Dark Green Leafy Vegetables And Dark Red Fruits Help Prevent Skin Cancer

According to recent statistics the rising incidence of skin cancer is one of the main problems in United States. Considering that this condition appears to be becoming an epidemic, very critical is to develop new approaches to primary and secondary prevention. As consequences we can see many studies exploring the therapeutic value of natural ingredients and researches suggest that common fruit and vegetables extracts may have an important clinical benefits in lowering risk for skin cancer. It is well-known that fruits and vegetables contain a variety of minerals and vitamins and other bioactive substances that include lutein, flavonoids, folic acid, vitamins C and E, and fiber. The folic acid has a key role in repair and synthesis of DNA, and all dark green leafy vegetables are very rich in it. So, new findings show with no doubt that higher intakes of green leafy vegetables may help prevent Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) tumors among patients who have prior skin cancers. Another new finding is that pigment that gives certain fruits their dark red colors has an antioxidant activity higher than that of green tea and red wine. Researchers evaluated that pomegranate fruit extract (PFE) is capable of inhibiting conventional as well as new biomarkers of TPA-induced tumors and they may have chemopreventive action in a wide category of tumor models.

Ozone Depletion

Ozone depletion is a term used to describe two related phenomena concerning the earth's ozone layer. The first is the slow and constant deterioration of the amount of ozone in the earth's upper atmosphere at a rate of about 3 percent per decade. The second is the larger but seasonal decrease in the level of ozone in the atmosphere especially in the earth's Polar Regions, commonly called an ozone hole.
As we all know, the layer of ozone gas present in our atmosphere plays a very critical role in all chemical and biological process in our planet. Ozone filters out most of the very harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun and prevents radiation from reaching the earth's surface. Although, the levels of ozone in the atmosphere naturally rise and fall depending on factors such as altitude, temperature, and weather, the large amount of ozone lost in recent years cannot be attributed to natural factors alone.
Human-made chemicals and gases have a significant role in the phenomena of ozone depletion. Aerosols and Chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs, which are primarily used as propellant and as refrigerant, were found to be responsible for the depletion of the ozone layer. The depletion of the ozone layer poses a huge risk to all chemical and biological process on the earth's surface. Exposure to radiation, which would otherwise have been blocked by a "healthier" ozone layer, have various damaging effects on all living organisms on earth.
Because of this, there has been a continuing worldwide concern regarding the preservation of the ozone layer and the phasing out of ozone depleting substances (ODS). Countries and international communities have initiated actions towards the reduction of ODS and finding ways to curb the further depletion of the earth's vital ozone layer. A significant milestone in this effort was the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer held in 1987 which encouraged the phase-out and reduction of ozone depleting substances over a time frame of several years.

Photodynamic Therapy for Skin Cancer

There will be nearly 11,000 deaths from skin cancer in 2006 — about 8,000 from melanoma and 3,000 from other skin cancers, says the American Cancer Society.
Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers and accounts for almost half of all cancers in the United States. There are two types of skin cancer, nonmelanoma and melanoma.
U.S. doctors find more than 1 million cases of nonmelanoma skin cancer, usually in a patient´s basal cells or squamous cells. Exposing skin — the face, ear, neck, lips, and the backs of the hands — to the sun causes most nonmelanoma skin cancer. While they can grow fast or slow, they rarely spread to other parts of the body.
The second kind, melanoma does spread to other areas of the body making it more dangerous. It accounts for just a small percentage of skin cancer, but it causes most skin cancer deaths. Melanoma is a cancer that begins in the pigment cells that produce the skin coloring (melanin) which helps protect deeper layers of the skin from the sun´s harmful rays. Detected early, melanoma is almost always curable.
Photodynamic therapy
Both nonmelanoma and melanoma skin cancers respond to photodynamic therapy (PDT). PDT is a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved treatment for skin cancer that combines a light source and a photosensitizing agent (a drug that is activated by light) to destroy cancer cells. It´s sometimes called photoradiation therapy, phototherapy or photochemotherapy and is useful when there are several lesions on the skin or scalp.
A photosensitizing agent, for example fluorouracil, spread on the skin makes PDT work, because the agent collects more readily in cancer cells than in normal cells. Exposing the agent to light makes it react with oxygen to create chemicals that can kill a skin cancer cell. However, the approved light sources can only penetrate a limited depth of tissue; therefore doctors mainly use PDT to treat areas on or just under the skin. It´s less effective for treating large tumors, because the light cannot pass deep into the tumors. Because it´s a localized treatment, doctors don´t use PDT to treat skin cancer that has metastasized.
Doctors sometimes use PDT in precancerous treatments. It usually needs pre-approval by a healthcare provider. Just because the treatment is in the facial area, case managers shouldn´t assume it´s a cosmetic treatment. Check to see the patient´s age, if the patient is over 60 years old, the case is probably not cosmetic. Also, look at the chart to see if there are multiple lesions on the skin or scalp, usually three or more.
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