There isn’t much evidence to conclusively prove that daily sunscreen use can prevent most skin cancers, a research review concludes.
But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t use sunscreen, doctors say. It just means it’s unethical to do experiments testing the effectiveness of sunscreen by randomly assigning some people to use it and others to skip it.
“Lack of high quality experimental evidence should not be equated with evidence that such interventions are ineffective and it is important that patients and consumers do not stop protecting their skin until better quality evidence emerges,” lead authors Dr. Ingrid Arevalo-Rodriguez and Dr. Guillermo Sanchez of the Instituto de Evaluacion Technoloica en Salud in Bogota, Colombia told Reuters Health by email.
Dr. Laura Ferris, a dermatologist at the University of Pittsburgh who wasn’t involved in the research review, pointed out, also by email, that it’s difficult to measure the effect of sun protection on the prevention of skin cancer, “particularly because it is not ethical or practical to randomize the population.”
“One could not, for example, tell one group to seek shade, wear a hat, and use sunscreen and another to sit in the direct sun and abstain from use of sunscreen,” Ferris added. “So lack of evidence does not mean that sun protection has no impact on the risk of skin cancer, just that the impact is difficult to measure.”
In a review published by the Cochrane Library, Arevalo-Rodriguez and Sanchez and colleagues set out to assess how much we already know about whether sunscreen and other protective measures, such as wearing hats or sunglasses or staying in the shade, prevent skin cancer.
They focused on what’s known as basal cell and cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas, which make up the majority of skin cancer cases. Their analysis didn’t look at melanoma, a rare and much more deadly type of skin cancer.
The research team only wanted to look at trials that randomly assigned some people to use sunscreen or other protection – and they found just one study that met their criteria.
This study, done in Australia, monitored about 1,600 people for more than four years and didn’t find a meaningful difference in the number of new cancer cases detected based on whether people used sunscreen every day or only occasionally.
That might not be long enough to follow patients to see if sunscreen prevents skin cancer because it can take several years after sun exposure to detect abnormalities on the skin.
What this does suggest is that more high-quality research is needed, the authors told Reuters Health.
In the meantime, “Patients and consumers in general need to consult health professionals to obtain specific advice about the need of specific preventive measures, according with their age, skin color, occupation and presence of other risk factors for skin cancer, among other factors,” they added.
Even without more studies, there’s already plenty of proof that exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun causes skin cancer and melanoma, noted Dr. David Leffell, a skin cancer researcher at Yale School of Medicine who wasn’t involved in the research review.
“The scientific facts are inescapable—regular use of sun protection reduces skin cancer and cancer precursors,” Leffell said by email.
“The benefits of sun protection and the incontrovertible evidence of sunburn and chronic sun exposure as a cause of about 60% of melanomas should inspire people to continue reasonable sun protection if they fit into the moderate to high risk groups, and even if they don’t,” Leffell added.
SOURCE: bit.ly/2aDI7kF Cochrane Library, online July 25, 2016.
Trending News on PVDN
The Connection Between the Jalisco Cartel, Missing Employees at Call Center, 45 Bags of Body Parts, Timeshare Scams, and American Tourists PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - More than a week after the initial disappearance of eight young workers at a call center in Zapopan, Jalisco, the case continues to be shrouded in mystery, leaving families distraught and demanding answers. The Jalisco Prosecutor's Office has made little progress in the investigation, according to the relatives of the missing…
Shocking Case of Animal Abuse in Mexico: Man Throws Dog into Boiling Fry Oil PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - A disturbing incident of animal abuse has sent shockwaves throughout Mexico, as a man allegedly threw a dog into a pot of boiling oil, resulting in the animal's tragic death. Authorities have detained the suspect for the assault on the dog and have issued an additional arrest warrant on charges of…
Thrill-Seeking Tourist in Puerto Vallarta is Rescued After Parachute Accident on Los Muertos Beach Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) - A woman was rescued after her parachute got entangled in a palm tree on the popular Los Muertos Beach in an incident that highlighted a growing concern over the lack of regulation in tourist activities in Puerto Vallarta. The incident unfolded during one of the city's burgeoning recreational pursuits frequently indulged…
It’s Getting a Little More Expensive for Americans Living in Mexico, Peso Surges to Over Seven-Year High Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) - The Mexican peso reached its highest level in more than seven years on Friday, June 2, driven by positive employment data from the United States. The country's stock market also experienced a notable rise as fears of a recession in the US diminished. At the close of trading, the peso was…
Popocatépetl Volcano Activity Continues; June 5, 2023 Monitoring Update PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - In the latest updates from the monitoring systems of the Popocatépetl volcano, 108 exhalations were recorded in the last 24 hours, accompanied by water vapor, volcanic gases, and minor quantities of ash. The monitoring systems also registered 51 minutes of tremor segments, ranging from low to moderate amplitude and high frequency.…
Popocatépetl Volcano Exhibits Increased Activity; Yellow Phase 3 Alert Continues PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - In the past 24 hours, heightened activity was recorded from Mexico's Popocatépetl volcano, with an alarming 315 exhalations detected, accompanied by water vapor, other volcanic gases, and ash, according to the Scientific Advisory Committee (CCA) of the National Civil Protection System (SINAPROC). Monitoring systems in place around the active stratovolcano also…
Puerto Vallarta Celebrates 105 Years as Municipality, 55 as City with Grand Anniversary Celebration PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - Puerto Vallarta, one of the nation's favorite tourist destinations, celebrated the 105th anniversary of its elevation to a municipality and its 55th year as a city with a solemn session held in the central courtyard of the city's presidency. Presiding over the commemorative event was Mayor, Professor Luis Alberto Michel Rodríguez,…
45 Bags of Human Remains Discovered in Jalisco PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - A chilling discovery of 45 bags filled with human remains in a deep ravine in the El Mirador del Bosque neighborhood of Zapopan has escalated the search for seven missing youths last seen at a local call center. The Jalisco Attorney General's Office confirmed late Wednesday that the gruesome discovery was…
Popocatépetl Volcano Remains Active with 219 Exhalations in 24 hours – June 1, 2023 PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - The Popocatépetl volcano, one of Mexico's most active, has continued to manifest its activity, with monitoring systems detecting 219 exhalations in the past 24 hours. These exhalations were accompanied by water vapor, other volcanic gases, and sometimes minimal amounts of ash, as depicted in recent images and video footage. The tremor…
Buried Body Found Near Home of Man Who Went Missing at Puerto Vallarta Pride PUERTO VALLARTA - This Monday morning, a gruesome discovery of a half-buried body was made on a property located adjacent to the home of Ruben Michel, a young man who has been missing since May 25. Michel, a deaf-mute member of the LGBTQ+ community, vanished following the Vallarta Pride event. Municipal Police were alerted to…