factors for (skin) cancers, our data support a role of HPV, particularly beta HPV, in the development of squamous cell carcinoma," write researchers at Dartmouth Medical School in Hanover, N.H.
Beta HPVs, which include HPV types 5 and 8, have been detected in skin tumors and previous research has suggested they may play a role in skin cancer.
In this study, researchers looked for antibodies to 16 different HPV types in samples collected from 252 people with squamous cell carcinoma, 525 people with basal cell carcinomas, and 461 cancer-free people in a control group.
Beta type HPV antibodies were detected in squamous cell carcinoma patients more often than in people in the control group. Basal cell carcinoma patients and control group volunteers showed no difference in the presence of HPV antibodies.
-- Robert Preidt
SOURCE: Journal of the National Cancer Institute, news release, March 14, 2006
Copyright ? 2006 ScoutNews LLC. All rights reserved.