Skin Cancer News and Research

Latest Skin Cancer News and Research

AUA clarifes recommendations on prostate cancer testing with PSA test and DRE

The American Urological Association (AUA) is aware of recent news reports disparaging prostate cancer testing. We are concerned that these reports are causing significant confusion for patients and we wish to clarify our recommendations on prostate cancer testing with the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test and digital rectal exam (DRE). The AUA strongly supports early prostate cancer detection and feels it is in a man's best interest to consider being tested for prostate cancer.

4 Nov 2009

Melanoma patients treated with radiation after surgery at lower risk of cancer recurrence

High-risk melanoma patients who are treated with radiation after surgery have a significantly lower risk of their cancer returning to the lymph nodes (19 percent), compared to those patients who do not have radiation therapy (31 percent), according to the first randomized study of its kind presented at the plenary session, November 2, 2009, at the 51st Annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).

3 Nov 2009

New imaging technique for treatment of breast cancer

Researchers at Rush University Medical Center and Argonne National Laboratory are collaborating on a study to determine if an imaging technique used by NASA to inspect the space shuttle can be used to predict tissue damage often experienced by breast cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. The study is examining the utility of three-dimensional thermal tomography in radiation oncology.

3 Nov 2009

Dendreon submits an amended BLA for PROVENGE active cellular immunotherapy

Dendreon Corporation today announced that it has completed the submission of the amended Biologics License Application (BLA) for PROVENGE® (sipuleucel-T), the Company's lead investigational product, to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Dendreon is seeking licensure for PROVENGE for men with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

2 Nov 2009

Switching to new immunosuppressant drug may reduce skin cancer after kidney transplantation

Switching to a newer type of immunosuppressant drug may reduce the high rate of skin cancer after kidney transplantation, according to research being presented at the American Society of Nephrology's 42nd Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition in San Diego, CA.

2 Nov 2009

Canadians should consider taking Vitamin D during fall and winter months

Changing our clocks on Sunday November 1 is an excellent time to consider taking a daily Vitamin D supplement, says the Canadian Cancer Society.

29 Oct 2009

New data from CIMZIA WELCOME trial to be presented at the ACG meeting

According to new results from the WELCOME trial, exploratory data analyzing the impact of treatment with CIMZIA(®) (certolizumab pegol) - the only PEGylated anti-TNF (alpha) (Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha) - administered either every two weeks or every four weeks, showed that the majority of Crohn's disease patients in both dosing groups experienced no hospitalizations and surgical procedures during the course of the 26-week study.

28 Oct 2009

Global sales volumes of Levulan Kerastick exceed one million units

DUSA Pharmaceuticals, Inc.®, a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on dermatology, announced today that global sales volumes of the Levulan® Kerastick®, an integral part of the Levulan® Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) technology platform, surpassed one million units.

28 Oct 2009

Astellas enters into agreement with Medivation to develop MDV3100

Astellas Pharma Inc. ("Astellas") and Medivation, Inc. announced today that they have entered into a global agreement to develop and commercialize MDV3100, Medivation's investigational drug for the treatment of prostate cancer.

27 Oct 2009

New data from efficacy study of CIMZIA in Crohn's disease patients presented

New data from an open-label extension study evaluating the long-term safety and efficacy of CIMZIA® (certolizumab pegol) in moderate to severe Crohn's disease patients demonstrate that 82 percent of patients actively treated with CIMZIA - the only PEGylated anti-TNF-alpha (Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha) - remained in long-term remission without dose escalation up to 3.5 years.

27 Oct 2009

Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease may be at risk for developing non-melanoma skin cancer

Findings from a new retrospective cohort study presented at the American College of Gastroenterology's 74th Annual Scientific meeting in San Diego indicate that patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), especially those receiving the thiopurine class of medications to treat IBD, may be at risk for developing non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC).

27 Oct 2009

SkinMedica enters into a global license agreement with New York University

SkinMedica, Inc. and New York University announced today that they have entered into a global license agreement to develop novel products to address skin hyperpigmentation based on technology invented at NYU.

27 Oct 2009

Dartmouth explores glucorticoid side effects on bladder-cancer patients

In her most recent study of possible triggers of cancer among northern New England residents, Dartmouth epidemiologist Margaret R. Karagas, Ph.D., and her team identified an enhanced risk to the bladders of patients taking drugs that suppress the immune system.

27 Oct 2009

Millions of children in the US suffer from suboptimal levels of vitamin D

Millions of children in the United States between the ages of 1 and 11 may suffer from suboptimal levels of vitamin D, according to a large nationally representative study published in the November 2009 issue of Pediatrics, accompanied by an editorial.

26 Oct 2009

National campaign to raise awareness of actinic keratosis

Driver Aric Almirola is lending his voice to a national public education program to raise awareness of actinic keratosis (AK) -- a potential early warning sign of skin cancer -- as well as the long-term consequences of sun damage over a lifetime. The national campaign, "Is it AK or OK?" is sponsored by Graceway Pharmaceuticals, LLC, in partnership with The Skin Cancer Foundation.

24 Oct 2009

Women and children important during groundwater arsenic pollution fieldwork, says geologist

A Kansas State University geologist and graduate student are finding that the most important tools in their fieldwork on groundwater arsenic pollution are women and children armed with pamphlets and testing kits.

24 Oct 2009

New guidelines from American Academy of Dermatology for treatment of psoriasis with ultraviolet light therapy

Based on an extensive review of the highest quality scientific literature on psoriasis and the opinion of recognized psoriasis experts, the American Academy of Dermatology (Academy) has released new guidelines of care for the management and treatment of psoriasis with ultraviolet (UV) light therapy, also known as phototherapy. Recommendations for the use of the most common forms of UV light therapy, as stand-alone treatments or in conjunction with other therapies, were outlined, including patient considerations.

23 Oct 2009

DUSA Pharmaceuticals finds place in Deloitte's Technology Fast 500 list for second consecutive year

DUSA Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(R)( )(Nasdaq: DUSA), a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on dermatology, announced today that it has been named to Deloitte's Technology Fast 500 list. For the second consecutive year, Deloitte recognized DUSA as one of the Top 500 fastest growing technology, media, telecommunications and life sciences companies in North America in terms of percentage revenue growth over a five year period.

21 Oct 2009

Palmerolide A: Real hope for cancer treatment

A targeted chemotherapy for the treatment of skin cancer is one step closer, after a team of University of Alberta researchers successfully synthesized a natural substance that shows exceptional potential to specifically treat this often fatal disease.

21 Oct 2009

SIMPONI treatment results in greater inhibition of structural damage in arthritis patients

Phase 3 data reported for the first time show that once every four week subcutaneous injections of SIMPONI(TM) (golimumab) resulted in significantly greater inhibition of structural damage compared with placebo plus methotrexate in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and active psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

20 Oct 2009