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Archive for category: Skin Cancer

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doctor doing skin check to look for differences between atypical and precancerous mole
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Atypical vs. Precancerous Moles

Atypical vs. Precancerous Moles In recent decades, there has been a tremendous push by the healthcare field to discover and develop new diagnostic and treatment options to improve the survival rate of…
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July is UV Safety Month

The sun is out, the birds are chirping, and it is officially summer in the South. Did you know July is UV Safety Month? Here are some skin cancer facts and sun protection tips to get your…
Photo by Fred Benenson
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Where is Skin Cancer Most Common?

Cancer forms when cells divide out of control. When these cells divide without any checks or balances, they can start to crowd out vital organs and release substances that can create an imbalance in the…
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Melanoma Detection & Prevention

May is National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month and the story here is reasonably positive.  Most people know that melanoma is a worrisome cancer but the good news is that 84% present…
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Scientists use Lassa-VSV, a combination of deadly viruses, to fight brain tumors

Scientists looking for new treatments for patients with brain tumors, including those caused by metastatic melanoma, have turned to an unlikely source: a deadly tropical virus. The virus, called Lassa, causes a deadly hemorrhagic fever endemic to West Africa. A team of cancer scientists from Yale and Harvard are altering part of the virus's genetic code, combining it with a different virus, and injecting it into the human brain where they hope it can be used to find and destroy cancer cells.
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New cancer drug binimetinib shows success in late stage trial

On December 16, Array BioPharma announced its new cancer drug, binimetinib, showed success in stage 3 clinical trials. According to the drug company, binimetinib may be used to treat people with advanced NRAS-mutant melanoma, a particularly deadly form of skin cancer. The trial showed that the drug extended the time it takes for cancer to grow and spread.
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FDA proposes ban on indoor tanning for minors

Indoor tanning ban aimed at reducing skin cancer rates in minors. On December 18, in a sweeping move in the fight against skin cancer, the FDA proposed a national ban on indoor tanning for people under the age of 18. Medical experts have called the move an important step in reducing the risk of skin cancer in the United States.
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Types of Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy refers to a type of cancer treatment that attempts to stimulate the body's immune system to attack and kill cancer cells. The immune system is the body's natural defense against germs and disease. The main components of the immune system are the organs, tissues, and fluids that make up the lymph system—including white blood cells. White blood cells, such as T cells, are the substances that actually attack and kill germs or other unhealthy substances, such as cancer cells.
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What is Immunotherapy?

Melanoma is a type of skin cancer caused by damage to the DNA of melanocyte cells in the skin. Melanocytes produce melanin, a pigment in skin that is primarily responsible for skin color. When melanocytes DNA is damaged, it may cause the cells to mutate—leading to rapid, uncontrolled growth and the formation of malignant tumors. The goal of immunotherapy for cancer is to overcome these barriers to an effective anticancer immune response. These biological therapies restore or increase the activities of specific immune-system components or counteract immunosuppressive signals produced by cancer cells.

Cancer News: FDA Approves Pembrolizumab as Standard of Care in Advanced Melanoma

Pembrolizumab (marketed under the brand name Keytruda by Merck) works by short circuiting the mechanism that slows down or stops the body's immune system. In doing so, the drug allows T cells—the body's natural defenders against disease—to recognize, attack, and kill cancer cells.