It's important to use an African American skin care product with SPF, especially considering that when African Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer it is often in the late-stage, according to the National Cancer Institute. This type of cancer may be prevented by taking proper measures, such as using sunscreen an wearing protective clothing when going into the sun.
Now, there may be new hope in combating squamous cell cancer (SCC) of the skin, one of the most common forms of the disease. Researchers from Monash University's Department of Medicine at the Alfred Hospital in Australia have discovered a gene in the body that helps protect against the form of skin cancer, which could lead to a new target for treatment and prevention methods.
"Virtually every SCC tumour we looked at had almost undetectable levels of this particular gene, so its absence is a very profound driver of these cancers," said researcher Stephen Jane.
The scientists are hoping that this could lead to new prevention methods, such as incorporating supplements that act as in similar manner as this gene into sunscreen or skin care products.