Sunscreen remains important: university hospitals test mRNA vaccination against skin cancer

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Summer includes swimming, freezing and UV protection for the skin. Because the ultraviolet radiation of light can cause sunburns, skin aging and skin cancer in the long run. Switzerland is considered a high-risk country for skin cancer. The number of new cases in Germany has doubled in the last 30 years. Currently, 25,000 people get sick each year.

Switzerland even has a record: no other European country affects so many men. According to the Cancer League, about 3,100 people are diagnosed with a dangerous melanoma each year – the disease ends fatally for several hundred patients each year.

Living without metastases

That number may decrease in the future, because research is making great progress: This week, the French-language newspaper “Le Temps” in Switzerland reported that the University Hospital of Geneva wants to test an mRNA vaccine against skin cancer in a clinical trial this year. As a spokesperson told SonntagsBlick, Inselspital in Bern is also involved in the third global testing phase of the Moderna vaccine. When that will happen is currently unclear. University Hospital Zurich will also be one of the recruitment centers for the phase III study, according to Swiss mRNA pioneer Steve Pascolo.

“Moderna’s new results are promising,” says Pascolo. If the vaccine is taken with the cancer drug Keytruda, it should provide a metastasis-free life for skin cancer patients. The aim is to offer this combination to patients at high risk of recurrence. In previous test results with the combination, the risk of recurrence of metastases in organs other than the skin was reduced by 65 percent, according to Moderna.

A melanoma cancer vaccine with mRNA has been under investigation for a long time. Pascolo conducted the first study in 2003. First of all, what’s new is that technology made a breakthrough during the pandemic and now more money is flowing in. Pascolo was very pleased, because a vaccine against other types of cancer could also be considered. “Synthetic mRNA vaccines can be made against any type of cancer. There are a lot of clinical studies investigating this.”

Skin cancer usually does not appear for years

Today, skin cancer is still almost a common disease in Switzerland. But why the high number of cases? The reasons are finally unknown. Experts suspect that our leisure behavior contributes to this. While many Swiss travel to sunny countries on beach holidays, UV exposure is high in the mountains. Water can increase the effect of rays by up to 30 percent, and snow by up to 90 percent. Another reason, according to the Cancer League, may be that good medical care makes it possible to detect melanomas at an early stage and have them systematically recorded in the cancer registry.

Severin Läuchli, a dermatologist at the Zurich Center for Dermatology, says the general increase in diseases may have something to do with past sins. “In the past, sun protection was not an issue, tan skin was considered sexy and healthy. Many types of skin cancer only appear years later, so the consequences of lack of awareness are even more pronounced today.

Prevention is the best protection

Prevention and early diagnosis are very important. It is recommended to examine the skin every three months for suspicious changes, especially in patients with fair skin and birthmarks. The scalp, behind the ears, neck and genitals should also be checked using a mirror if necessary.

Stefanie de Borba, spokesperson for the Swiss Cancer League, warns to avoid UV rays: “Stay in the shade between 11:00 and 15:00, wear a hat, sunglasses and clothing, and regularly apply sunscreen with UVA and UVB filters.” Also important: don’t go to the solarium even to get a tan beforehand, and protect children and teenagers in particular, as their skin is more sensitive.

In an analysis by the German Stiftung Warentest, the sunscreen “Garnier Ambre Solaire Hydra 24 h 30” emerged as the test winner. Other products were also rated “very good”: “Eau Thermale Avène Intense Protect LSF 50+”, “Lidl Cien Sun Sonnenmilch LSF 30”, “La Roche-Posay Anthelios LSF 50+” and “Nivea Sun Schutz & Care SPF 30” spray “. These include branded items as well as discounters – price doesn’t seem to be an indicator of quality. Important when buying: The product must have a sun protection factor of at least 30.

Apply enough sunscreen!

According to Stefanie de Borba, the effectiveness of sunscreen also depends on how it’s used correctly: “It’s important that you apply a large enough amount – most people use very little – and reapply it regularly.” Sunscreens should be used within 12 months after opening. “And they’re not a free entry to unlimited stay in the sun.”

Some creams have a negative aspect. Its residues can cause problems in water bodies. During the federal expedition camp in Goms last year, the Center for Applied Ecotoxicology conducted a pilot project on the effects of sunscreen on a swimming lake. The results showed that the concentrations of UV filters increased as a result of swimming. “The chemicals it contains can have harmful effects on environmental organisms,” said spokesperson Anke Schäfer. In addition, some of these substances are hormonally active and may adversely affect the hormonal system of animals. Dermatologist Severin Läuchli says, “There are products on the market that do not contain any substances that could pose a problem for the environment. These should be preferred.”

Source :Blick