Eight recent developments in skin cancer

Recent research on skin cancer included studies on squamous cell carcinoma and its risk in solid organ transplant recipients, as well as cigarette use as a predictive factor for the disease.

Other study results reported in Healio.com/Dermatology include a physician’s perspective on the relationship between melanoma and indoor tanning rates dropping in the United States and the European Commission approving Opdivo for treating advanced melanoma in adults:

1. Sirolimus may not reduce SCC risk in solid organ transplant recipients

Sirolimus exposure in solid organ transplant recipients was not significantly associated with a reduction in the risk of posttransplantation squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), according to recently published study results.

Maryam M. Asgari

Maryam M. Asgari, MD, MPH, and colleagues studied incident SCC and its relationship to sirolimus in a retrospective cohort of all Kaiser Permanente Northern California members who were solid organ transplant recipients between 2000 and 2010. Read more

2. Aggressive SCC predicted by immunosuppression, cigarette use

Researchers from the University of California, San Diego found that incidence of squamous cell carcinoma with an aggressive subclinical extension can be predicted by factors such as immunosuppression and cigarette use.

“[SCCs with aggressive subclinical extension] are frequently missed with traditional diagnostic techniques, leading to inappropriate surgical margin selection, unanticipated treatment durations and possible lesion recurrence or metastasis,” Alina Goldenberg, MAS, and colleagues wrote. Read more

3. Perspective: Indoor tanning rates drop in US adults between 2010 and 2013

Indoor tanning rates have dropped among adults in the United States between 2010 and 2013, according to recently published study results.

Martin A. Weinstock

In an accompanying perspective, Julia Siegel, BA, and Martin A. Weinstock, MD, PhD, said, “the decrease in indoor tanning among adults in the United States is an important sign of progress in the effort to prevent melanoma and keratinocyte carcinomas, such as basal and squamous cell carcinomas of the skin.” Read more

4. Partner-assisted skin-exam training improves skin exam practices in patients with melanoma

Patients with melanoma who participated in a skin self-exam intervention with their partners continued to practice skin self-exams up to 12 months after their training, according to recent research.

“These findings support the notion that systematic [skin self-exam] training with partners is an empirically supported and sustainable approach to improve early detection of melanomas among high-risk individuals,” Rob Turrisi, PhD, and colleagues wrote. Read more

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5. Online searches for melanoma, skin cancer increase in summer

Online searches for the terms melanoma and skin cancer increased during each summer over a 5-year period, according to a recently published report.

Researchers used Google Trends to find data on Internet searchers for “skin cancer” (a lay term) and “melanoma” for each state between Jan. 1, 2010, and Jan. 1, 2014. Periods with greater interest in skin cancer were identified by plotting overall search volume indexes over time. Read more

6. Common erectile dysfunction medication may increase melanoma risk

The use of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors for erectile dysfunction produced a small but significant increase in the risk for malignant melanoma, according to the results of a population-based study.

However, more data are needed to determine if this association is causal, according to the researchers. Read more

7. European Commission approves Opdivo for advanced melanoma

The European Commission has approved Opdivo (nivolumab, Bristol-Myers Squibb) for treating advanced melanoma in adults, regardless of BRAF status, according to a press release from Bristol-Myers Squibb.

The action allows the PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor to be marketed in all 28 member states of the European Union, according to the release. Read more

8. Mayo Clinic, Translational Genomics part of precision medicine trials for metastatic melanoma

The Mayo Clinic has teamed with Translational Genomics Research Institute to help launch a multi-institutional, national study in precision medicines to treat BRAF wild-type metastatic melanoma.

Alan Bryce

“This study is unique in offering more than 20 different treatment options in a single trial,” Alan Bryce, MD, Mayo Clinic investigator for the trial, said in a press release. “By leveraging the power of cancer genomics, we believe we can treat each patient with the best drug for their individual situation.” Read more