1. BUT DON'T FORGET VITAMIN D
On the other hand, we need to get enough sun to generate vitamin D3, which is being increasingly recognized for its important role in many aspects of health. Supplements can also help, especially for those of us who are older or living in northern latitudes.

D3 is of particular interest to me as a prostate cancer survivor as low levels are associated with prostate cancer. A geographic atlas of cancer shows a pronounced increase in cancer the further north you go from the equator. Unfortunately, the reverse is true for skin cancer.

I just did a search of www.pubmed.gov for "vitamin D3 AND 2007 [dp]" to find the number of published medical research papers on vitamin D3 just in 2007 to date. I got 194 hits.

Jim Waldenfels

Posted at 2:50PM on May 21st 2007 by Jim Waldenfels

2. Riana,

I admit that having melanoma may skew my objectivity a wee bit. After reading this article yesterday (with my mouth hanging open in disbelief), I had to literally turn off my computer and walk away to cool down.

Well, I’m back and I’m cool.

This was the kicker:
The article I quoted in my post, about the flip side of sun protection, seems to feel that it is worth the risk of contracting skin cancer to prevent other cancers. The writer felt that most skin cancers are easily treatable, whereas other cancers might not be.

By most I am assuming the writer is talking about basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas. Yes, these are readily curable, and thank goodness, because they are the most often diagnosed cancer. But melanoma is an insidious cancer. If it’s caught as an insitu (stage 0), the cure rate is 98%. But so is breast cancer, or just about any other cancer that’s out there (with exceptions of course).

According to the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org) melanoma carries a worse prognosis stage for stage than breast cancer. Breast cancer kills more because breast cancer affects more, a lot more. But for how long? Melanoma is rising at epidemic proportions. It is increasing faster than any other cancer in the U.S. or worldwide.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology (www.aad.org ):

There will be about 108,230 new cases of melanoma in the U.S. in 2007 – 48,290 in situ (noninvasive) and 59,940 invasive. In 2007 a person has a 1 in 33 chance of developing melanoma (both in situ and invasive). In 1935 that number was 1 in 1500.

According to the Melanoma Research Foundation (www.melanoma.org ):

• There are currently more new cases of melanoma than HIV/AIDS.
• Melanoma is the number one cancer killer of women age 25-30.
• Melanoma is the number two cancer killer of women age 30-34 (after breast cancer).
• Melanoma is the most diagnosed cancer in young adults age 20-30.

The last thing I want to do is get into a ‘your cancer is better/worse than my cancer’ scenario. Because, let’s face it… CANCER SUCKS. PERIOD.

You don’t have to be a sun worshipper or shun sunscreen to increase your intake of vitamin D. There are many sources of vitamin D to be had in your diet, and not taken in supplementation form.

According to the National Institutes of Health (www.nih.gov ):
• 3.5 ounces of salmon or mackerel provide almost 100% of your daily requirement for vitamin D.
• 3 ounces of canned tuna provide 50%.
• 1.75 ounces of canned sardines provide 70%
• 1 cup of milk provides 25%
• other sources include- fortified cereals, whole eggs, liver, swiss cheeses

According to the National Institutes of Health (on the issue of sun exposure and vitamin D):

Sunscreens with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 8 or greater will block UV rays that produce vitamin D, but it is still important to routinely use sunscreen to help prevent skin cancer and other negative consequences of excessive sun exposure. An initial exposure to sunlight allows adequate time for Vitamin D synthesis and should be followed by application of a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 to protect the skin. Ten to fifteen minutes of sun exposure at least two times per week to the face, arms, and hands without sunscreen is usually sufficient to provide adequate vitamin D.

Ok, so 10 to 15 minutes 2 times per week. You would probably get enough just going out to the mailbox and back, picking up the newspaper, chatting outside with a neighbor for a few minutes, riding in your car, and going to and from your car to the grocery store and the like… normal, everyday activities.

But you can’t count on getting your vitamin D from the sun if you live in the northern U.S., or live in or around a major city or industrial area. For example, sunlight exposure from November through February in Boston is insufficient to produce significant vitamin D synthesis in the skin. Complete cloud cover halves the energy of UV rays, and shade reduces it by 60%. Industrial pollution, which increases shade, also decreases sun exposure and may contribute to the development of rickets in individuals with insufficient dietary intake of vitamin D.

Everyone should do their own research and decide what’s best for them. I certainly have done my research. As someone who has been diagnosed with melanoma twice, I have delved VERY deeply into the whole sun exposure topic.

We eat salmon and tuna at least twice a week. Between that, our milk intake, and our intermittent sun exposure, I think we are doing just fine. I also take a calcium supplement with added vitamin D.

My advice: be sun smart.

Posted at 2:16PM on May 23rd 2007 by melissalittle