Sunscreen and Cancer

[FixItUp Chappie]

I have had a few people text me/ask me about Sunscreen and Cancer risk since the article hit the drudgereport/aol/CNN yesterday.

Any thoughts on this? Personally, I am skeptical at best.

http://cancer.about.com/b/2010/05/25/sunscreen-accelerates-skin-cancer.htm

http://www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen/

Does anybody even know what the environmental working group is? It sounds like a group with an agenda with some cherry-picked science.

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[Neuron14]

I have had a few people text me/ask me about Sunscreen and Cancer risk since the article hit the drudgereport/aol/CNN yesterday.

Any thoughts on this? Personally, I am skeptical at best.

http://cancer.about.com/b/2010/05/25/sunscreen-accelerates-skin-cancer.htm

http://www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen/

Does anybody even know what the environmental working group is? It sounds like a group with an agenda with some cherry-picked science.

Here's a link to the FDA study in question if you want to take a look.
http://toxsci.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/88/1/142

You're right, the EWG does seem to be a harsh critic of the sunscreen industry.

 

[asphyxiated]

Does anybody else think that it's a little sketchy to look for genetic instabilities in a lymphoma cell line and then suggest that those same factors may be at play in the skin?

 

[moinmoin]

Does anybody else think that it's a little sketchy to look for genetic instabilities in a lymphoma cell line and then suggest that those same factors may be at play in the skin?

That's the first thing I thought. How generalizable are results from a line of cancerous cells? Maybe I'm missing something...

 

[Neuron14]

That's the first thing I thought. How generalizable are results from a line of cancerous cells? Maybe I'm missing something...

They used lymphoma cells as part of a Mouse Lymphoma Assay (MLA). They wrote,"the MLA detects a broad spectrum of genetic damage, including both point mutations and chromosomal mutations. This feature makes the MLA particularly useful for detecting mutational events that result from oxidative DNA damage."

I'm not sure if that was considered standard research protocol, but you're right, it seems like they should have used human skin cells as well.

The articles also refer to another study conducted in 2009. In this study, they found that cancerous cells developed 21 percent faster in lab mice who received an application of cream containing vitamin A than a control group who were treated with a vitamin-free version. Both lab groups were exposed to the equivalent of nine minutes of direct noontime Florida Sun every day for a year.

The problem with this study, according to the FDA, is that they tested plain vitamin A cream, not sunscreen containing vitamin A.

 

[dermathalon]

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[elenaP]

Link that may be of interest:
http://www.beautybunch.com/2010/05/26/cancer-from-vitamin-a-in-your-sunscreen/

 

[dermathalon]

This link is to an opinion piece and she clearly falls on the side against EWG. What is interesting is that she makes points such as the following:

"Sunscreens in the U.S. are regulated as over-the-counter (OTC) drugs by the FDA and must undergo pre-market approval that involves rigorous scientific assessment including safety and efficacy substantiation according to FDA standards. You will be pleased to know that these standards are among the most rigorous in the world."

This is simply not true and the author has clearly not read the FDA monograph on sunscreen testing not is she aware of the intense debate about current testing standards. Interestingly, the author sells sunscreens through her personal website and so for her to complain about EWG as having conflict of interest is laughable to me.

 

[elenaP]

Very valid points, she's not the only prominent member of the cosmetic science community that feels this way about the EWG, but it was the first thing I read recently that came to mind so I decided to post it. Here's another link to an expert that doesn't blindly worship them:
http://thebeautybrains.com/2008/11/05/ewg-misleads-consumers-about-parabens/

 

[dermathalon]

/

 

[elenaP]

If I had any influence I would add my voice to those that have already been lobbying the FDA to change the sunscreen labeling laws (from what I hear they might be getting closer to making some changes). Part of the appeal of dermatology is the chance to amass more knowledge and be viewed as an authority.

 

[sore eye asses]

when are they going to come out with SPF 1 million like in robocop?

that s*** will block out all that stupid sun like we're livin in the matrix.

it will cause cancer, but it'll be worth it because we'll all be blue like the navi.

dude, i want to be a navi!

You can have intercourse with trees and horses and other navi just by havin' a rad pony tail. i tried this in real life and got slapped for it. by a horse, no less. who knew horses could muster a slap?